Our collaborative books have been a bit quieter this year for Susan and I - travel, illness and other things have meant there has been less time for them; and less time for us to spend together developing them. For both of us, the books are special and we always want to be able to give them our best; rather than agree to do one and rush through it and feel as if it is half-baked or less than it should be.
But the timing is right for us to begin again, and this time we decided to collaborate such that we both begin with exactly the same content, and then what we do with that content is up to us. It's a bit like the reverse of our earlier envelope book where we had exactly the same structure (the envelopes) yet the content within was unique.
We did a micro-cheat in a way, by agreeing that whatever prints we prepared for the Printmakers' exhibition would form the content. Susan chose nine of mine and I chose nine of hers and so we had made a start without having to do any additional work.
We got together last Wednesday to try and work through what we each planned to do. I was very much in the planning stage only at that point and yet only a short time after sitting down together, I felt as if I had direction and could begin.
Neither of us created our own prints with this sort of end in mind, let alone a sense of what might work harmoniously as an artists' book if we joined them together, so there is challenge for each of us in making a coherent and sensitive story out of them. Susan has chosen to work along a dream theme, whereas I had started out by trying to pair the prints up and see which ones spoke to each other, and could begin a conversation.
So here a couple I thought might chat to each other…
I had in mind that I wanted them to peep out from behind a frame in the page kind of thing, so played about a bit with how that might look.
And then worked up the courage to cut them. But only mine! I couldn't bring myself to chop into Susan's just yet, so headed off to lunch with only mine snipped.
After lunch I was fortified and strong enough to cut into Susan's as well.
And played around with windows a bit more.
But the timing is right for us to begin again, and this time we decided to collaborate such that we both begin with exactly the same content, and then what we do with that content is up to us. It's a bit like the reverse of our earlier envelope book where we had exactly the same structure (the envelopes) yet the content within was unique.
We did a micro-cheat in a way, by agreeing that whatever prints we prepared for the Printmakers' exhibition would form the content. Susan chose nine of mine and I chose nine of hers and so we had made a start without having to do any additional work.
We got together last Wednesday to try and work through what we each planned to do. I was very much in the planning stage only at that point and yet only a short time after sitting down together, I felt as if I had direction and could begin.
Neither of us created our own prints with this sort of end in mind, let alone a sense of what might work harmoniously as an artists' book if we joined them together, so there is challenge for each of us in making a coherent and sensitive story out of them. Susan has chosen to work along a dream theme, whereas I had started out by trying to pair the prints up and see which ones spoke to each other, and could begin a conversation.
So here a couple I thought might chat to each other…
I had in mind that I wanted them to peep out from behind a frame in the page kind of thing, so played about a bit with how that might look.
And then worked up the courage to cut them. But only mine! I couldn't bring myself to chop into Susan's just yet, so headed off to lunch with only mine snipped.
After lunch I was fortified and strong enough to cut into Susan's as well.
And played around with windows a bit more.
I am still working on the conversation part - how will they talk with each other? What will I do to stop them just looking like a photo album? I have worked out there will be words, and somehow the words must link the pages, and there probably needs to be another element to tie the pages together as well altho I'm not yet sure what that will be nor what it will look like.
Still the conversation has begun and we are underway!
Having looked at Susan's blog earlier in the week, I am fascinated at how differently you are both looking at the prints and how differently you are juxtaposing them. I will keep watching as both books develop ...
ReplyDeleteHi Charlton - it must be fun form afar to observe the two of us working with exactly the same things in such different ways! We are used to how much overlap we have and how much difference - but this one really shows that up. The two finished books will be intriguing I think.
DeleteI am sure this will be lovely. You two have such a connection. A wonderful thing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Roberta - we feel very fortunate to be so in-tune and to live so close by that we can actually get together in this way. Go well.
DeleteHi F. Isn't it wonderful to see our projects in print and photographic form ..... always delights me even though I have seen your ideas forming while we work together. I am quite excited about getting on with mine now but will have to wait until I am back from my trip. x
ReplyDeleteHi S - the camera shows another view doesn't it? and sometimes it can simplify things or make them clearer. I often think this next phase where we go away and do something and come back together also offers up lots of unexpecteds and surprises. Have fun!
DeleteI read this post Fiona and then used the sidebar to read Susan's take on this. I find it really interesting to see how you tackle these collaborative projects. Reading your thoughts is like eavesdropping on a conversation so I'm intrigued that you are going to allow the prints to talk together too. As ever, where this leads will be fascinating to watch.
ReplyDeleteIt will be fascinating indeed and apart from the conversation, it really does feel like a dance - a step this way, a step that…It is a really enjoyable and special experience for me, the creation of a unique yet shared piece. We each feel very much as if we own our books; but we love seeing the other in them too. Because the process is shared it often feels even more right to talk about it and converse - so feel see to continue to eavesdrop!
DeleteSeeing this project through Susan's eyes and now through yours is intriguing. You've come up with completely different ideas even though your starting point was more or less the same.
ReplyDeleteI think this will be one of our more intriguing books Robyn - given the exact same starting point, where will we go? I expect our styles will be reflected completely!
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