Final Crit. Running Theme Through my book?

After my crit today with Christian I feel pretty sorted in what I need to do between now and the deadline to complete my book. From work I have done it is clear that I haven't enjoyed collage and have just been drawing lots of objects taken apart.

As we spoke it was obvious that I was pissed off with myself for leaving my book so late, my final book will not be totally what I wanted but my concept is what I have wanted it to be the whole project. The only thing that wont be as I wanted because of time, is the media I use. Basically, I'm working with what I have in the time I have and thus it wont be how I would make it if i had more time.

My main question to Christian was that I was very stuck in how to present or make something out of he images and ideas I already had, to create a running theme/narrative. It was clear that I didn't have a strong enough concept and so we discussed the main things I was concentrating on:

- Drawing

- Objects taken apart

- Pattern

Discussing this with Christian, we brought it together so that my concept was: Object - take apart - rebuild - pattern (zoomed), and the narrative as the process of putting the book together.

As i just said I've decided that my narrative is shown by the process of layout and putting/measuring a layout for each page. This will be behind all my images.

My book will be in chapters, titled around different processes or quotes that loosely tie to the object.

I'm still thinking on a title for my book, but at the moment the most obvious and fitting title would be something along the lines of:

' A Book Of Parts - A Book In Parts'.

Finally, due to time, I have decided that my book will be photocopied for the final one, possibly on layout paper and sugar paper as I want to try it on a couple of papers.

The photocopying and layout paper will complement the way my book had been drawn anyway and because its about how the page is laid out as well as what's in it, the layout paper is thin and therefore will let some of the lines come through on the next page, which might look nice.

Judging Books By Their Cover.

Below is a link to a website/blog I came across, whilst looking into the necessity of the cover of a book, I wanted to understand it more, and from the audiences point of view. Why do they buy the book?

http://www.book-by-its-cover.com/

This blog was perfect, it consists of lots of nice books that this illustrator and pattern designer has notices and collected over the years.

A large portion of the books featured on the blog were sent to her for free from publishers, authors and artists.

What more, I've been looking at pattern and it turns our she is a pattern designer as well as an illustrator! This could be me in a few years?! haha

Here's a link to his own website:

http://www.juliarothman.com/

The Vis Com Illustration Exhibition.

Above is a photo Paul took of two of my wallpaper designs framed as part of the exhibition.

Looks pretty nice and feels good to have some of my work shown!

It was also useful to see Paul and Jodie put this exhibition on, they did an excellent job. But the promise of work from people and then not actually receiving it from people, is a problem that they faced. It has just made me think that if I were to put an exhibition up or create a zine of peoples work I would definitely think about time and the best ways of getting work from people.

A Collection A Day.

http://www.monster-munch.com/a-collection-a-day/

Check it out! A cute blog post about Lisa Congdon. She is going to show a collection for the whole of 2010! she picks objects from things she's been collecting across her lifetime. An artists and illustrator from San Fransisco and will be drawing and painting some of the objects from time to time. A lovely book made from it at some point!

Thus far...

Today I went down with Chris to book the laser cutter, even though I dont have anything for it as of yet. I felt that once I had booked the laser cutter I would have something to work towards. As I mentioned in my evaluation for the last project, having a deadline like that gives me something to work to and means I will work in time to get the images on illustrator ready for print and cut out.

We have managed to book a 2 hour slot in which to work together helping each other and getting our images cut. This has made me feel a little better, I should actually have something by next friday, and then have 5 days to put the piece together for the exhibition. This feels a little like progress.

I have also spoken to a friend from home, who has worked with resin in past projects to try and plan the time restrictions and how to go about using it. She produced her pieces doing it all from home and this is what I hope to do. Some information I got from her which was useful was:

- Takes about 3 days for the whole process, with shiny sanded pieces.

- Buy casting resin (bottle with liquid in)

- Buy fixer (looks like a little eyedrop bottle)

- Can use ice-cube trays as moulds. (bendy)

- Sand them with a light sand paper.

Wow. From this post I have realised that for me, I feel better and can work easier and get through a project If i have planned all my time. Must remember this!

Museum Practice, Books and Collecting.

Below is a screenshot and link to a web page I found. Named reCollections, it is an independant, peer-reviewed online journal, which focuses on two main areas: museology and museum practice. It also touches on the history and interpretation of objects, plus social and enviromental history of material culture.

