I can do this
I can do this
I can be a good, competent, payable artist
I can do this
I am worthy
I am worthy
I am so much more than I think of myself
I am worthy
I can be great
I can be great
I will be successful and happy
I can be great
I can be BE-AWESOME!
(Sorry, I needed to chant)
Thursday 18 February 2010
Wednesday 10 February 2010
The Paper-Maker Workout!
Despite being swamped with work since September, I still have time for the odd bit of fun. And for me, fun is in the form of crafts (I’m like an old woman).
Last week I finally managed to get hold of an affordable paper making kit, after months of searching. I remember making paper with my Aunty when I was younger and I found it so fascinating. Not only is it fun but there are tons of things you can add to the paper (among them seeds and onion skins!) and it’s also a great way to recycle used paper. Handmade paper also looks fab for gifts and artwork! So having been given two briefs in the last fortnight that involve recycling, I thought what better time to start honing the craft.
The kit I bought off eBay was a beginner’s starter kit from House of Crafts and did a great job of introducing me to paper making so that I can adapt it my own way. The frame I was given was circular and very small but it did the trick for me, and now that I can see how it all works I can build my own A4 or A3 frame.
The kit included the frame and some mesh, a few sheets of pulp paper, colouring dye in primary colours, and some extras (box template, ribbons, card, PVA glue and a glue spreader) to create some cards and gift boxes. It’s all very quaint and pretty.
I thought I’d try something simple to start with. I cut a sheet of pulp in two (half a sheet makes two fine pieces of paper) and then chopped it into little pieces.
I left it to soak in half a litre of boiling water for about 2-3 hours. The longer you leave it the finer the paper will be.
But when I started to work with the paper it hadn’t broken down very well. I think this was due to the fact that I cut the pulp into little squares with scissors rather than tearing it up, which would have softened the fibres.
I took a couple of spoonfuls of pulp and put them into some cold water in a large bowl. Now for the fun part!
I decided to experiment with textures so I added some lavendar to the pulp, and used some blue and red colourent to dye the paper purple.
I fixed the mesh into the frame and dipped in into the water, moving it around under the water until I was happy with the layer of pulp.
Then I separated the mesh from the frame and laid the paper/mesh onto a teatowel, before going over it with a rolling pin to squeeze out a good majority of the water.
I managed to get two pieces of paper made from my pulp mixture. I noticed that the first piece had not been dyed very well, so I sprinkled some red food colouring onto it whilst it was still damp, letting it fade to pink.
They took a while to dry, but here they are - my pink and purple lavender paper!
They’re not perfect; because of the way I cut the pulp paper it did not break down very well, so once the paper dried it was very fragile. Also, the dye didn’t take as strongly as I would’ve hoped.
However I learned a lot and I think I’m well on the way to creating fantastic pieces of paper to use in my artwork. And hopefully this little tutorial/picture book will inspire some of you to recycle your old paper and make something new and creative!
Last week I finally managed to get hold of an affordable paper making kit, after months of searching. I remember making paper with my Aunty when I was younger and I found it so fascinating. Not only is it fun but there are tons of things you can add to the paper (among them seeds and onion skins!) and it’s also a great way to recycle used paper. Handmade paper also looks fab for gifts and artwork! So having been given two briefs in the last fortnight that involve recycling, I thought what better time to start honing the craft.
The kit I bought off eBay was a beginner’s starter kit from House of Crafts and did a great job of introducing me to paper making so that I can adapt it my own way. The frame I was given was circular and very small but it did the trick for me, and now that I can see how it all works I can build my own A4 or A3 frame.
The kit included the frame and some mesh, a few sheets of pulp paper, colouring dye in primary colours, and some extras (box template, ribbons, card, PVA glue and a glue spreader) to create some cards and gift boxes. It’s all very quaint and pretty.
I thought I’d try something simple to start with. I cut a sheet of pulp in two (half a sheet makes two fine pieces of paper) and then chopped it into little pieces.
I left it to soak in half a litre of boiling water for about 2-3 hours. The longer you leave it the finer the paper will be.
But when I started to work with the paper it hadn’t broken down very well. I think this was due to the fact that I cut the pulp into little squares with scissors rather than tearing it up, which would have softened the fibres.
