The collages for images 31-45 of Encounters are composed of various combinations of the same thirteen sketches, which are from a sketchbook I drew in over the course of eight months from 2002 to 2003. Below are the base collage—created on the computer from digitized versions of the original pen-and-ink sketches—and final versions of Encounters: 45. Following these images are the four source sketches that I used in the collage for this piece. After that are the five base collages for Encounters: 31-44 alongside some of the finished pieces.

Base Collage & Final Artwork for Encounters 45

Encounters: 45, step 0, base collage (2006)
Digital media, variable size (2.35:1 aspect ratio)

Encounters: 45, step 18, final (2006)
Digital media, variable size (2.35:1 aspect ratio)

Source Sketches for Encounters 45

Below are the source sketches for step 0—the base collage—for Encounters: 45. They are all from the same sketchbook, which I completed from 14 May 2002 to 14 March 2003.

(untitled sketch) (25 May 2002)
Ink on Paper, approximately 10″ x 8″ (25cm x 20cm)

(untitled sketch) (25 May 2002)
Ink on Paper, approximately 10″ x 8″ (25cm x 20cm)

(untitled sketch) (25 May 2002)
Ink on Paper, approximately 10″ x 8″ (25cm x 20cm)

(untitled sketch) (25 May 2002)
Ink on Paper, approximately 10″ x 8″ (25cm x 20cm)

Base Collages for Encounters 31-44, with Finished Pieces

Below are the five base collages for Encounters: 31-44 alongside some of the finished pieces. The naming conventions for the various steps of my process are somewhat arcane and occasionally inconsistent. In some pieces, for example 31 and 32, each was a straightforward sequential progression. In others, such as 37 through 39, the path was not so direct. At step 6, the piece split into 6a and 6b. Step 6a went through thirteen steps to become Encounters: 37. I did take this piece one step further to step 14, but reverted to step 6a-13 for the final. Encounters 38 was a further development of step 6b. This one eventually went through about thirty iterations, with the final being 6b-4b-25. And Encounters 39 is 6b-16b-4, seventeen steps removed from 6b-4.

Encounters 31

Encounters: 31, base collage (2006)
Digital media, variable size (2.35:1 aspect ratio)

Encounters: 31, step 12, final (2006)
Digital media, variable size (2.35:1 aspect ratio)

Encounters 32

Encounters: 32, base collage (2006)
Digital media, variable size (2.35:1 aspect ratio)

Encounters: 32, step 16, final (2006)
Digital media, variable size (2.35:1 aspect ratio)

Encounters 33-36

Encounters: 33-36, base collage (2006)
Digital media, variable size (2.35:1 aspect ratio)

Encounters: 36, step 20, final (2006)
Digital media, variable size (2.35:1 aspect ratio)

Encounters 37-39

Encounters: 37-39, base collage (2006)
Digital media, variable size (2.35:1 aspect ratio)

Encounters: 37, step 6a-13, final (2006)
Digital media, variable size (2.35:1 aspect ratio)

Encounters 40-44

Encounters: 40-44, base collage (2006)
Digital media, variable size (2.35:1 aspect ratio)

Encounters: 41, step 19b-4, final (2006)
Digital media, variable size (2.35:1 aspect ratio)