Half finished treasures.

Those of you who read the blog often may have noticed that there is a lot of procrastination and lots of play going on here. In the background I have some ideas for the next embellished piece but somehow can’t quite start on it, perhaps after my holiday. A couple of years ago I dyed and printed some fabric with thickened procion. I started a quilt but then just stopped.

 I think the machining just got too tedious and the purple dyed backing too over the top. Well over the last couple of weeks I found someone who I think will benefit from the gift of a quilt and so got it out of its box. Like so many other neglected pieces there was actually very little to do to finish it off.

 I also decided to make some labels. Did you know that there is a whole Pinterest site devoted to making fabric labels, well here it is.  I sketched mine on the ipad and then printed them out.

 One thing I have noticed is that both the ready for printing fabric and the dylon dyed fabric backing are so difficult to get a needle through. Not something I would want to do regularly. But now it is finished, I am pleased. I hope this may inspire you to get out one of your neglected half-finished treasures and bring it to life.

More Gelli plate.

It’s so hard to resist playing with the gelli plate, and really why try. Jane Davies has recently shared her masking process here. She takes it a lot further into her collaged artwork.

 I used liquid acrylics on watercolour paper. I have a new roller now and have promised that I will not abuse it,as it works so nicely.

 I took a photograph of part of a print and then added text using the ipad. I then printed that part out on vellum and collaged it onto one of the prints.

 My son is just about to move into his new (I'm so envious) loft studio and so I gave it to him as a sort of studio warming card.

More colour added.

By the way a big thank you to those discriminating people who have recently bought my blurb book.

'Garden Doodles' for the Sketchbook Challenge Blog.

'Garden Doodles' for the Sketchbook Challenge Blog., a photo by stitchworks-jackie on Flickr.

See the Sketchbook Challenge Blog for more posts about this month's theme.

'WE Love Your Books'

POINT is the theme of this year’s ‘We Love Your Books’ exhibition. I am pleased to say that images from my book are included in the exhibition which is solely on line this year. You can view the selected entries, I understand that there were over a 100 submissions, here. Well worth taking a look. More details of the contributors will be added later. It is amazing to see the results of people’s imaginative response to the theme, and some of their skills make me envious. I particularly like the metal book and often wish I had more skills in the soldering, metal smithing area.

Many people seem to have gone in the same direction as myself and thought of point in terms of the folds made when you manipulate paper. There are quite a number of stitched fabric books and some cross stitch; there is even a felted book. Points of a compass and maps are also popular interpretations. There is a flag book with pointy bits. There is a concertina book of drawings of insects, which is really clever as when you look closely you see that the drawing is made up of tiny dots, pointillism.

I used a Turkish Map Fold format and drawings made using acrylic ink, which I then photographed and added some text etc. on the ipad. I also used an app called ‘Book Creator’ to make an interactive book which includes some short video clips of the stages and the decisions made in making the book. These are a two clips from the interactive book.

'All about POINT' from J Bowcutt on Vimeo.






'All About POINT' 2. from J Bowcutt on Vimeo.

Looking through the Archives.

I was wondering what to write about this week when I was overcome by nostalgia, hence the look through the archives, not just of work but also of people remembered. When I see a ‘new’ technique demonstrated or read about one, I often think of a former tutor of mine. I think how much she would have enjoyed the process or, very often, that she showed me the same technique years ago.

 That person is Val Campbell-Harding, who died some years ago and who wrote what many will still consider to be the bible for machine embroidery, ‘Machine Embroidery, Stitch Techniques’; unfortunately mostly  in black and white. Just think what she could have produced with the current wonderful close up full colour photographs. 

Those of you who remember her will I am sure agree that she was not the easiest of tutors in many ways, but she had the sure knack of pointing to an aspect of work which one had done and knowing that that was the bit that you should pursue. I just felt like remembering her today and taking a look through my archives, and marvelling at the patience I had at the time.

Drawing Workshop

On Friday I went to a drawing workshop, Drawing Large, at New Greenham Arts which is not far from where I live. The tutor was Sally Haynes and I like her experimental approach. There were only four of us there, and that was just as well as we really spread ourselves around the studio.

We started by doing some drawings of twigs and leaves using contour and blind drawing. We also did a drawing on a piece of overhead projector film. The drawings were torn up and collaged onto a large sheet of paper, together with some large drawings of the same objects made using the OHP to project them onto the studio wall. So lots of layers of drawings and the use of tracing paper.

 In the afternoon we made some rubbings in the studio, as it was too wet and windy to go outside, and repeated the process. Other exercises were suggested but as usual there is never enough time to try everything. I enjoy working large and this is not really possible for me at home so that it was good to have the opportunity to do so. One of the participants in particular produced some amazing work. I like it when I see some good work as it shows you what is possible. We also had the opportunity to view the exhibition for the Open Studio event which is at Greenham at the moment.

The above is A1 size and the the other piece is much bigger. The 'card' it is on is so strong that it was stapled to the studio wall and at the moment it refuses to lay flat in my little room.

One of my pieces was far from finished and the other rather messy, but I was encouraged to take photos of interesting parts and to develop these further. A busy day with plenty of stimulating ideas.

A little bit of everything (almost).

I posted these images on Flickr but not here. Even more playing with gelli prints, these were made with my own gelatine plate rather than the commercial one and most everything else included.

 Printed on old book pages with stencilling, modelling paste and last but not least some stitching on small embellished pieces. I then made the prints into a sort of fold book.

On Friday I went to Winchester and saw an exhibition called ‘What are You like’ it is based on a Victorian parlour game and forty-five personalities answer the question in a variety of artistic styles, including collage, instagram,paper cutting and much more. Really interesting and with a few laughs too.  As it is a travelling exhibition you may get a chance to see it if you are in the UK, here is a link to more details. I think this idea would be good to use with a group and I am storing it up for future use.

