accordion

Alright, so a 35 foot scroll probably can't fit even in school for the presentation so my other alternative, which has been running around in my head for a while is a book. Now since my project has switched a bit to book/journal type format, how interesting would it be to make it a humungous book?It can either lie flat or stand on its side. Hum ho - then I need to make sure everything is solid and in order.


just have to find enough stiff material for the covers - that's over 3 feet wide and however long. I have to do some measurements, and may have to join up stag blanc or something. I am trying to avoid joining though. Any suggestions?

(Update: there's 4 x 8' hardboard sheets available.)

Should I use hardboard behind all? Hmm.

This is a 3x3 piece of brown paper with a bristol board middle... just as a sample. I have been trying to work things through.

I also have to reinforce the back of the scroll itself. Of course this can be two sides and be standing on its side. That all depends on the museum space that I'm not sure I'm getting. Great! Apparently we have to draw for the spaces. Yikes. So does that mean only 1 piece can go in? I would rather this go than anything else really. Design - yuck. Too much trouble anyway.

So about my final art studio project. It's going to be a combination pillow book scroll, accordion art book with painting, words and poetry. The readability is another story altogether. It's a personal journey, a grounding, a healing process and mental vomit. I have no name for it yet though. Hmm. Anyways it's coming together. The next 4 weeks looks hellish. Whee!

As for drawing, I've been disillusioned - I'm going to go with that line Greer likes. Hmm. Need huge sheets of good paper. They don't have it! Argh!

pillow book

*dance* They say watching tv is bad? Come on - where else could you see Ewan McGregor's jewels? I was too tired to watch the whole movie, but I strained my eyes for the first 45 minutes or so of The Pillow Book by Peter Greenaway.

What's a pillow book? Essentially a journal - ahhh now we're talking. It's just my thing, just prettier. Beautiful imagery and words so of course I connected to it immediately. In the words of Rachel Ray, yum-o. I can't even begin to describe the happy little feeling that welled up within my fourth chakra.

"Spring is best at dawn as gradually the hilltops lighten, while, the light grows brighter until there are purple-tinged clouds trailing though the sky."

Calligraphy, poetry, drawings, lists. Ooooooooooh. The English translations that I am looking at though probably do not translate well. This would probably be a good time to learn Japanese. One day indeed. I really do hate translations. Imagine watching it with Spanish subtitles (for the Japanese parts). Of course Spanish is more beautifully translated poetically. I think English is just hideous at times.

This Sei Shonagon gal was amazing, and it's poignant to note that women and men have not changed much since 996. This also has reminded me of the history of writing journals. Look how it's evolved - where will it go next?

Oh wow I love this. I think the film and book are going on my wish list. *hint hint*

I'm doing my scroll work inspired by this - for sure.

presentation time

I have yet to receive a letter apparently sent indicating the presentation of March the 14th. Good thing for grapevine news. Anyway, it was absolutely horrific, not in a nightmarish, nervous breakdown way, but in a more subtle, calm terrified way. I don't know if that makes any sense to you dear readers, but my brain is going way too fast to even bother explaining the anxiety attack waiting to happen. It's consummate aneurism fodder.

Anyway, there's some work. It's poorish but I think I am slowly realising where I may be headed. I got some feedback, and it's quite ranged. From, "ooh pretty I like" to blank looks of "huh, what's your theme"?

The text is coming through stronger, and I now have some more ideas for the scrolls... if they are going to be scrolls at all and not just one nice long piece. Who'da thunk? I'm realising more and more that writing is intrinsic in my life, hell my sanity. Q has also picked up on that and with his encouragement I can see myself getting even deeper into the pen and ink rabbit hole. Sweetness.

the good news

I have a roll of not-so-hot paper, but it's possibly over 24' feet. I really want to do one full piece on that length, though I figure I may have to cut it to 7' pieces, which would give me the scroll effect I was seeking, but the 24' piece is edging me on as a final piece more and more. Hm. I don't quite have the space either - God alone knows for presentation how it would happen either. I have thought about the stretching idea, but I'm far too harsh on my paper to stretch it - it has to be drawn/painted first. Of course the paper will pucker but it doesn't really matter - I think the more abused the look, the better I will feel.
In other news I have found a new muse, Dane Lovett and I am in love with his work. I see my own heading that way, a far cry from when I started - I'm going more into faces and moods than ever before. I still like human figure though - I always will.

sigh

I am trying not to feel too guilty that I should be doing another project (that I don't want to do). I can do realistic stuff, it'd show off my skill at drawing muscles and rah rah rah. Boring. I still feel a little guilty though, that I should be doing this as a true test of my full skill, to show my true potential... but then what? This happens late at night when I feel like everything is crashing around me and I ponder. It's the whole vibe, I can take hours on an inch of paper but what value will this bring? Some false sense of satisfaction - something so tested, so produced intricately. It's not that intricate time-consuming work isn't good... it's just sometimes too forced. I am trying not to feel guilty about my free hand, my free spirit and I am truly trying to believe in myself and my worth.