Whence Comes December

Detail from The Snow Bees

Thanksgivings is such a darling holiday. Christmas is great, but by the time the bells have been rung and the holiday adds have been played ad nauseam, the tinsel is starting to look a little wilted. Thanksgiving, on the other hand, slips up and puts her arms around you quietly--a blessed reprieve for a while. This holiday however, did not care to stop for me.

I completed two and a half out of the five drawings I aspired to have. But I am almost completely content with them (the pine one is not quite finished). I've started another one that is the interior of a room, and a billowing bed of pillows. Right now it's somewhere along the lines of "In February I should be happy to be snowed in for a month!" We shall see where that one ends up. I'm also working on one that regards an ode to a left over robin.

                     The old Pines shook their silver heads and murmured of the evil that would befall them, they warned of sharp blades and the crunching boots that come after the first snowfall. The young pines flexed their boughs and compared growth; they ruffled their thick spiky needles and tried to look important. The pinelets shared whispered tête-à-têtes, and dreamed of the coming snow to adorn them in white crystalline skirts. 

(Excerpt from The Procession of the Pines)

The deadlines do continue to loom, don't they? On Saturday I have a one page abstract about the work due. Next Thursday is my final class critic before the December review, and I'm going to be presenting my keynote (as it will exist then) which will include the spreads (the book layout of the combined images and text) and other aspects of the work. I still have to do the beginning layouts with the text and image. I would also like to have thumbnail sketches of rest of the book, as well as some letters scanned in, and reference images I am using.  My plan is to finish the keynote on tuesday and use wednesday to practice before presenting the following day. In many ways, figuring out how to present the work is like writing a story, and I don't yet know how I want the story to unfold.

At this point I have very evident "holes" in my work. In many ways I feel like I'm on a really long Rummikub turn. I've got all these reshuffled pieces and I can't quite figure out how they fit together, but I am certain that they do, and that the answer is hiding away somewhere in the corner of my mind. All I have to do is hold out my turn long enough to figure it out. So for now I am still working on several threads simultaneously.
   They are:

• Delicate watercolor illustrations
• Finding the everyday extraordinary
•  Letter writing, and the idea of correspondence
• A year | the seasons    
• Prose (with a 19th century flare)
• "A Year of Insignificant Happenings"                 

"When January came, I heard the sky singing:

                          'Get your hat! Grab your scarf!  

                          The world is a whirl of snow bees and white sailed ships, and we want to play in it! 

                          Out, out!  

                          We must go to that high hill over there,  and you must bring your sled, 

                          the old toboggan that floats on air.' ”

As Far as Thanksgiving Break Goes....

I am admittedly rather behind in posting about my senior project. Last Tuesday was taken up with voting, and last Thursday with getting a grant proposal writen, work photographed, and all of it bundled up and in the office by 5 o'clock pm (of which I barely made the deadline!). But I am rather happy that I did spend so much time on the grant, not because I have any grand hopes of receiving money, but because it enabled me to hammer out several ideas and deadlines I was allowing to squirm. 

As per creative work, I am not sure through what sieve all my time is leaking out of. 

This week as produced something I am rather happy about. I've been working on an illustration based on a pice of writing I did last November. The writing is about all the pine trees that congregate together after the autumnal procession of October blazes by. The pine trees are quaint folk who like solid, congenial (and a trifle gossipy) conversation. 

Here's a photo I took of my favorite "studio." I seem to be able to get twice as much done when I am in the quiet and solitary atmosphere of home. Perhaps it is because my work seems to always be slightly steeped in a homey atmosphere. 

Here's a bad photograph of my painting "The Procession of the Pines." I've redrawn a few of the elements and inked it already, but haven't any photographs of the updated work (and since this post has to be posted at noon....). 

I've also included a few sketchbook pics (since I had it available to photograph) of some planning I've been doing. 

(small enough that you can't read what I wont accomplish)

It feels in many ways like my process so far has been like peeling and slicing an apple. I've been pulling away all the different useless ideas to get down to the core of my project, only to discover that what I really want is to gather the apple pieces and cook them all together in an apple crisp.

