Many projects on the go

 

At the moment I seem to be jumping from one thing to another including: finishing watercolours for a friend (see opening photos; progressing watercolours for Scotland (see below); doing a How to Use Tools document for my jewellery workshop; finishing examples for the workshop; and negotiating the finalisation of my repair work on the Montville footpath.

The watercolours for the friend reflect the colours and subject matters she likes.

I successfully test printed the 16 page A7 sized Flow Country poem booklet on different weight and colour photo inkjet paper. Fiona and I selected some threads to test sewing heavy weight paper; and today Fiona sewed the booklets for me. As you can see from the photos below I think at the tests have worked and I'm good to print booklets for sale at the Pop Up Art Show in Scotland. The thread is a heavier gauge and the colour reflects the bog country - loose threads are deliberate!!!

I'll get around to blogging on the tools and finished jewellery samples soon.

Sorting layout

 

I want to print an A7 sized booklet of 4 poems and matching photos - but the catch is I want to print it on our inkjet printer using one A4 sheet of high quality art archival paper. The printing needs to be two sided.

So to arrive at the mock up of the booklet in the opening photo I started with the A4 sheet and cut it into sections that result in 4 pages - two sides.  I was careful to write how the sections related to the two sides of the A4 sheet.

After glueing photos and words in place on the sheets I reassembled the A4 sheet and then photographed both sides to see that the images and words would in fact land in the right spots if created a Word document to match the placement in the photos.

Well I guess the next step is to create the word document; and print both sides on a cheap test sheet. Hopefully it will result in a booklet similar to the mock up in the photos below.

If you have already done a layout and print like this feel free to give me comments!!!!

Leaf Cycle - trio of metal booklets

 

My second artists' book for the upcoming Narratives Constellation of Stories exhibition at The Little Red Cottage is titled Leaf Cycle. 

The book is in fact an installation of 3 small (10cmx6.5cm) patinated copper booklets. Each has one of the three stanzas my original poem stamped in it. 

The opening photo gives a sneak peek of the installation.

The following photos are some process-progress stages - particularly the stamping of the covers, the middle page and initials on the back page (first photo). 

The booklets are made from naturally patinated copper plate cut from an antique gifted laundry boiler. After stamping the pages they are riveted down the spine with tiny brass rivets. Once trimmed and grinding sharp edges off the booklets are opened. The leaf form in the opening photo has the title of the poem stamped on it.

As you can see from the last photo the metal cut from the boiler has not been hammered straight - this gives the pages a paper like quality - at least that is what I think. 

I'm pleased how Leaf Cycle has come to fruition. Over the next couple of months the stamped ares should become more integrated-softened. I might leave them out in the weather to re-patina!!!

Solution from a friend

 

I have been mulling over how I might present-publish my small Scotland photo inspired poems - and then out of the blue Fiona received the gift of a small booklet from her friend Annwyn - I was immediately attracted to the clever layered design.

The possible presentation of a photo and poem might look something like the  opening photo - booklet size A7. Annwyn gave me permission to base my booklet on her design - much appreciated.

As you can see from the photos below I had sketched and worked out the measurements for my booklet during one of my biblio sessions.

Then I did the cutting, printing, typing on the old typewriter and stitching - with Fiona's guidance regarding needle, sequence and thread size. Photos of the process below.

The closure I settled on was my design - a wee toggle made from silver-plate; and at Fiona's suggestion a typed end page.

The mock up has given me the chance to do a practical test of the design - there will be a few refinements.

It is likely that I will not get to publish any of the poems until later in the year - too many things to do before we head to Scotland.