Don't forget to catch up with my post and the rest of the Sketchbook Challenge Team over on the blog, which is all about 'Bowls' this month.

Gelli print

Gelli print, a photo by stitchworks-jackie on Flickr.

Photographed and played with on the ipad.

Folding.

Like most people playing with gelli print making I seem to have accumulated lots of printed paper. Quite a few years ago I went to a fascinating talk by Ruth Smith, the author of 'Miao Embroidery from South West China' and had the opportunity to see a Dong Thread booklet which she had brought back from China. This encouraged me to buy her pamphlet about how to make a replica of one of these booklets. When I looked at the instructions I sort of lost all interest in trying to have a go and in fact forgot all about it until I found a little folded experiment I had made when I first got the booklet. Needless to say it took me some time to find the actual pamphlet. I tried the basic fold with a number of papers, the paste papers I tried do not fold well but I suddenly had the idea of using some of the prints which I have about.

 I didn’t try the full instructions but used the two basic ‘pockets’ to make a card.

Unfortunately I cannot track down a link to Ruth Smiths instructions; it looks as if she is giving regular workshops and you can Google lots of images of people’s attempts.

 The two books she has written seem to be out of print. Here is a link to images of the actual Chinese Thread Booklets. They are beautiful items, as is the amazing work of the Miao; lots of intricate folding and polished indigo, so intricate that to me it seemed impossible to work out how it was done.I was lucky enough to see an exhibition of their work in Farnham some years ago. Skills which have been passed down over generations.

Gelli Prints and Stencils.

I bought myself three stencils from Crafters Workshop to use whilst playing with my gelli prints. I have made my own stencils in the past and always found it hard work, but I don’t really like using other peoples images, even if they are only circles, I would rather I had cut the circles. You Tube is such a good resource, sometimes I can’t stand some ones voice or they dither about too much for me and I quickly pass on, but there are some real nuggets of useful information. I realized after watching one such video that I could use my wood burning tool and plastic file inserts to cut my own stencils. Not as wonderful as the laser cut ones but good enough.

However, these ‘prints’ were made with the purchased stencils and modelling paste, which works nicely.

  I made the collages using ‘Pic Collage’ on the ipad which is a good resource and then I added frames using ‘Snapseed’.

Emma Powell has written an article in the current issue of ‘The Blue Notebook’ titled ‘What is the point of we love your books?’; in it she discusses the symbiotic relationship,fostered by the various exhibitions she and Melanie Bush have organized, between different groups of people making artists’ books, from the international specialist to the student, and including the ‘hobbyist’ of which I think I must be one. Whatever the label I am pleased to be included and to have a picture of my submission to the 2011 Crop exhibition included. ‘The Blue Notebook’ is edited by Sarah Bodman of the University of the West of England and is a journal for artists’ books, here is a link if you would like to know more.

The Sketchbook Challenge theme for May is Bowls so I shall have to get my thinking cap out as I am now part of the SC team, if you want to join us and have not visited before here is the link.

New Bag for my Kindle.

First I tried Bubble Jet Set, then it was Ink Aid, now I am too old or too lazy for either and I decided to go for the printable fabric option. Now I must say that I think Ink Aid is excellent and have had good results when printing my photos or other work onto fabric, but the printable sheets are so easy and go through the printer without one having to hold ones breath and without all the careful coating of the fabric first, and even better there is no waiting involved. OK, I admit I am plain lazy. The fabric I used was non-washable cotton and it is quite thin.

I decided to print a couple of my Gelatine prints onto fabric to make a new cover for my Kindle. Firstly I had to rephotograph them as the ipad photos are in low resolution, ideal for the computer, but not ideal for printing. I then manipulated the colours a little on the computer. I did a draft print and decided to change the setting to black and white for the image with words. I also put my name into the print using a Photoshop brush.

 The book I took the pages from was given as a school prize in 1891 so I do not think there are any copyright issues.

 The tag on the side is useful and matches the lining but I have to admit it was probably not the best choice colour wise.Material left over from when I did my 'Noughts and Crosses' workshop.

 I quilted the lining as I have a slight mark on my Kindle screen where I dropped it and don’t want any more accidents (that is if I fall out of bed again!)  My execution is not perfect but I like it and it will be useful.

I must let you know that I will now be posting at least once a month to the Sketchbook Challenge Group, as Sue Bleiweiss kindly asked me to join the SC team. This month’s theme is Spirals.

Spirals Video

Spirals from J Bowcutt on Vimeo.
This is short video on Vimeo to link with the Sketchbook Challenge April theme of Spirals.

Made on the ipad and using IMovie
 It took me a long time to work out how to do this, so be kind!

More Gelatine Play

These are a few gelatine prints which I made using dried grasses on old book pages. I have had great pleasure messing with the home made gelatine plates, but am now running out of gelatine. 

There seems little rhyme nor reason to me as to when the plates start to break down but no doubt there is if you get to know what you are doing. Its good that you can just break up the gelatine and put it in the microwave for a few minutes to reuse it. I could be tempted to get a proper Gelli Plate but as there seems to be a shortage of the larger ones I have had to restrain myself (no bad thing).

Liniecat and Charlton Stitcher have both received their stitched pieces, the pieces photographed for the front and back covers of my little blurb book, and have told me they intend to put them up, which is nice to hear.

I was requested to add a 'follow by email' link and after some searching have added it and a 'search this blog' facility.

I am in a little bit of a creative doldrums, so I decided to book up for a creative drawing workshop, ‘Drawing Large’ at Greenham Arts, which is not far from me. It is not until May but I am looking forward to just letting go on a big piece of paper.