In other words: I've begun to start to find all the project tangents I had early in the semester working back on themselves and weaving back into my project. Different tangents I had were: creating a children's book about an author writing a letter to his editor about an extraordinary sighting of a creature in the woods; working with letter writing and letters; and using my own creative prose about the seasons with illustration. Now I'm working on a book about a character who is corresponding via letter and retelling their inconsequential year. My thought is to focus on retelling the year to show the ordinary things of the year in an almost miracular, or extraordinary way. I am able to carry on the interest I have with letter writing and correspondence, and weave together creative writing prose about the seasons. 

So. 

All that long blather to talk about what I would like to have in 2 and a half weeks for the December reviews: 

I would like to have five solid illustrations completed. I want to have the prose that I am paring with these illustrations pretty hammered out, though I am leaving room for more revision. And I would like three preliminary spreads to show my intention for the design of the book. 

My current questions I have about my project are figuring out the narrator character, and who he or she are writing to; and finding ways to weave as stronger presence of the correspondence elements into the story.  

As far as thanksgiving break goes, I don't think I'll be emerging much from my "preferred" studio beyond the Thursday's dinner. 

Nov. the First

WHAT I DID: 

This week I continued to watercolor the two illustrations I've been working on. I completed the forest pathway illustration, though I have plans to go back in and rework a few parts. The second illustration I am still working on painting. It is with trepidation that I am proceeding to color the piece. My intention is to create a frame with the medium ground space from the crumbling wall and bough of trees, and to color it the deep dusky color somewhere between the hue of late dusk and early dawn. I wanted the background to be a golden contrast, breaking across the landscape--the new regenerating the old earth. But at this point it is all more grand in my mind then on the page. 

Detail

WHAT I ACCOMPLISHED: 

Wednesday night was an IP meltdown. I've been waffling about what to create in IP this year, and it all seemed to crescendo, with the notes being evidently in the minor key. I'd come to see that I was not really (seemingly) progressing towards a desired direction. I haven't created as much work as I should, and in many ways have been treating this class like a three credit instead of a six credit course. And I've become more frustrated and boxed in as I've struggled to find a concept and direction for my work. Though painful, I think it was a helpful refining process. I was able to let the old ideas burn off, and was left simply with what work I had created and was returning to create: illustrations. 

The half-group crit on Thursday was immensely helpful in cementing my direction towards illustration and narrative. I also had a really helpful conversation with Camilla who gave me great ideas about ways to think about construction of a story. She encouraged me to look at the ways different writers I admire sculpt their stories, and gave me a few illustrative books to look at. She also mentioned looking into the construction of songs and the repetition they have. We talked about a more fluid construction, less linear, more subtle. I had already been thinking about making my book less dialog or narratively based. At this point I don't foresee a clear "children's book" coming from all this, though it could contain one if my illustrations and writing tend towards that bent. 

 

 I treated myself  in good faith to a tube of black paint.
(This is monumental in that after three years, I shant have to mix it from a menagerie of colors).

ONWARD:

More watercolors and illustrations lie off the starboard bow. I'm hoping to get into a more earnest creating mode. I'm thinking about spending some time creating a simple "story board" of sorts. I want to start to create with intention and to begin to collect assortments of paintings. I also am planning on editing and printing bits of my writing to use as direction for my illustrations.

Finally, I have a grant proposal to write, with earnest hopes of getting some money for more paint, better paper, and a bit of binding for the future.

Painting Again

WHAT I DID:
This week I've been working on sketching and painting. It seems to have helped me get somewhat out of the rut I've been in. I've been developing two different paintings, one (a detail shot below) is of a forest pathway. The other is a more illustrative and narrative piece (also shown below).

Detail of the pathway painting, in progress.

Usually my process is to sketch out the drawing lightly in pen first, getting the main element's outlines down. Then I ink the drawing with felt tip pens, usually adding some detail elements as well. Finally I watercolor the drawing, which is the part that takes the most time. Even though my paintings are only the size of a sheet of paper (or smaller) they tend to take a long time because I am not a speedy painter and am also rather a detailed perfectionist.