Most useful to me though was that the editors welcome contributions, relating to the the role of museums in society, museum practice, and the history, collection, interpretation and display of museum collections.

Based in Australia, the articles must only relate to Australia, or broadly relate to museums or material history.

 

http://recollections.nma.gov.au/issues/vol_3_no_1/

book_reviews/museum_the_macleays/

There was an article that was very useful, and helped me appreciate and understand the idea of collecting and collectives. It speaks about a book called Museum, by Robyn Stacey and Ashley Hay. The article includes some quotes taken from the book, one was by Susan Sontag: 

' to collect is to rescue things, 

valuable things from neglect, from oblivion, 

or simply from the ignoble destiny of being in someone 

elses collection rather than ones own'. 

' Collecting makes a world'. 

The book is focused on the Macleay collection, which started off as a private collection. The text describes how like most similar collections, the vast majority of items are stored away from public view. I thought it was interesting that only two percent of the Macleay Museums' collection is on display at any one time so the immediate visual context of 98 percent of the collection is obscured. 

It also describes how publicising this 'hidden' collection becomes a high priority in a time of cultural accountability.

It goes on to talk about how the digital age, gives museums and collecting institutions a big oppertunities to expand their collections. 

Web works and books are a real and wonderful means of widening the impact of a particular collection. 

Books like this serve several purposes. They expose the hidden collection and it's meanings. Beautifully presented, as in this publication, they advertise and celebrate the richness of the collection. And in this form of publication, they re-present the collection, adding new meanings to the chosen items.

Other books about/of creations/collections:

- Stephen Jay Gould's - Finers, Keepers

- Eight Collectors and the intriguing Tasmanian Art Gallery publication Collection

All books produced about collections add value and creativity to the process of interpreting a collection. They present the collection in a specific light. 

To end I thought this was a well rounded and explained paragraph...

'By beginning and maintaining a collection, the collector–organiser ensures that a particular creativity suffuses the collection. It may pass through several hands, be added to or have items withdrawn, but a collection remains as a testament to the inquiry and intellect of those who work with it. By making it more accessible and, as in this case, by reinterpreting items, others ensure the continued life of the collection. In doing so they recognise the efforts of all who have worked with the collection since its inception'.

Exhibition?

At the moment I feel like I have so much information and my ideas for images and being creative taking over my mind and feeling the need to get on with work for my book that I have put the exhibition to the back of my mind.

On second thought and taking a step back from everything I've been doing, I've suddenly started to panic about the exhibition being put forward and my original idea of the museum case to be hung on the wall, with my resin jewelery within that I wanted to create. I've been so excited about the idea that I have decided to continue with it and go ahead with putting it together - even If I don't get it finished in time for the exhibition.

The other idea for wall pieces that I had was to create this 3D visage I've held in my mind for ages. I've tried it in my collage as well, but this won't be recognised as much through out my book. Taking my idea of 'parts', and putting together a kind of 'pop out' image, the idea of having it as pop out and 3D, communicates my idea of 'parts' really well. The image will be put together using layers of cut outs I have drawn - almost like one of those cards you receive that you pull out to find an image.

The idea of both the 3d pieces, is that the concept for my project is, taking things apart and putting the back together again - therefore im seperating/taking apart a clock and putting it back together again through pop out and building up layers.

I also need to think about my postcard more, with the pressure of time I originally stupidly thought oh I'll just scan one of my collage images and print it onto the card. But I have thought about it further and want to create it in the same way I will my wall piece. To make it a little different, I think I want to take one of my collage images and cut it out of the postcard? Or layer some postcards up. However I'm still not decided. I'm hoping this will come together and make more sense nearing the exhibition, which sounds scary and pressure with the time I will have, but with the scale of a postcard and that restriction I believe whatever I decide to do I should be able to complete before the exhibition deadline.

From my outburst I've have begun to plan my time and also written a list of things I need to do...

- Vernon Street, to create put together a 'book box', which will be my museum case.

- Research and ask in college about using Resin, booking time?

- Booking a Laser cutting session for next week to get my 3D wall pieces done.

- Create the illustrator files for the Laser cutter:

1. Insect parts out of fabric for resin

2. Clock parts for 3D wall pieces

3. Jumble of different object parts for another wall piece

- Buy good enough card for 3D layers.

- Get fabrics and materials I want to use.

- Plan postcard more - get the actual scale requirements.