I took a couple of spoonfuls of pulp and put them into some cold water in a large bowl. Now for the fun part!
I decided to experiment with textures so I added some lavendar to the pulp, and used some blue and red colourent to dye the paper purple.
I fixed the mesh into the frame and dipped in into the water, moving it around under the water until I was happy with the layer of pulp.
Then I separated the mesh from the frame and laid the paper/mesh onto a teatowel, before going over it with a rolling pin to squeeze out a good majority of the water.
I managed to get two pieces of paper made from my pulp mixture. I noticed that the first piece had not been dyed very well, so I sprinkled some red food colouring onto it whilst it was still damp, letting it fade to pink.
They took a while to dry, but here they are - my pink and purple lavender paper!
They’re not perfect; because of the way I cut the pulp paper it did not break down very well, so once the paper dried it was very fragile. Also, the dye didn’t take as strongly as I would’ve hoped.
However I learned a lot and I think I’m well on the way to creating fantastic pieces of paper to use in my artwork. And hopefully this little tutorial/picture book will inspire some of you to recycle your old paper and make something new and creative!
Friday 5 February 2010
Colour Anarchy? Not so much
Anyone who knows me knows how bad I am with colour, especially on the computer. My sketchbooks generally like to stay monochromatic, but I’m really trying to use colour more, because I want to be able to paint in both Photoshop and on canvas in acrylics and watercolours.
I bought myself a little colour wheel from the art shop and I read last month’s Imagine FX tutorial on Colour and Lighting by Jeremy Vickery. Must have gone over it at least three times.
I feel like I’m digging in the dirt but I’m really trying. Here are some of the fascinating little websites/blogs that I’ve come across today with hints and tips on how to help me improve the way I think about colour:
Choosing Colour Combinations – Veerle Pieters
This is an interesting little blog I came across. Her easily-readable description on how the brain works with colour is very helpful, even if she does seem to be focused primarily on website design. She also provided this link to Colour in Motion, a cute and really well made animation which conveys how colour is perceived by the human eye and what it signals.
Colour Scheme Designer - Petr Stanicek
Next I discovered this online interactive colour wheel. This is absolutely brilliant and easy to use, even going so far as to tell you the exact code for the colour you create so that you can find it in Photoshop. I’m having a hard time believing it’s a free website. Just hope he makes enough from donations.
Colour Theory Simplified - Philip Straub
Finally, it’s back to Imagine FX for a PDF tutorial by Mr S, who gives us a handy recap on the basics of colour theory, in case I’ve missed anything.
Now for the scary part: actually trying to use all this advice to create something.
Next time: Line art.
I bought myself a little colour wheel from the art shop and I read last month’s Imagine FX tutorial on Colour and Lighting by Jeremy Vickery. Must have gone over it at least three times.
I feel like I’m digging in the dirt but I’m really trying. Here are some of the fascinating little websites/blogs that I’ve come across today with hints and tips on how to help me improve the way I think about colour:
Choosing Colour Combinations – Veerle Pieters
This is an interesting little blog I came across. Her easily-readable description on how the brain works with colour is very helpful, even if she does seem to be focused primarily on website design. She also provided this link to Colour in Motion, a cute and really well made animation which conveys how colour is perceived by the human eye and what it signals.
Colour Scheme Designer - Petr Stanicek
Next I discovered this online interactive colour wheel. This is absolutely brilliant and easy to use, even going so far as to tell you the exact code for the colour you create so that you can find it in Photoshop. I’m having a hard time believing it’s a free website. Just hope he makes enough from donations.
Colour Theory Simplified - Philip Straub
Finally, it’s back to Imagine FX for a PDF tutorial by Mr S, who gives us a handy recap on the basics of colour theory, in case I’ve missed anything.
Now for the scary part: actually trying to use all this advice to create something.
Next time: Line art.
Thursday 4 February 2010
Wrexham in Bloom - Week One
Today we were given yet another project. I believe this culmination of projects and commissions is going to destroy me.
The first thing I noticed was that half the group already had the brief, and half of the group didn't. I was in the half that didn't, which means I have missed a meeting somewhere that I didn't know about. Lack of communication strikes again.