This particular painting was born out of the lyrics to a few songs from the artist Andrew Peterson's album Light for Lost Boys, as well as concepts of the new earth from the Bible, and C. S. Lewis's Last Battle.

Inked and waiting to be painted. 

Beginning to watercolor the scene. 

I've also begun to do some plein air sketching/painting to combat my frustration with not feeling like I am a proficient enough painter. Here's hoping practice makes better.

Some sketches of people unfortunate enough to sit around me. 

WHAT I ACCOMPLISHED: 

I believe I am coming out of the slough of uncreativity. It's been wonderful to be creating again, to be painting and even writing. Thursday coming home from lecture there was something in the quality of the sky that set me writing, the first time I've felt inspired to do so in a few months. I'm thankful that I have begun again to want to create, and that I have some more concrete work to build on. 

ONWARD:

The road forward looks like getting down to some serious painting so that I can have somethings to show for the large group critiques. I am planning on finishing both paintings and hopefully doing a few more, as well as having some edited writing to share too. 

This Grey Mist

A quick sketch of myself in my current state of uncreativity
(set against the backdrop of Van Gogh's painting). 

This is going to admittedly be a dreadfully short post this week. I am struggling to shove aside a few months of creative block. I am having a hard time making, writing, or creating things. Unfortunately this creative block has come during my last year, and during IP. This week I seemed to have an even harder time trying to create something towards my IP. So..

I WHAT I DID/WHAT I ACCOMPLISHED:
I attempted several sketches, and tried to create around this concept of letters. I listened to Julie Shapiro's audio piece, "Yours Truly." I also started working on doing several layouts in InDesign that were not really related to anything, I just felt I had to start working on something visual and get in the process of making. I also set out a tentative budget and timeline, both of which are probably laughable since I really don't know what I am going to make or do, outside of a desire to make a book. I estimated about 100 dollars for paper, printing and binding. Totally arbitrary as it will vary depending on how I decide to go about the said tasks, and how much I end up making.


 WHAT I HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH:
On this long break I want to finally shake off this creative block. I would like to settle in one concrete direction for my IP project and move into a productive work mode. I am not quite sure how to accomplish this....

I remember hearing a lecture once from an author. She talked about how the concept of "genius" originated as the idea of something outside of ourselves giving us an idea, rather than the current concept of genius being a quality of a person. While I don't believe I am a genius or create genius work, just a creative individual, I can liken my work to this concept that she talked about. I feel at this moment like I am just waiting for something to spark, for an inspiration to be given. So while I wait, I need to just shoulder down and push out some work.

The Post and The Poem

Two of my grandparent's letters, side by side. 

WHAT I DID:
   This week I worked on developing several concepts and subject matter for my book. I pursued two directions; one direction was to use my poetry and prose paired with illustrations to create a form of a book. I compiled a few pages of my writing based around the season of autumn, as well as a few other bits of poetry from other's work I admire. I spent some time experimenting with rough mock-ups, looking at size and layout. The second direction was to explore my fascination around letter-writing. As mentioned in my last post, one of the reasons I became fascinated by letters is because I inherited my grandparents love letters. Consequently, this week found me opening these up and starting to read some of them for the first time. This week I also did quite a bit of research around letter writing. I looked at some historical examples, and historical ways the mail was delivered. I also found a few small contemporary groups that are seeking to revitalize the art of letter writing, and looked at some more technical approaches to the art from (for so it has become).


WHAT I ACCOMPlISHED:
   I've decided to traverse in the fields of letter writing. I find, amidst all I've done so far, an interesting conversation here that I want to have. There are so many different avenues, and I feel that looking more in-depth at letters will allow me enough room to explore and perhaps discover something really interesting, and will give me room to breath and create.


ONWARD:
    As previously mentioned, I would like to continue in the direction of letter writing. This means some more in-depth research into this form. I also want to use this time to flush out what interests me most about letter writing. Why am I drawn to it? I want to explore not only more about the history, but perhaps as well, more behind the notion of letter writing. I want to look at things that letters create: a sense of travel, relationships, personal history, a caricature of the soul. Jim and Camilla gave me some really interesting things to think on and pursue as a result of our Thursday meeting. I think it would be interesting also to begin either a real or imaginative communication through letters so that I can begin to do some more physical creating, and get more engrossed with the act of letter writing.

