The creation of Dave began with loose conceptual sketches that explored the format of missing pet posters and how this everyday medium could be exaggerated into something both unsettling and comedic. I developed the creature’s features—tentacles, oozing horns, and vacant eyes—as distorted reflections of familiar campus archetypes pushed to monstrous extremes.

From there, I experimented with composition and text placement, producing digital drafts to test the balance between image and satirical tone. I created multiple transparencies for screen printing, which allowed me to layer colour, texture, and linework. Throughout the process, I tested a variety of ink colours, paper stocks, and registration methods to achieve a bold graphic finish with an intentionally offbeat texture.

Iteration played a central role in the project. I adjusted text and background colours to fine tune tone and rhythm across versions, treating each screenprint as an opportunity to refine layering techniques. This hands on process not only sharpened the final outcome but also became a way of exploring how satire functions visually, and how traditional printmaking can be stretched to carry absurd and contemporary commentary.

For a more detailed account of the screen printing method, including images, see the process section of Citizen Cane Toad, another of my print based projects.