Sunday, June 19, 2016

Getting closer to Quietly and Gently

This time next week I will be happily ensconced in Rockhampton, getting ready to start teaching on Monday morning.

I have a full class (12 people) for my Quietly and Gently workshop being held as part of Wrapt in Rocky.  Twelve is quite a large number to prepare kits for, and given the most folk are travelling a distance and can't carry everything they need I am supplying quite a few things.

I have spent much of the week cutting paper, lino, embossing materials and so on to make sure everybody is ready to go and to get into things when we begin.

I have also been working on my own samplers for the sampler book which folk will be making.

I have been astounded in a way that there are so many ways to work white on white...

The analytical part of me has been thinking that you can work above the surface, on the surface, through the surface and within the surface.

That sounds a bit esoteric, but stick with me.

Above the surface means you can add depth by cutting out shapes and and attaching them to the page. or by stitching things onto the page, like this feather.


You can work on the surface with the marks you make on the surface - here some with gouache and with gel pens.



You can work through the surface when you cut parts of the surface away - like these letters and shapes - or by piercing like these holes and this sewing.



And finally you can work within the surface (creating texture by pressuring the surface, not cutting or piercing) as we do with embossing and de-bossing. Some metal letter stamps debosssed randomly into the page and some tracing wheel indents.





What delightful few days of exploration it has been - I can hardly wait to get people involved and having fun.

Given that one of my strengths is NOT the ability to remember names easily, I thought I would also make up name tags for everybody in case they didn't bring their own.



A little bit of light graphite and pencil work - entertainment for this rainiest of Sundays.

11 comments:

  1. Lucky participants to receive such name-tags. They are true works of art!
    xox

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  2. beautiful variations on the theme

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    1. A simple them Mo - but there is so much within it - and I have barely started combining them yet!

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  3. stunning white on white and those name tags are keepers...

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    1. C cat - I didn't think I could really do white on white name tags, but the soft graphite works I think. Go well.

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  4. I want to come just to get myself a name tag! How beautiful are they? What a lovely thing to do in amongst all the other prep work. I would feel a very special participant if someone did something so personal on a course I attended. I think this one is going to be brilliant!

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    1. I promise if you do ever come I shall make you a name tag Lesley! :- )
      I have just done labels of their folders as well - always seems the right thing to do as calligrapher-type person. Fingers crossed it goes well..and you too!

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  5. Hello Fiona. Can't wait to meet you, I am very excited about participating in your workshop in Rockhampton. Feeling privileged to have you as my teacher for five glories, awesome, amazing, peaceful, frustrating, challenging and rewarding days, all of these and many more emotions I know I will be experiencing. Thank you for coming to Rockhampton. Aileen Hubbard

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