Long concertina book with printed pages

When you have too many words for me to write without spending a fortune, one way to accommodate them is to print some onto pages that can be stitched in place.

Vicki came to me with the idea of producing a concertina book with a "This Is Your Life" style commentary for her Mum's 60th birthday. 

"This Is Your Life" was a favourite tv show in our house when I was younger. I've just looked it up... I never knew it started out as a way of honouring & helping servicemen returning home after war!

Having set out to write a 'few' words for me to add to a small book, Vicki got a bit carried away… to the tune of nearly 900 words! That would have taken a lo-oo-oo-ong time & taken up loads of space, not to mention blowing the budget before we got to the 2nd or 3rd paragraph!

She wrote such a great story, I couldn't just say "sorry, no chance" could I?!

Even when I suggested using printed text, I wasn't really sure how… but she agreed anyway.

I wanted to keep it pretty much along similar lines to the card she like originally, with Khadi Cotton Rag Bougainvillea petal paper… it is so gorgeous. As usual, ideas grew & Vicki asked for some blank pages to stick photographs in.

I decided to print extra pages onto plain white cotton rag paper & stitch them into the folds of the concertina… it took a bit of fiddling around with text & layout, but it was soon obvious that the book needed to be longer than normal…. double the length, about 41 inches / 104 cm…. as I only wanted a single sheet of text per fold. Photographs could be glued onto the petal paper, or even on the reverse, depending how many she wanted to use.

 

It folded down into a book about 3/4 inch / 2 cm deep. I kept the same folded cover as the cards, but gave it a spine… I was really pleased with how this 60th birthday "card" worked out & Vicki was happy too!

Lunette:- Grey & teal canvas

Background painted…

paint at the ready…

something to stop a tall canvas sliding...

a rough guide of where we want to be & words to copy,

away we go….

stand back to check, then carry on...

 add final touches…

this could be finished...

but one final request….

all varnished & done!

Lunette ~ Guy Garvey

What can be said of the cigarettes smoked

A prop for a joke or a mark on the clock

If I stopped would the bus ever come

Would the dawn ever kiss me forgivingly knowing what’s done 

Would the drivel make scribble, make sense and then song

Would the woodbines denied black another man’s lungs

Perverse as it may sound I sometimes believe

The tip to my lips just reminds me to breathe

What can be said of the whiskey and wine

Random abandon or ballast for joy

That was scuppered with trust

Little more than a boy 

And besides I’m in excellent company

I’m reaching the age when decisions are made on the life and the liver

And I'm sure, last ditch that I'll ask for more time 

But Mother forgive me

I still want a bottle of good Irish whiskey

And a bundle of smokes in my grave

But there isn’t words yet for the comfort I get

From the gentle lunette at the top of the nape of the neck that I wake to

And where are the words for the leap in my chest

When mischief appears either side of the scar on your nose

Made by a rose thorn

So you claim 

By a rose thorn 

The video is here, Lunette starts at about 4:08 minutes….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dELKUivJo4w&feature=kp

Wind In The Willows

It's a while (errr… christmas!) since I completed this piece of work using words from the 'Wind in the Willows' song from the tv series based on the book by Kenneth Grahame 

Here are the words if you'd like to listen along while you read!

It tickled my sense of synchronicity at the time to find this artists book made by Ann Corr

in her shop, Modestly, on etsy> here. The book is sold, but you can still flick through the pictures…

She told me, 

"I did mean to do a longer blog post about it, since Kenneth Grahame was an interesting figure, and his now well loved tale was an evocation of an England that was more imagined than felt. He was a figure that longed for the romanticism of the wild, but was stuck to the comforts of suburban life." 

Ann blogs at "Moving in Time" and if you enjoy poetry, literature, bookbinding etc, 

it's a lovely, gentle place to wander.

The words are gentle too; the colours needed to be teal & purple, but otherwise I could do as I liked, so I just blended them in a dreamy watercolour wash. I often cover the mount of framed work so that it gives a softer contrast, but this one was longer than a full sheet of paper. It would have worked without, but I thought the addition of lettering strips around the edges just softened it a little, as well as repeating some of my favourite phrases from the song.

[Actually, it was to cover a mark where I mis-cut the mount...

then I added more to make it look like I meant it, but don't tell anyone will you!]

Wedding Vows to Frame

Do you remember this that I showed you a while ago (here)? Now that it has been gifted, I can show you the full version.

To stop the masking tape damaging the surface of the paper when i remove it, i stick it onto my desk (or my jeans or the back of my hand) first to remove some of the tackiness, before putting on the paper

I build these mini-masterpieces up with several layers of watercolour, sometimes i vary the effect by using a flat brush or by adding gestural marks and gold powder. 

