M2 Ch 10 Stab stitch book part 2

It was fun making the butterfly and rainbow book but think this one is my favourite.  I like the messiness of it all.  It has a very different mood and therefore colour palete.  I did plan to make each page the same size as the front page photo but somehow it just didn't work that way when started making them.  Some pages are fairly plain but I felt each pair of pages complemented each other.  This time the haiku is on the front cover.  This photo is one I took years ago but seemed just right for this book even though it was taken in the middle of the day with lots of people about, I just struck lucky.

The black page was made by rubbing over PVA writing.  I've found some little bottles since the PVA chapter but think I was just as happy writing straight out of the bottle.

The left hand page started of as writing using ink and dropper but it just soaked into the paper leaving a big black blob.  The writing was then done with a pastel and rubbed.

I had another go at Jasper John letters with much more limited colour.  I wasn't sure at first but the white addition when the rest was dry made a difference.

The background for the left hand side was supposed to be wax resist but the paint didn't resist so I added extra wax when it had dried.  It's amazing how some things just don't work as expected.  I really like the woven page but I always enjoy weaving.

I found the collage button on Picassa so had to give it a go.  The background is a bit big, think I'll add some silver border lines.  I love the atmospheric photo on the other page, shame it isn't one of mine!

This time I used clean paper for writing with ink and dropper and added crayon later.  How useful newspaper print is for black and white pages!  Again it took a lot of searching to find the right letters, some letters are easier than others. 

This thin strips on this woven page are silver but don't show up on the blog.  The wax resist worked this time though.  (The back page isn't worth showing, it's more PVA and wax resist on thin white paper.)

M2 Ch10 Making Sketchbooks

2.10.1  Making trial sketchbooks  I decided to use papers I'd made earlier which I felt would cut down to make little books in their own right.  Only one was made by folding the papers as I've made lots of books in the past using this method but hadn't made stab stitch books before and really liked this style.

2.10.2  Stab stitch books using letters as a theme.  I decided to use a haiku poem for this exercise but when I looked for one I liked I found two, both very different, so decided to make 2 books.  The second one is in another blog.

The first one is about butterflies and rainbows so suggested very bright colours, somehow the indigo didn't quite get there!  The butterflies are sewn because I was missing my sewing machine.  The red pages are using Klimt patterns.  Looking at the page I think maybe most of the black should have been red to keep the rainbow colours.

I was very pleased with this page and feel it really evokes bright butterflies.  I was worried when the inks started spreading on the yellow silk paper but it stopped just in time.

 It took ages finding all the letters in colours which were suitable but think it was worth it.  The butterfly is only stuck down the middle so it can stand out.

I was a bit worried this green page would look a bit childish, if it does I don't think it matters.

The blue butterfly has been concertinaed (is this a word?) but doesn't show on the blog.  The background is the clingfilm I used to dry the blue silk paper page. 

This page is a bit more indigo like.  I decided to leave the haiku in full until last.  It's written in rainbow ink but doesn't show up too well here.  Can't remember if I did or not but if I didn't I should have done it in bold.

M2 Ch 9 Letters and Pattern

2.9.1. Draw patterns that Klimt used in his work.  I used pens for this exercise which maybe cheating a bit but gave neat lines. It's a very relaxing activity.

The page above was drawn using a gold pen, the one below with a pencil.

2.9.2. Make an illuminated letter in the style of Klimt. Poppy and I did the first 2 pages together using 'Granny's special pens.'  It's a shame the colours didn't scan more vibrantly.

The R was painted first with water colour (it is a brighter orange), I wish I had painted the white too, just to give some texture, then I used felt tips.

The background was acrylic painted then patterns drawn with black felt tip.  The R was collaged with papers found in magazines.  I'm not sure the colours are right but I actually quite like the result.

M2 Ch 8 Addition

Here's my first alphabet the right way up!

M2 Ch 8 Using Your Camera

Been busy again, looking after Poppy while her Mum was even busier giving birth to these two, Iris and Grace on Nov 4th.  Here they are a day old, they already look much prettier.  They're settling down very well and Helen and Simon are even getting some sleep!

2.8.1. Making an alphabet.  I've been collecting photos since the beginning of May, roping in friends and family to help so it's been great fun.  I also made some of my own rules and 2 alphabets.  One is of different letters found in the environment.  I planned to find them in different places but ended up with several from gravestones as I really liked them and they are very different fonts.  Just realised it's upside down and can't work out how to either delete the photo or add another one so will try another blog.

The other alphabet didn't have any found letters but shapes found in the environment.  I decided I wasn't allowed to alter anything but the letters had to be exactly as found.  I almost cheated with the z, making z-shapes with leaves and pine needles and then found the tree root, it was dusk by then so the photo isn't as clear as it could be.  The object also had to be they way round it was, no turning photos upsidedown or back to front.  All photos were taken outside too, even the cup of tea we were drinking at an outside cafe.

I felt the photos needed a border to show up but then tried again making the border narrower.  I tried to work out how to stretch a photo (eg the m) but couldn't find a way but I am still quite pleased with the result.