A woman called Claire came to visit us from the local council to ask us to come up with a promotional concept to aid this year's Wrexham in Bloom campaign, an annual competition that encourages the community to look after our environment. So far Wrexham has won the Silver gilt, but this year they hope that with our help we can win the Gold gilt.
It's all very exciting, even if it is unpaid and added pressure. But I'm going to endeavor to give it a go, starting with this blog (ta da! In order to pass we have to keep an up-to-date journal).
Claire explained to us that the two themes for this year's campaign are centered "around the Pontcysyllte (no I don't know how it's pronounced either) World Heritage site and the industrial archaeology of the Dee Valley". Along the route are going to be battery collection points, as the Government is now trying to organise the recycling process more by giving us seperate crates for batteries. Also, the campaign hopes to encourage the communities to start planting Bee-friendly plants, in order to attract our fat, fuzzy friends back. So we have been asked to link these two themes and create something along the lines of Battery Bees, or Bee Battery (sounds like bug abuse).
The idea, to me, sounds very cute, and I love recycling (see previous post) so I'm all for it. The first point I want to make about the council is their need for a new "Michael" character. I like the whole "Recycle with Michael" slogan, it's catchy. But as Claire pointed out, kids love the character, teenagers hate him. I think he needs a makeover to make him more accessable to a wider range of people. Teenagers and young adults are a tough audience, and I'm afraid "Michael", to me, looks too 90's with his baseball cap, baggy pants and freckles (ironically I think he was invented in the 00's).
Funnily enough, there's another recycler called Michael. I think his style is much more age-friendly. Still kind of aimed at children, but the art-style is far more interesting, and the fact that he is a superhero who uses recycled items as his armour is an intriguing little quirk.
The colour scheme of the WCBC recycling posters/leaflets etc. also needs retouching in my opinion. Green is very typical of environmental posters and, unless it's combined with an equally or more catchy colour, it can be very droll and unattractive. I think the advertising pieces need redesigning.
As well as those two issues I am also going to aim to come up with something original of my own! So it's research time.
Before I go I need to make a point though. I think the reason (especially in my area) that people aren't so thrilled about recycling is the fact that the bin-men are so careless and useless. Countless times they have not turned up, left rubbish behind or broken our boxes by just chucking them back onto the pavement. When you live in a house as full of people and packaging as mine, we need regularly de-binning! Or better yet, a local recycling point. Having to drive all the way to Tesco in Wrexham is such an inconvenience. Thanks to our rubbish bin-men (see what I did there?) we often end up burning most of our paper, card, fabrics, etc, which otherwise could be recycled!
Do you recycle? How do you feel about the facilities in your area? And if you don't recycle, why not?
Think about it.
Until next time, peace and love!
The first thing I noticed was that half the group already had the brief, and half of the group didn't. I was in the half that didn't, which means I have missed a meeting somewhere that I didn't know about. Lack of communication strikes again.
A woman called Claire came to visit us from the local council to ask us to come up with a promotional concept to aid this year's Wrexham in Bloom campaign, an annual competition that encourages the community to look after our environment. So far Wrexham has won the Silver gilt, but this year they hope that with our help we can win the Gold gilt.
It's all very exciting, even if it is unpaid and added pressure. But I'm going to endeavor to give it a go, starting with this blog (ta da! In order to pass we have to keep an up-to-date journal).
Claire explained to us that the two themes for this year's campaign are centered "around the Pontcysyllte (no I don't know how it's pronounced either) World Heritage site and the industrial archaeology of the Dee Valley". Along the route are going to be battery collection points, as the Government is now trying to organise the recycling process more by giving us seperate crates for batteries. Also, the campaign hopes to encourage the communities to start planting Bee-friendly plants, in order to attract our fat, fuzzy friends back. So we have been asked to link these two themes and create something along the lines of Battery Bees, or Bee Battery (sounds like bug abuse).
The idea, to me, sounds very cute, and I love recycling (see previous post) so I'm all for it. The first point I want to make about the council is their need for a new "Michael" character. I like the whole "Recycle with Michael" slogan, it's catchy. But as Claire pointed out, kids love the character, teenagers hate him. I think he needs a makeover to make him more accessable to a wider range of people. Teenagers and young adults are a tough audience, and I'm afraid "Michael", to me, looks too 90's with his baseball cap, baggy pants and freckles (ironically I think he was invented in the 00's).
