Charles Buchanan

Charles Buchanan, an Alabama native, works as a writer in Birmingham.

He has been drawing and cartooning since childhood, but his frequent travels around the world inspired him to experiment with photography. With block printing, Charles reinterprets photos of his destinations and his hometown, transforming them into bold graphic designs that highlight unique details and exude a sense of place.

Every block print begins with an interesting photo, which Charles reduces to line art using a computer and tracing paper. He then transfers it onto a rubbery block and uses gouges to carve away every part of the image he does not want to print. Finally, he rolls ink onto the block and presses paper on top of it to create the final printed image. Because each piece is printed individually and by hand, no two prints are ever exactly alike.