Thin Lines

A look at some makes...

I've made myself a book - errr why?  Don't I own a zillion sketchbooks already - but of course I do.  However I have a particular project in mind for this.  Yet again I've made a fat book - this time its not long, but has a deep spine. 5cm and thick paper 250 gsm.  I attached each individual page, so teeny stitches, but pleased with my straight lines.

I have been stitching - this is the reverse, and I love it.  Just wondering if its actually worth doing to get this effect, might have to find a means to see something both sides.

Reminds me of this set of design work.

And because you need to see a bit of colour... here's a detail of some paint play.

I am not a stamper (though can't resist buying alphabet stamps) but I particularly like the effect of these thin crackle lines.  Suits my kind of stamping, ie don't put it on a block, just ink it up and press on the bits you want.  Perfect.

Oh bit of a theme, spidery thin lines......

An opportunity came into my inbox last week, requested details and am giving it serious thought - but I suspect it might be something to wait for the next time round.

In the meantime only a few days left to see the Essex Open.

Oh yes, I've changed the name of my Facebook Page its now: Bev Folkard - Paper Stitches.
Truthfully because I discovered you can, and this now seems a better fit.  Its the same URL if you have it down as that.

Sunday Share 17. 5.15

Phew, almost running out of Sunday to share this with you.

Not very pretty is it?  I would love to have sketchbooks with oodles of deliciousness tumbling out of them.   Long admired the likes of Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn and more recently Linda and Laura Kemshall.  Notebooks which somehow manage to be artworks in their own right and in entirety.

Actually whilst studying City & Guilds Embroidery, the struggle to try and produce such wonders was quite a hindrance.
I've never really been bugged by the blank page, or the white space but not having the oooh and aaah factor of a sketchbook has irritated.
However, I've long since realised this is a working book for me, and although others may make pretty things to aid their designs, I tend to do a lot of measuring, and calculating and diagrams.  So in the main I have nothing to drool over, no sketchbook envy levied my way.

I hope it helps to see something not so pretty and to realise the information is for me, and only me, so it has to work how I need it to.

Beverley

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Sunday Share 3. 5.15

Few pages from various sketchbooks this week, just showing the same idea.

When I buy new paints or threads, I make a little sample chart in my sketchbook.  To be honest it would be better if I'd taken note of what I'm doing and kept them all in the same book, but hey - brains, intelligence and all that.

I started doing this kind of thing right at the beginning of the C&G studies.  I can remember clearly my first Preparing Working Design topic (hated it, had changed my mind, as I often did when someone else in the class picked the same idea as me)  So here I was faced with a green plant.  I must have been asked to consider how many shades of green it had, because the result was me emptying out drawers and boxes etc to find every single green pen, pencil, paint I could lay my hands on and making a colour list of them.
For C&G I kept a little paint book, given that many paints were new to me, like interference colours, and texture mediums..
In this book I applied what has come to be known via him indoors as, Beverley Logic.  ie no proof, evidence, understanding, just me saying well, this is water based, and this is water based, so, two must mixed together....
So this is what we have in the image above, strong water colour horizontanlly, and fancy named acrylics vertically, see how the colours change.

So I also apply this kind of template to other things I buy...

A little square of the paint colour and a mini stitch test of the threads.

I attending a talk years and years back, by Leslie Morgan and I've never forgotten one thing she said.  Don't forget a single strand of thread will look very different from the mass on the reel.  I know, obvious hey?  Well it wasn't until she said it....
These threads in the photos were new to me, as in variegated thread which a short colour change, think its only an inch.  Being me of course couldn't possibly believe that was true, so have to have a little stitch out to see.

I try to make my little record sheets as soon as.  Even if I don't use a product right away, I can alway remember I have it noted and know what it looks like.

Mhmm, I will have to investigate taking them out of the various sketchbooks and collating - but I suspect something on the reverse will have to be sacrificed.

Next... Sketchbooks... and 2011

My Burnham Art Trail display is all over for now. Items still available and for sale so do ask. And if you missed seeing them, you find pics on my web album - and some items will appear at my next Exhibition - 16th August - 24th September Rayleigh Mill Arts & Events Centre.
I have to make more work for that Exhibition, domestic issues have delayed everything, but then a friend said "what's the fun in actually being prepared in advance, the whole point is to work like crazy to the last minute". Actually last minute does make the mind focus, and force you into decisions.

I'm writing this, with one eye on the street, looking for the delivery van, to bring me a supply of sketchbooks. I've bought from Seawhite, (or Artsaver). Took me a long time to get comfortable with using sketchbooks, but then I discovered the size, form, orientation of the book was a huge factor. I prefer A5 portrait Euro Wire. I wish the content could be beautiful and make people oooh and aaaah, but my sketchbooks tend to look more like architectural records, with lots of measurements etc. But I've learned to relax and accept this is how my working information is recorded, and it suits me.

So why you might ask, is someone who doesn't do beautiful arty sketchbooks, signed up to The Sketchbook Project? Well I was looking to see what art things I had in the diary for 2011, came across the project and decided it was good to have a challenge for the long grey Winter months. I signed up on 18th June ($25 plus $3 p&p) and today (2nd July) my sketchbook has arrived. I've chosen the theme of Lines & Grids, partly because I realised lots of my work involves that at the moment. So to be posted off by mid Jan. Plenty of time... cough!!