Work begins

Work in the studio has truly begun for the year. I have sorted out the many projects that I have on, established a calendar of due dates and deliverables and begun moving most of them forward. Part of the challenge for me this year is that altho a number of things aren't happening until September or October, I basically need to have them all done by the first week in August.  So I am really pushing to fit everything in.

One project involves an edition of about 15 books, and that never happens quickly!  Another involves an edition of 22; and separately I know I have to create new work for three different exhibitions which means I really must get my act together.

And so here is progress for one.  The notes in the journal, exploring paper, binding, words, colours.

And layout, and deciding not this!

Thinking and pondering about the subject matter a bit, wondering what type might work for the words, considering options for layout of the words...

Watercolour pencils to check the palette. Yes, maybe, no.

This image was worth an explore, but the answer was "too obvious".

I then began thinking about a cover and whether or not I could emboss/deboss one. So I retrieved an old collagraph plate and tested it as an embossing tool. It looked pretty good, so I went off to test some more...

Playing around with two different options - one more solid than the other.

After the first coat of shellac dried.  So odd to see how the PVA glue dried pink! A few more layers required to make it really sturdy so its a steady old process, and a good reason to start early!

As ever, I never really know if where I start is anywhere near where I will end; so I try to give myself as much time s possible to head off down those side roads, and get over those speed humps and still make it all on time. Who knows if this early work will be close to the finished piece??