More Variations to Follow

WHAT I DID:

This week I took a stab at mapping out on my wall the different directions I could go with my book. I worked on addressing some other areas of interest beyond simply illustrating and writing a book. Because I have a similarly strong interest in graphic design and history as I do in illustration and writing, I decided to address the three-part project do on Tuesday. I decided to do a predominantly information/history based book; a book based on compilation of illustration, photography, creative writing, and information; and a book that continues with the illustration and writing for a children’s book.

WHAT I ACCOMPLISHED:

Something that I accomplished was settling mind on a direction (or rather three) that I can go. I was hesitant to continue in case I was leaving behind an idea that was worth pursuing. I am glad I have this opportunity to put thought into the other areas I have of interest.

Something interesting that came out of the week happened in my conversation with two other students who were “interviewing” me about my interests and directions in the integrative project. I found myself talking about the “informational” book mostly. I had an idea to explore the evolution of the hand written letter, to look at how it has evolved to email, facebook and texts. There is something lost in digital communication and I want to explore this sense of loss, this sense of disconnectivity with others, even though the digital age proclaims to help us be more connected.  What is the difference between quickly shooting out an email to a friend or sitting down and writing out a letter? What are the physical aspects of letters that fascinate us?

This spring when my grandmother passed away we found a large box of her love letters to my grandpa wrapped up with twine, and his love letters back to her. My grandma lived in Detroit and my grandpa in Toronto, so letter writing was their only real way of communicating. What does this mean to be able to hold tangible evidence of friendship and love? This is something that fascinates me, and I think I want to explore it more deeply.

I thought there was an interesting connection between my fascination with letter writing and why I want to create a book. There is something intrinsically lost when we digitalize a book, when we make it uniform and constantly accessible.  We lose that intimacy. We lose that personalization that gives the book a character. I wanted to share (since I currently have no photographs to show of my work) the short film that I saw over the summer that really inspired me to pursue making a book.

The Future of Print

(click link) 

ONWARD.

I am working on finishing a few spreads for the different three types of books. For the “information book” and the “compilation” book I want to have a spread or two, as well as some collected information/material to use in the books. As previously stated, the informational/historical approach is focused on letter writing, and for the compilation on the season of autumn (since much of my work seems steeped in that). For the illustration book I would like to have a few thumbnail sketches of several pages to see where the book can project. 

Research.

All photographs are details of Carol Schwartzott's artist books.

WHAT I DID: 

This week I did a bit of research. I was not convinced after last week's experiments if I want to continue with writing and illustration. I do enjoy the work, but I always feel at the end that I've created something trivial. So I decided to do a bit of research. I made an appointment on Tuesday to meet up with Annette Haines to look at the Universities collection of artist books. I spent about an hour and a bit going over different books in her collection and broadening my understanding of what a book could be. The one book I saw that really latched onto me was a series of four books. Each book was about a different season, and addressed the content a little differently. Each book had a poem somewhere in it, and often the materials would change a bit between each book. The things that resonated most with me were the tactilibility of each, the use of poetry and older illustration styles, and the small and personal size. I also really enjoyed the box they came in. 

Books chosen from my field trip to the art library: 

-A Day in the Country: Impressionism and the French Landscape

-A Writer's Eye: Field Notes and Watercolors by Paul Horgan

-Impressive: Printmaking, Letterpress and Graphic Design

-Jan Hendrix: Diario De Fatigas

WHAT I ACCOMPLISHED:

I didn't really accomplish a whole lot, other than being late in posting this blog post. I drew out a an idea map to flush out my illustration interests, and to map out some different themes and ideas that were floating unpinned in my mind. I also broadened my idea of what a book could encapsulate and different forms it could be found in. 

ONWARD?

