A CREATIVE PROMPT: CREATING TOGETHER

I wanted to do something that might bring my little printmaking community at the yard:ARTspace together, safely and very socially distant. 

Now I know from experience that despite the time we seem to have on our hands, creativity is not coming easily. At the start of lock down so many people said to me,

 'Your so lucky, you will have time to print, paint, draw, stitch!'

But we all know choosing to find time and having time forced upon us has a very different feeling and can make creativity go into hiding.

 I invited everyone from my 10 week classes to make me a 10 x 10cm collagraph plate. Small enough to make with limited access to materials, small enough that I can print them together and small enough to pop in the post to me.

Thank you to everyone who sent me a plate, in some cases more than one together with the messages.

Saturday 9 May was my 'P' day so to speak. I got into the yard:ARTspace at 8.30am and started to ink. 

I have promised to print one for people to collect after lock down, I also needed to know what the plates would do before trying to print this eclectic collection on one piece of paper. 

Not all the plates where made in the same way or on the same substrate, thicknesses varied as did the ink holding surfaces. 

Just the challenge I needed!

It is lovely to see  my teaching coming back to me and there is a variety of plate making in this collection. 

From top left, a silk aquatint. Right, wall paper and glue.

Bottom left, glue and filler on card. Right, wall paper and glue.

From top left, wall paper and glue. Right, scrim, tape, filler and glue.

Bottom left, glue and card. Right wall paper and glue. 

From top left, cutting into card and glue. Right, wallpaper and glue.

Bottom left, glue and wallpaper. Right wall paper and glue.

From top left, card and glue. Right, card and glue.

Bottom left, glue and card. Right wall paper, fabrics, thread and glue. 

From top left, cutting into card and glue. Right, wallpaper and glue.

Bottom left, glue and card. Right, cutting into card and packing tape.

From top left, cutting into card and glue. Right, card and glue.

Bottom left, card and glue. Right dry point on plastic with masking tape.

All inked up for the second time, I popped the damp paper onto the press bed. 

So that the plates will not move as I put them through the press, I am lining them up, face down on the printing paper. 

Carefully selecting which plate goes where. 

Slowly building up the grid 

and enjoying the messages, instructions and encouragement on the back of each plate. 

With the backs of the plates covered in magazine paper to protect the blankets, off I go through the press. 

With my heart in my mouth, its time to pop each small plate off the paper. 

Note the paper fingers everyone!!!! 

So the best laid plans and all that, it was warm yesterday and I had left the paper in the blotter over lunch, so it dried out, that and the pressure of the press was not enough to pick up some of the thinner plates. So the first attempt was not what I hoped for.

So while listening to the Saturday play I had another go...definitely a Ta Dah moment! 

After about 5 hours of inking here is the finished result, am I tempted to have another go? Of course. Will I? We will see!

There are built in difficulties when doing a project like this, not being in complete control over the materials the plates are made of being one.

But this is not about making the best print ever, it is about coming together and from small elements making a whole. Each plate was made while feeling something about what we are going through individually at this moment in time.

Where is the prompt this week I hear you ask? Try getting together with the chums you are in contact with and make a distanced piece of work together...knit a square each and join it into a blanket, a patch work square, a mosaic that could be made of paper, broken crockery, a long drawing to go down the street or a piece for community bunting. So many ideas where small pieces can come together to make a larger more significant piece.

Let me know what you come up with.

Have the best creative week you can. 

A CREATIVE PROMPT: LETS MAKE BOOKS

Did you think I would get to six Creative Sunday Prompts? I certainly did not, we do live in extraordinary times. Thank you to everyone who has given me feed back and posted their pieces inspired by these posts. I do realise that it is difficult to concentrate at present, but these posts will be here for when you feel like trying a few of the techniques out.

I thought now would be a good time to make up some of the eco printed and developed paper into some simple book forms. Of course you can try these ideas with fabric...but I am doing other things with those and will show and tell later. For some of you this post will be a reminder of what you already know.

I do like a simple 'no sew' book form that is sympathetic to my inability to be accurate. I tend to bash on and do not let the paper grain concern me, or the straightness of an edge to be frank. I can hear a gasp from all the real book makers out there.

I am going to show you a tab and a slit book using some of the paper printed and painted in earlier prompts.

Lets look at the Tab Book first.

I have folded this sheet into 8 and then ripped it into 4 sheets with a fold in the middle of each.

It is harder to fold these books accurately if you have collaged onto the pages first, it makes extra bulk to go round folds. But as I do not allow accuracy to get in the way of my book making use what comes to hand.

With the fold against a straight line on my cutting board and using the grid I just trim the right hand  edge straight 

on each of the 4 sheets.

Choose the page you want for the front of your booklet. These measurements are on the inside for 2 tabs. The exact numbers will vary depending on the proportion of your book and the size of tabs you want to make. From the fold cut out each tab...the tab should remain fixed to the fold.

Take each folded sheet that will form the inside of your book and with the cut edge level with the cut edge, mark on each fold where the top and bottom tab will slip into the sheet.

There should be a slit made top and bottom the width of each tab so the tab will push through.

Then slip each tab into the slits, threading each page onto the cover.

Here are the tabs threaded through.

I have glued my tabs down to keep the book firm.

One tab glued to the left, one to the right.

Then I trimmed the other edge of the book leaving

The front edge looking rustic.

I often like the soft marks left on the back of eco printed paper and this book form shows that off nicely.

Now for a slit book, exactly what it says it is. Fold the paper into 8.

Cut a slit in the center of the sheet. Extend the slip beyond the folds by a millimetre, this will make it more accurate when folding into shape.

Fold the paper in half pushing out the cut pages reversing the folds.

Miraculously this creates a very simple booklet.

Try this out with fabric and stitch or glue pages together. 

I am by no means a book maker, but I do like looking at my eco prints when they are folded up in this way.

These booklets are crying out to be worked into again and I would recommend you have a look at Under the Oaks Creativity for some extra ideas. 

Make journals, shopping list /note books or sketch books. Think how impressive it would be to receive one as a gift...yes start making Christmas presents now!

I would love to see what you come up with, if you do post your results on Instagram please tag @sb.brown21 and I will see what you are getting up to.

Have the best creative week you can.