Keys

I’ve been playing with a limited palette of materials - four types of paper (brown, tracing, cartridge and the pages from a discarded book), white emulsion paint, PVA, two types of tape (double sided and selllotape), linen thread and a laser printer for the black line.

And using a simple motif

To make a coptic sewn accordian book for the NWBA theme of Collections.

Isolation and keys

A mixed week this week. At the beginning a long, socially distanced walk with friends, in the middle rain, grandchildren at the allotment and redcurrant picking, and hopefully today more currants and seeing the youngest granchild in their garden.

And in between some bits of playing.

Isolation is developing, from this,

which with the brambles all the way round feels a bit like a tissue box to this

It looks like a minor tweak but I'm also going to put solid covers on the back two faces of the cube, and make the central triangle a bit larger.

I've also made the first draft of the text for the inside.

And realised when checking it that I'd used wil instead of shal all the way through so that needs adjusting.

And I'm working on another book for Collections. This time I'm using keys. Who doesn't have a collection of orphaned and abandoned keys somewhere in the house?

Book play

Ok, so why do two different print processes that I thought I'd nailed when experimenting stop working when I try to apply them to make a thing?

I was confident enough to print 'plates' at different sizes to make two meander books. One using gum arabic and the other for gelli plate.

I used exactly the same methods as last time but neither worked properly. Some of the text and image printed but it was patchy and not clear enough for making a book. The same happened with both techniques.

The only common variables that I can think of are the weather, it had got hotter (but I don't see why this should affect the oil based method) and the laser prints.

The cartridge empty light has been on for several weeks now (it carries on printing for a good while when this happens) and although the prints look dense enough I'm wondering if it's not actually laying down enough toner for making printing plates

The problem is I'm actually bored with this book and at the moment I don't seem to be able to summon up the enthusiasm to try again.

So I gave myself an afternoon's play instead.

And for the NWBA challenge 'Collection' I made five five cm square books that fit in a five cm square box, each book a different structure. The only materials and tools used were an old book, an Amazon box, knife, ruler, cutting mat and glue stick.

On a different note while playing arround with a new header for the blog I noticed that it had set comments to members only. No idea why. I've set them back to normal now. I'm sorry if you've been struggling to leave a message but normal service should now be ressumed. Please try again.

Small steps

I’ve committed to making work for three exhibitions in the next few months. 

Number one is the Liverpool Book Fair. This will be a collaborative project with the North West Artists Books Group on the theme of Magellan’s voyage.  It is very much in the research/planning stage so nothing visually interesting to show yet. 

Work for the other two is progressing slowly, but it is progressing

The theme for exhibition number two is to respond to the work of one or more of six women artists: Berthe Morrissot, Mary Cassatt, Paula Modersohn Becker, Gabriele Munter, Laura Knight and Gwen John. 

I initially thought of Laura Knight and her images of backstage at the theatre productions. So I took my sketchbook and camera to our rehearsal for Maskerade (Terry Pratchett meets Phantom of the Opera). Whilst I was there I was struck by one of our members reading on her phone. Her pose reminded me of Cassatt’s painting ‘Lydia reading’. One photo later and I’ve changed direction.

It has taken a few goes to bite the plate but here is the proof from the third plate.

The challenge is how to add her bright green and neon pink hair (which was the main reason the image appealed in the first place)

And the theme for number three is ‘Rural’. I don’t do landscape (not without buildings) and I certainly can’t do animals. I was a bit stuck but inspiration came with Mackenzie Crook’s version of Worzel Gummidge. 

I’ve gone back to the original book by Barbara Euphan Todd and I’m starting with scarecrows and seeing where it leads.

The title of this preliminary research book came from the story where Worzel is explaining that he was never a child. “I didn’t begin: I was put together in a mortal hurry. ‘Tis the same with all of us. We stays the size we’re made: and we’re made to fit our clothes.”

Hidden

While the text for Lindisfarne (the architecture book) was drying I spent my time trying to get my head round flexagons and Jacob’s ladders.

I ended up with this woven accordion structure. It opens so you can only see one set of text at a time.

The quote is from Winston Churchill describing Russian foreign policy in 1939. I just liked the sound of the words. Taken out of context it works well for ‘Hidden’, the NWBA challenge for this month.

Weaver of Words

My recycle/reuse book for NWBA is finally finished.

Initially it was going to be three opening hexagons on a woven base but the base was a bit floppy. When I started to reinforce it with the cover of the book I’d cut up to make the weaving I decided that I like the framing effect of a black border round the base. Then this grew into a proper cover.

I'm pleased with it though I don't thnk I'm going to edition it.