I've come to wonder about using my illustrating and writing interest with more of a utilitarian goal in mind. I am really fascinated by history, and as I've spent the week agonizing over something to focus on for this class, I always come back to my love for history. I don't know as of yet what part of history or subject I would like to focus on. I am going to spend a few days pin pointing an area of history to look at. I am now thinking about using illustration, design, and writing combined with information (personal or otherwise) to create some kind of publication. 

I keep returning in my mind to a little book I found in a small-town shop just on the cusp of this last summer. It was a book called "Look and Cook," a children's cook book that utilized old 1920's-50's illustrations and graphic design. It was charming and I'm sorry I didn't buy it, but more importantly I appreciated the use of history, personal and cultural, and illustration to create something that is useful and also visually interesting. 

The Nine: One Wednesday Morning

"It began like every other Wednesday morning. Cold toast and jam at eight, teatime and the paper to follow. I am a man of regular habits, you see. Being a tad late, it was with haste I hopped on my bicycle and rode down the hill towards the weald."

{Illustration and writing a section of work from my story. }

WHAT I DID:

As you can guess, "The Nine" is a reference to the nine days I had to work on my first project for IP. To be honest, seven of those days were spent in the mire of fear and indecision. I feared committing to a particular project in case it meant I had to continue with it for the next seven months. Indecision came from not having a thought about what I wanted to do in IP, excepting knowing I wanted to create a printed publication. On Tuesday I addressed the concern to Stephanie and Jim about what this nine day introduction project was for. Jim said something that resonated with me, that part of these nine days was to see what you don't want to do. Since I had made an oddly resolute and unfounded decision against writing and illustrating a book, this is the first thing I decided to do. It was by no brilliant move on my part, just a decision to go against my first instinct and try it. I had a fear if I didn't address it, I would always wonder if I had. In my class presentation of my previous work people tended to respond more towards my illustrations rather than my design work. This and other factors enabled me to set out working on a spread for an illustration. Based on a previous work that dealt with thought trails, I chose a portion of the thought trail, a little sentence that delt with an area of ancient english forestry, the Weald, and the inspiration it lent toward writers like Kipling and Milne. "Amidst the sunken lanes and paths the soft-fall pitter-patter of Pooh Bears' feet slow the steady pace the ramblers and cyclists seek to set." The new writing is essentially a story told in a letter about a fanciful man's travels to work on his bicycle, and about the spotting of the peculiar stuffed bear. The end would reveal A. A. Milne to be the author, and the letter one to his publishers/editors.

So, what I did was write. Illustrate. Research. Design.
Tuesday-3 hours spent on deciding on a project to address, research, a bit of idea collecting.
Wednesday-About two hours of sketching and ditching random ideas for the book. probably about another hour and a half of writing. 3 1/2 hours spent on the sketching, inking, painting and scanning.
Thursday morning-15 min of designing.... just preliminary layout.

Total: 10 hours.
Notes: short 2 hours, probably should work on spreading out my work.

...

WHAT I ACCOMPLISHED/DISCOVERED and Such

As stated, I accomplished settling on an idea, doing a bit of writing and illustrating, and basically completing one page of the book. I am not sure weather the lengthy description of what I did belongs in  the previous section or here in what I accomplished, I presume whatever I did I accomplished.

Previously most of my illustrations were made on heavy cardstock, which allows for a smoother image when scanned in and used in a document. I used not only a bad scanner, but watercolor paper. Altogether a bad combination.  I also discovered the close integration of research, narrative, and illustration. When my research was lacking (this being based in a real place and on real people and events) my script was lacking as well... I'm thinking that the veracity of the story is a little thin. Milne was not inspired from a fantastical ride to work to write Winnie-the-Pooh, at least not in any of my research.

...

ONWARD!

I've found myself lost again in the paths and scraps of description, and in love once more with the art of illustrating. I am not ready to rule this out as an IP project. I must still do battle to decide weather I ought to pursue what I want to do or what I think I should do. For now, I plan to perhaps hammer out more of a complete script. I want to also get in contact with Annette Haines to see her collection of artist books. I might work on a few illustrations as well and exploring other vains of story plots, thinking of a projection for a piece.



I expect this is probably the longest post I shall have on here.