Funnily enough, there's another recycler called Michael. I think his style is much more age-friendly. Still kind of aimed at children, but the art-style is far more interesting, and the fact that he is a superhero who uses recycled items as his armour is an intriguing little quirk.
The colour scheme of the WCBC recycling posters/leaflets etc. also needs retouching in my opinion. Green is very typical of environmental posters and, unless it's combined with an equally or more catchy colour, it can be very droll and unattractive. I think the advertising pieces need redesigning.
As well as those two issues I am also going to aim to come up with something original of my own! So it's research time.
Before I go I need to make a point though. I think the reason (especially in my area) that people aren't so thrilled about recycling is the fact that the bin-men are so careless and useless. Countless times they have not turned up, left rubbish behind or broken our boxes by just chucking them back onto the pavement. When you live in a house as full of people and packaging as mine, we need regularly de-binning! Or better yet, a local recycling point. Having to drive all the way to Tesco in Wrexham is such an inconvenience. Thanks to our rubbish bin-men (see what I did there?) we often end up burning most of our paper, card, fabrics, etc, which otherwise could be recycled!
Do you recycle? How do you feel about the facilities in your area? And if you don't recycle, why not?
Think about it.
Until next time, peace and love!
Tuesday 2 February 2010
Recycle the Love!
Well, my assessment went better than I had expected! It was estimated that I could earn either a high 2.2 or a 2.1 for my work so far. Personally, I don’t think my work has been that good, but then I’m not the one marking it.
The Narrative brief received the most praise. Whilst “finished” for the assessments, there is actually more I would like to do with it, such as changing a few panels and adding a page or two to the story, as well as experimenting with media and using the “Rainbow Gradient” technique I had planned to use in the beginning.
The Stranger Than Fiction brief was less than perfect but it still earned me that high 2.2. It was unfinished and the artwork needs to be redone and drawn more freely (“the characters seem too wooden”) and I have been told to work on my body language, thus I have gotten myself a copy of Scott McCloud’s Making Comics.
But otherwise, Sue and Dan said they were pleased with my work, and they want me to come and chat with them more, to see how I’m getting on, give me hints, tips, etc: “If you’re doing this well on your own, imagine how much better you could be with our help” or something along those lines.
We’ve been given two new briefs as of this week. This morning we were given one called “Bookjacket”, which pretty much does what it says. We are to research aspects of British Wildlife through first and second-hand research (so drawings and photographs), my favourites from the list being Wild Flowers, Mushrooms and Toadstools, The Seashore, Life in Lakes and Rivers, The World of the Honey Bee and The World of Spiders. Then we are going to create a Bookjacket for a non-fiction book. Interestingly, we are limited to only four colours (three colours plus black) and three forms of printing: digital, lino and silkscreen.
So far we’re in the very, very early stages of this brief. This morning I have basically been doing online research to find places for my boyfriend and I to visit on the weekends, and myself on days off.
My top five places to scout are:
- The World Museum, Liverpool
- Ty Mawr Country Park
- Chester Zoo
- Llandudno and the Happy Valley Gardens
- Loggerheads Country Park
Other places I'd like to visit are Blue Planet, BugWorld, Snowdonia and any coastal town. For me, money and travel is an issue, so I’m limited, plus I've already visited Blue Planet and BugWorld in the last year. But it’s important to remember that Wildlife is all around us! I need only to go into my back garden to see a Harris Hawk.
The other brief, called “Toys”, asked us to choose a toy, ornament or decoration and research an aspect of Climate Change.
The object I chose is a “Nemesis Now” dark angel candleholder that has been sitting next to my bed for the last few years. And the environmental issue I chose was recycling, a subject that is dear to my heart.
Through my research I discovered this page, which sparked my idea to link the angel, recycling and the deadline (February). Valentine’s Day seems a perfect subject to try and tackle waste, as it consumes our money and churns out discarded cards, packaging and flowers every year. I have never been a fan of this day, even now when I have a boyfriend, but the idea of recycling/making your own V-Day products may just get me a little excited.
I want my image (the final piece is an A3 poster) to be made from completely recycled and environmentally-friendly media, and I want it to be interactive, with 3D origami flowers and cards that you can open to read, etc.
