Saturday, April 23, 2011

A little catch up time

We are home for a few days, delighting in spectacular Autumn weather and tidying, sorting, weeding, washing, mowing...

We did however make a promise to ourselves to try and do something creative each day so it's nice to be sitting here with ink on my fingers!

First of all I took all the pieces returned home from the exhibition back downstairs - am yet to put all of them away properly but some are looking good. Then I tidied up the studio in fits and spurts - nothing too serious but cleared the surfaces for a bit of play. To start with I did some watercolour washes which I plan to use in my Book Art Object books. I have at least been able to spend some of the down time on the islands planning for and designing what I hope will work out to be a nice edition of books. More later.

Then I sat down and inked up a few more letters for a letter a week 2011.

I haven't mentioned my letters much this year - mostly because instead of doing something different each week, the style is the same week in, week out.

One of the alphabets this year has to be "Black and White and a touch of..." and I began with this one. I chose to do multi-layered black italics using a variety of nibs on white paper with a touch of gold on each one. They are all still 7cm x 7cm but I have placed them onto a 10cm x 10cm square of heavy black paper.

I am folding them into this pop up lotus type shape and have half begun to put them together as books...but I might have changed my mind so I am sitting still with the putting together a bit at the moment and will keep playing to see if I can get the right final product.

Here are some images of the alphabet so far; coming along nicely I think!







And this is what today's desk looked like. Hmm I didn't really tidy up too much did I? The top 4 letters were still there form before we went away, and I worked on the bottom four today. These letters are underway so you can see how I overwrite beyond the 7cm square and then cut them down and paste them to the black backing paper. At least having done these ones I'm on track for April. Phew.




8 comments:

  1. Life seems pretty hectic for you at the moment Fiona but it's lovely to see some lettering again, particularly the lotus folded books. What a great way to showcase the letterforms. Lesley

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  2. Having an art obligation - the letters - does keep us at it when we might have let other things get int he way. Your letters have great strength.

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  3. i like seeing the work table--in progress is always so interesting, at least to me.

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  4. Lesley - yes a bit out of control, but lovely to make time for creating again! The lotus fold is really sweet and has so many possibilities I am stuck trying to work out how to pull it all together!

    Leslie - yes, a little regular task is giving me a focus. On returning home and not knowing where to start, what to try - the letters are a good starting place, a warm up.

    V - glad you enjoyed that shot - I thought it summed me up pretty well at the moment! I too love sticky beaking at work in progress and work spaces...

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  5. The lotus form is beautiful for these lovely letterings. They will make a gorgeous book.

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  6. I was just wondering what happened to your alphabet! Nice to see it is coming along so beautifully!

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  7. Carol thank you, the form does seem so right. How many books to turn them into is the challenge!

    TT/G - yes these are pottering around in the background quite nicely, giving me a point of focus to resettle me when I am home. Best wishes for your exciting week ahead.

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  8. Your letters are beautiful. Love the little tidbits that complement the strong letter shapes xoxoxoxo

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I appreciate your thoughts and comments; thanks for taking the time.