Making The Shape of Things II

 My inspiration for the second book in this series The Shape of Things II, came from doing this quick calendar of the year.  I had struggled so much to work out what the shape of the year looked like. I need the shape, the outline, the blocks of time before I can settle and work new things in and around my commitments.

Once we had decided we would head back to Scotland wth my Dad for probably his last trip, the year began to take shape, quite literally here. Chunks of time were blocked out.

One of the challenges Annwyn and I have set ourselves, is to use unfamiliar or not often used book formats.

Way back when (in the late 1990s) I made my first book. It was part of the submission process for CLAS and I became one of the first Australian calligraphers to be accepted at Intermediate Level.  

Anyhoo, it was a fold out book, based on a 15th Century Doctor's notebook found in the British Library (the pattern and information is found in the book BookWorks by Sue Doggett).

I felt the format worked as the original book format was medically based (as is my sense of time warp due to Covid and its associated impacts); and it also seemed to work as a guide to the future.

I chose to work again with A4 paper; partly because it will connect a number of my books in the series; and partly because I am never sure where I will be when I am making and it may be all I have available! My previous book was made in Scotland where I only had an A4 pad of watercolour paper...

So based on my calendar, and modifying the folds to reflect the 12 months of the year - 2 x 6 month rows - I tried to reflect the chunks of time a bit too literally.

On a practice sheet, I cut out a chunk and realised I would have no book structure left if I continued along that path, so indicative chunks and blocks of time it became. With options for embossing, papers and cut-outs to represent the chunks.

Some embossing chunks being prepared.

It never ceases to amaze me how many mockups and tests and trials I do - all to make the final book look so effortless, as if it could only ever have been the way it is!

I chose my paper and tested my words. I cut large sheets of paper down into A4 size to work with. I only needed two books, but I prepared four just in case I stuffed up along the way. See earlier note about tests and trials above!

The five lines read:

 Some edges now frame time

Events are set more solidly

Things still get bumped or disappear

Shapes emerge and hold

I begin to the shape of things

The next steps were cutting, embossing and pasting. More to follow...