Some tips and links pour vous to help you have a healthy, happy Valentine’s, whether you have a partner or not!:
+ Make your own cards!
+ Instead of driving to the cinema to watch a film, thus polluting the environment, why not go for a romantic walk in the countryside?
+ Don’t buy packaged products – make your own!
+ Cook a meal for your loved one instead of going out to dinner.
+ Don’t pluck our flowers so they can die in a vase. Make your own Origami flowers. They look pretty and last for ages!
+ If you really have to buy something, why not try Lush? They specialise in making enviro-friendly products, and girls (and boys) just love 'em!
I hope you fellow (veggie and non-veggie) hippies can get on board with this. Let's make V-Day a little more fun, creative and personal.
Happy trails!
The Narrative brief received the most praise. Whilst “finished” for the assessments, there is actually more I would like to do with it, such as changing a few panels and adding a page or two to the story, as well as experimenting with media and using the “Rainbow Gradient” technique I had planned to use in the beginning.
The Stranger Than Fiction brief was less than perfect but it still earned me that high 2.2. It was unfinished and the artwork needs to be redone and drawn more freely (“the characters seem too wooden”) and I have been told to work on my body language, thus I have gotten myself a copy of Scott McCloud’s Making Comics.
But otherwise, Sue and Dan said they were pleased with my work, and they want me to come and chat with them more, to see how I’m getting on, give me hints, tips, etc: “If you’re doing this well on your own, imagine how much better you could be with our help” or something along those lines.
We’ve been given two new briefs as of this week. This morning we were given one called “Bookjacket”, which pretty much does what it says. We are to research aspects of British Wildlife through first and second-hand research (so drawings and photographs), my favourites from the list being Wild Flowers, Mushrooms and Toadstools, The Seashore, Life in Lakes and Rivers, The World of the Honey Bee and The World of Spiders. Then we are going to create a Bookjacket for a non-fiction book. Interestingly, we are limited to only four colours (three colours plus black) and three forms of printing: digital, lino and silkscreen.
So far we’re in the very, very early stages of this brief. This morning I have basically been doing online research to find places for my boyfriend and I to visit on the weekends, and myself on days off.
My top five places to scout are:
- The World Museum, Liverpool
- Ty Mawr Country Park
- Chester Zoo
- Llandudno and the Happy Valley Gardens
- Loggerheads Country Park
Other places I'd like to visit are Blue Planet, BugWorld, Snowdonia and any coastal town. For me, money and travel is an issue, so I’m limited, plus I've already visited Blue Planet and BugWorld in the last year. But it’s important to remember that Wildlife is all around us! I need only to go into my back garden to see a Harris Hawk.
The other brief, called “Toys”, asked us to choose a toy, ornament or decoration and research an aspect of Climate Change.
The object I chose is a “Nemesis Now” dark angel candleholder that has been sitting next to my bed for the last few years. And the environmental issue I chose was recycling, a subject that is dear to my heart.
Through my research I discovered this page, which sparked my idea to link the angel, recycling and the deadline (February). Valentine’s Day seems a perfect subject to try and tackle waste, as it consumes our money and churns out discarded cards, packaging and flowers every year. I have never been a fan of this day, even now when I have a boyfriend, but the idea of recycling/making your own V-Day products may just get me a little excited.
I want my image (the final piece is an A3 poster) to be made from completely recycled and environmentally-friendly media, and I want it to be interactive, with 3D origami flowers and cards that you can open to read, etc.
Some tips and links pour vous to help you have a healthy, happy Valentine’s, whether you have a partner or not!:
+ Make your own cards!
+ Instead of driving to the cinema to watch a film, thus polluting the environment, why not go for a romantic walk in the countryside?
+ Don’t buy packaged products – make your own!
+ Cook a meal for your loved one instead of going out to dinner.
+ Don’t pluck our flowers so they can die in a vase. Make your own Origami flowers. They look pretty and last for ages!
+ If you really have to buy something, why not try Lush? They specialise in making enviro-friendly products, and girls (and boys) just love 'em!
I hope you fellow (veggie and non-veggie) hippies can get on board with this. Let's make V-Day a little more fun, creative and personal.
Happy trails!
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