The Process

Step One

LLLinked began with a 24”x18” sheet of Strathmore 500 Series 4-ply Bristol Board. It was gridded into 12, 6”x6” squares. This is Sheet 1. All sheets are gridded this way.

Step Two

The square numbering system uses an (x,y) grid. The first character is either a ‘P’ or ‘N’ to denote ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ on the x-axis. Next is a string denoting the number on the x-axis. After that, another ‘P’ or ‘N’ to denote ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ on the y-axis. Finally, another string denoting the number on the y-axis. For example, (2,1) is ‘P2P1’ and (-2, 13) is ‘N2P13’. LLLinked began at point (0,0).

Step Three

As the lines of LLLinked filled Sheet 1, Sheet 2 was butted up against the top edge of Sheet 1 and LLLinked continued to grow. Subsequent sheets move clockwise around Sheet 1. A particular sheet isn’t fully complete until LLLinked expands into the eight sheets that surround it.

Step Four

When a sheet is complete, it’s cut into 12 squares. Each square is scanned and the sheet is rebuilt in Photoshop in order to create the digital file needed for printing. Because LLLinked is made by hand and therefore imperfect, minor corrections are made in Photoshop so that sheets fit seamlessly together.

Step Five

99 prints are made of every sheet. To uniquely identify every square, the following information is added by hand to the back of every sheet:

  • Square number
  • Sheet number
  • Print number
  • Print year

Then, each sheet is cut by hand into its 12 squares.

Image showing the back of a LLLinked square and its unique QR code

Step Six

Finally, each square is labeled with a unique QR Code + RFID label, signed, and stamped by hand. Every single LLLinked square is unique. No two squares are exactly the same. The only squares that fit perfectly together are the 12 squares of a sheet with the same print number (e.g. the 12 squares that make up print number 52 of Sheet 1 fit perfectly together because they were cut from the same sheet of paper).

Animation of Sheet 1

Below is an animation of the drawing of Sheet 1 and squares P1P1, P1N1, N1N1, N1P1, N1P2, P1P2, P2P2, P2P1, N1P2, N2N1, N2P1 and N2P2.

Animation of Sheet 1 being created