This was a large piece to write out, with two distinct parts. Although I had an idea of how I wanted it, I typed each part out in a font that echoed the style I thought I might use, then fiddled around with the proportions until they balanced…. then I just wrote the first column, letting it go how it would. Then I measured & ruled in the top lines for the 2nd part. It very nearly worked first time too!

I've blurred out the names, but once I knew I was going to do another version, I used this to play around with some possible effects. If this had worked, I'd have used a spare scrap to play on. In the first version, there was no variation in the bottom few lines, but it needed some weight at the bottom to anchor it & balance with the other side. That's when I added in the ruling pen over the top…. and here is the final version….

It's on a full sheet of Saunders Waterford Hot pressed paper, which is 76 x 56 cm / 22 x 30 inches… I added crop lines for the framer, to cut through some of the outer diamonds & left a few little notes to my client in the margins which she decided to keep!

Memorial Artwork

 I had quite a challenge to incorporate all the different elements requested in this series of canvasses. It was important to incorporate the skyline of a favourite view visible from a window, so using a photograph, I could tear along the length of the mountain ridge & use it as a template to paint over. My client also loved the blue-black skies & gold lettering seen in earlier work of mine.

Another element required, was a representation of the five trees that a father had planted for his children, and I needed to make each canvas similar but different for each child. This was a touching tribute to their father, and a way for the siblings to share something that honoured his memory.

.

Although in reality all the trees had red leaves, I highlighted a different one on each canvas. The layout for the calligraphy was broadly the same, but there is some variation in the line-breaks, and how the trees worked out slightly also affected the placement of text a little. Rather than gold lettering I settled on copper, originally intending to use it for the full poem. However as I highlighted the red tree with a bronze-y red, I realised that it would also pull things together better to use that for the 2nd part of the poem too, especially as the two parts have a different feel to the words.

The poem is "At a Window" by Carl Sandburg~

Give me hunger,

O you gods that sit and give

The world it's orders.

Give me hunger, pain and want,

Shut me out with shame and failure

From your doors of gold and fame,

Give me your shabbiest, weariest hunger!

But leave me a little love,

A voice to speak to me in the day end,

A hand to touch me in the dark room

Breaking the long loneliness.

In the dusk of day-shapes

Blurring the sunset,

One little wandering star

Thrust out from the changing shores of shadow.

Let me go to the window,

Watch there the day-shapes of dusk

And wait the coming

Of a little love.

Just off the Drawing Board...

A few trials.... which of course work out better than the 'real ones'

A bit blurry, but you get the idea...

I can't show any more until this new Bride surprises her husband with this 

Valentine's gift... her wedding vows to him....
but I can tell you, that we have gold powder dropped into watercolour.

Red & Black Canvasses... & photography dramas

It started out with a request to add a few words to a print... here. The words "If love is a labor, I'll slave 'til the end" are from a song called 'Swing Life Away' by Rise Against

I suggested a small canvas instead, that could be done in colours to suit the song & the couple. Where price is an issue, any extra cost is offset by having no need to purchase a frame. N very helpfully told me some details about the young couple soon to wed.... including that they both have a lot of body art in black & red plus their wedding list expressed a penchant for reds. She agreed that a canvas would more likely suit a young, modern couple. When she received the canvas, N couldn't wait for the wedding & sent it off straight away!

I did a few others in the same colours while I was working, but wasn't at all happy with any of the photographs... i tried inside, outside, natural light... they either appeared washed out or too orange-y & didn't show the dark, old-school tattoo style red to good effect at all.

vive l'amor

9.5" x 7" / 24 x 18 cm

I just had another go at photographing them. I know that digital cameras tend to 'average-out' the colours that they see, but adjusting the white balance didn't help. Neither did adjusting the colour sliders when editing (I only have quite basic photo processing tools & skills!)

long live love

8" x 8" / 20 x 20 cm

Thinking about colour 'averaging'... a light background was much better, then I thought about colour theory & went for the opposite colour on the colour wheel to red.... green, the complimentary colour... 

red & black heart

11.5" x 11.5" / 29 x 29 cm

Much better! Also, adjusting the proportions of white, black & grey in the setting made a big difference

Although I love outdoor photography, I've never particularly enjoyed photographing my work. Once I started thinking about mixing colours in the viewfinder, much like on a paint palette, I started having more fun & more success. Having temporary access to a big wall with plenty of light from both sides certainly helps too... I'm going to dig out some more canvasses to re-photograph now!

Poppies, for Remembrance.... on canvas

The couple who commissioned this canvas, requested another for their father.... something a little more 'traditional' looking.... with poppies please! Poppies were their mum's favourite; luckily I had plenty of photographs I've taken myself to choose from.

