We are big fans of screen printing here at Hookedblog, not only do we enjoy the process of printing but we also love that the format allows fans and collectors an affordable way to collect works from some their favourite artists. We have bought our fair share of prints over the years as well as having visited a number of screen printing studio both here in London and abroad but it's still a joy for us to visit a print studio and see the creation of new works. The opportunity recently presented itself for us to catch up with UK artists Best | Ever here in London as they were working on a new limited edition screen print due to be released early next month with Horn Of Plenty.

Jumping on the overland train we headed further East to catch up with the guys as they were setting up to print the next colour for this forthcoming edition. Working in collaboration with Marco Lawrence from Print Club London, the screens were already exposed and ready to go on our arrival at the space, as too were the next layers of colours to be used on this extremely technical edition.

Exposed screens with the negative image of the design ready to get clapped into the hand bench and time to start printing.
Printmaker Marco Lawrence checking the prints.


Expanding on their work shown with Horn of Plenty at this years Moniker Art Fair, Best | Ever explain that with this new edition they want to "continue to explore the complex nature of human sexual relationships and the reasons we form these temporary bonds and specifically to emphasise the void that can exist between masculine and feminine sexual motivation." 

Titled 'The Observer', the screen printed edition will be a five colour eight screen/layer edition, yes you did read that correctly, we were a little confused ourselves at first until Marco explained the process. Best | Ever are using five inks which would normally mean one screen for each colour, so five in total. But for this print they are utilising a blend of complex layering of translucent inks and highly technical half-tone techniques and for this process additional screens were needed to achieve the effects they wanted. Building up these translucent layers of colour gives sections of this edition the appearance of having a spot varnish which looks great as it catches the light, just check out some of the images we captured below.




Before we knew it Marco had completed printing the next layer of the edition and with the prints drying on the print rack, we were out of time and had to finish up at the studio before we could get to see the remaining layers printed. The above image is a work in progress but gives you an idea of what you can expect from the finished edition from Best | Ever. Check in with Horn Of Plenty over the week to see images of the finished print.

Best | Ever's 'The Observer' edition is set to be released online, Friday 3rd April at 5pm UK time via the Horn Of Plenty website. It will be an edition of 30 and will be priced at £175.