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Tuesday, February 21, 2023

The Shape of Things III is underway

I have begun work on the third of six books that Annwyn and I are exchanging this year, all under the working title of "The Shape of Things". See here, here and here for previous posts.

Our second books are en route to each other, after a wee delay because the Royal Mail had problems and parcels could not be sent overseas for a while.  Fingers are crossed the books land safely at their respective destinations in the next wee while. 

After tidying and cleaning the studio I have found the enthusiasm and energy to get right in to this one.

First up I was thinking of confetti, or circles.


It was surprisingly tricky getting my blunt old hole punchers to clean cut small circles from the fine papers Annwyn had sent. Lots of tearing and ripping ensued, until I worked out if I doubled the paper over the cutter cut better.




I had a brain spark about how this paper might go with the circles...


And then I had to check if it might also go with the paper I had planned for the folios. As we all know, not 
all whites are created equally! I think they will be friends.


The thing in the middle is my magnificent paper tearer. It is quite long (maybe a metre?) it has a tearing edge on one side and a place to rest your hand as you hold the paper down on the table as you rip it gently with the other hand.

It creates the loveliest feathered edge.

I then spent I many an hour trimming down three very large sheets of paper into small folios. I gave up on the maths to work out how many folds and tears occurred, but it did take a generous chunk of time. But they do look so lovely.


From each large sheet I was able to get 6 A4 sheets. From the 6 A4s I was able to get 12 A5s, from them I got 24 A6s and from them I got 96 of whatever comes next; which then got folded into folios.

This is a pile of A5s to folios (forgot to photograph the A4s and the large sheets).


Altho here is a photo of me working out if I could get 6 A4s from the sheet... hi tech as ever.


And then I had a play with piercing holes and thread. I had that awful moment, after all that tearing, when I stopped and thought, oh my goodness, what if the paper is so fragile it won't take holes and stitches?!?!?!?!?!?!?

But I think we will be OK... wipes sweat from brow.


There is plenty left to do so I shall get on with it. But I won't be showing too many photos until we send and receive them - all a ways away down the track.

7 comments:

  1. how cloth-like the paper seems ... often so much stronger than it appears

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    1. Paper is such an amazing textile - strength and fragility combined. It can take a lot - water; high pressure rollers...This is a lovely strong paper with delicate feathering fibres.

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  2. This is looking most intriguing. I so envy you for that lovely paper tearer. Hope you are healing nicely from the unpleasant leech encounter.

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    1. Thanks Stephanie, the leech took a while (I did have it checked out medically it was so big and red for so long) but we have definitely turned a corner! The paper tearer is an amazing tool and so good when you have large sheets and don't want the crisp cut edge. Go well.

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  3. Hi again Stephanie - I tracked the tearing bar down! It has changed slightly from the one I own, but it is available still here: https://shop.takachpress.com/drafting-straight-edge-and-tear-bar/

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  4. Oh my, how kind of you! Thank you so much. I'm off to the website! By the way, we are having quite the day here on the coast of Northern California: big feathers of snow falling and a beautiful drive through the snow-dressed redwoods early this morning. Thank you again!

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