I often like to layer gesso onto the canvas first to create some additional 

texture in the background, plus it's a great surface to write on.

Something like this doesn't have to be for a memorial... 

any photo with any words would make a special, personalised gift at any time, wouldn't it? 

Minor Miracles can happen!

 DB had a plan to have his wedding vows written out for his 1st wedding anniversary gift to his wife... but with one thing and another.... you can guess the story.... I got an email on a thursday afternoon wondering whether I could get something to him by Saturday!

He'd already realised that he was probably asking too much, but whilst looking through my shop he had fallen in love with this piece and wondered whether I could arrange framing for 'as soon as possible'.

Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be.

~Robert Browning~

Well, at the moment I don't have anyone I use as a regular framer, so rashly promised I'd see what I could buy 'off the shelf' locally, if he was prepared for me to change the design to suit. In the end, I pulled off a "minor miracle" as he called it, by getting this done & posted on Friday... then Royal Mail responded to our fervent positive thinking requests for it to arrive on the Saturday!

I can't always complete work at such short notice, but if I can, I will. A good sob story & lovely attitude helps too!

First Wedding Anniversary ~ Paper

The First Wedding Anniversary is widely associated with paper... making calligraphy on paper an ideal gift!! And even more special when the words are your wedding vows. Nowadays more & more  people write their own vows, which is so personal.... and having them written out, to frame, is something to cherish.

 just testing...

The Bride had worn turquoise, but there was no turquoise in their bedroom, where there were to hang... lots of silver & grey though! We went for pencil lettering...

the first subtle layer of watercolour...

Pencil & watercolour look great together, and the beauty of watercolour is, 

it can be really pale & subtle...

 adding colours...

 or, by building up layers, the colour can become quite strong...

several layers to create depth...

 differing amounts of words, planned to take up the 

same space, to suit matching frames...

this couple wrote quite different styles of  wedding vows, but both full of love...

and now they have a constant reminder of the pledge they made to each other.

As time goes on, I think it's quite a good idea to remember promises made

on such a special day!

Custom Favourite Song Remembrance Canvas

I'm getting quite regular requests for a canvas in memory of someone.... this time with a favourite song & an owl photograph because "she always loved owls". We decided on layers of lettering, quite a neutral look, with one main phrase standing out.

I have found that applying a layer of gesso to the canvas is easier to write on, but have only recently discovered that sanding it down a little gives a lovely surface.... I can get much sharper lettering now. For this one I kept adding layers of colour, sanding, more colour... a few lines of the song.... sanding... more lettering... sanding.... colour... lettering etc etc. I love the distressed effect....

I didn't get the photograph til  much later, & tho we loved the background, 

we didn't feel the photo was quite right with it for where it was to go....

... until I converted to sepia and added the final touches!

It's quite a touching tribute, combining their mother's favourite song 

and a photo of something she loved... 

Remembering My Mother ~ Poem

A little while ago, these canvasses were heading in a slightly different direction, 

but as always, they eventually told me the way to go... 

once i stopped thinking so much and tuned in to who they were for... 

the Mom being remembered...

in my mind were the colours of the white shores of Hawaii...
i printed some photos for colour inspiration...
don't you just love how the colours on the print have run & merged together? 

They are to form the background for the poem

 "Remembering My Mother" by Belinda Stotler...

just trying different ways to emphasise the last verse...

& then doing something totally different!

Actually it combines both ideas & I could see from the roughs where I needed to be.

Even when a death is not unexpected, it can still be incredibly hard for those left behind,

but this poem gave a little comfort through it's words...

Their Mom & Dad used to spend time together in Hawaii... 

on 'those white shores across the sea'...

There are many layers of colour & texture in these, giving plenty of depth in the background,

also the blue line of acrylic & the white splashes are raised adding even more...

two canvasses the same, or at least very similar.... 

one for my customer & one for her sister

Remembering My Mother

by Belinda Stotler

My Mother seems so far away from me,

On that beautiful white shore across the sea.

Yet I remember love’s soft glow upon her face,

And the feel of her touch and tender embrace.

When I am weary from the burdens I’ve borne,

And the path is unclear and I feel so forlorn,

I remember her loving support was always near,

And her advice made the path ahead seem clear.

When I feel there is no one who seems to care,

Or when the heartache seems too hard to bear,

I remember how she always stood by my side,

And would tenderly wipe away the tears I cried.

When there are moments of great joy and pride,

And I wish my Mother was standing at my side,

I remember she saw more than I thought I could be,

And know I owe my triumphs to her belief in me.

When I reminisce about the things she used to say, 

And I miss her and think she is so far away,

I remember what she gave lives on through me,

And one day I’ll see her on the shore across the sea.