2nd Project

Tried gold leaf and it didn’t work that well – at all ;o) So, leaving the illustrations in their original form, the books is printed, bind, front/back pages are cut…. All looking good. I’ll need to add some photos of it in as well.
GSSmith kindly sent to Enzo a whole bundle of cut paper. Paul thinks it’s a bit heavy textured for the prints, so I may stick with the simple mat card I’ve used. I will try it later to see how it looks.

The case study is going quite well but still tons to do. Richard checked my latest version (just over 4000 words) and seems quite happy with it, which I’m obviously very pleased with. I’m hoping to take some days off to get it done as soon as I can. Find it much easier to write at home, plus have access to internet which is vital…

My second project….hmmmmmm. I changed my mind about doing the Charlatan Ink Prize and now thinking about D&AD Illustration brief or RSA postage stamp….
For the D&AD I was considering Thomas Newman, Clint Mansel but find them a bit depressing… not in a mood to do depressing stuff…. So I may go with Vanessa Mae. Or music used in Circ de Soleil. Richard mentioned today (23/11/10) Elvis Castello (Julliete’s Letters) so I need to listen to it.

It’s looks like quite a full on brief and I’m not sure if I’ll have enough time to come up with a good idea and finish it to a good standard….

So…. Maybe the postage stamp, seems a bit more straight forward…
I need to make a decision very soon. I’m hoping to be quite expressive in this project, quite colourful and lively.

Book of Similes - Nearly There

My wee book is getting printed - just hope it looks ok... I'm getting it printed on white 200 g/m2 card in The MinuteMan Press but I've just sent an e-mail to GFSmith Paper Company asking them very nicely for a few samples...

The book of samples was produced in 12/04 so I am not sure if they still have the same paper, however I would really love about 50 A4 sheets of white Accent Fresco in 250 gsm and about 6 sheets of A4 Heartland Juniper in about 300 - 350 gsm. Hope they come back to me soon - with a positive answer ;o)

I still need to design and cut the front and back page, but it is pretty much finished and it was a great fun and experience. Absolutely love printing and wants to do a lot more this year. Paul is very encouraging as well which is nice. He recommended I join a print making studio in Glasgow – will do as soon as I can….

 

Printing Here I Come ;o)

The contents page is good to go. I started to work on the History of e-books.

Gave out more questionnaires, this is the last of the lot. Looking forward to the results…

On Monday 1/11 I printed new pictures, looking a lot better now but still needs a little

more work. I’m using Phtalo Blue and Lamp Black water soluble inks.

I found out today that laser cut costs £75 per hour – a bit too pricey for my student’s pocket…but will see. I’ll give them a call and see what they say.  I tried to cut with a scalpel and it doesn’t look that bad at all.

I am working on the typography for the similes, will keep it quite simple.

I have to start thinking about the next brief – I think I will still go with the Charlatan Ink Price. I have a few ideas, but needs to start putting them on a paper.

Oh – and I have 9 similes/prints to use now, more the merrier ;o)

·         Dark trees bending together as though whispering secrets

·         A fluttering as of blind bewildered moths

·         A lady that leaned on his arm like a queen in a fable of old fairy days

·         A sudden sense of fear ran through her nerves like the chill of an icy wind

·         As a cloud that gathers her robe like drifted snow

·         There slowly rose to sight, a country like a dragon fast asleep

·         His voice was like the clap of thunder which interrupts the warbling birds among the leaves

·         A silver moon, like a new-stamped coin, rode triumphant in the sky

·         The pine trees waved as waves a woman's hair

Printing Press - The Lows & The Highs

Monday 18/10/10

My sketchbook is starting to fill up. I have many ideas for my poetic similes.

I chose the following:

·         Dark trees bending together as though whispering secrets

·         A fluttering as of blind bewildered moths

·         A lady that leaned on his arm like a queen in a fable of old fairy days

·         A sudden sense of fear ran through her nerves like the chill of an icy wind

·         As a cloud that gathers her robe like drifted snow

·         There slowly rose to sight, a country like a dragon fast asleep

·         His voice was like the clap of thunder which interrupts the warbling birds among the leaves

or

·         A silver moon, like a new-stamped coin, rode triumphant in the sky

Thursday 21/10/10

At 10 am I had an interview with a college’s librarian and learned about use of e-books in this particular library. It was a very informative and interesting interview.

On Friday I interviewed a librarian in a local secondary school, the head mistress and one of the English teachers. Again, very interesting and positive experience.

On Saturday 23/10  I started to work on my 7 etchings for the book brief and by the end of the weekend I finished most of them. I was hoping to produce some prints on Monday however the printing press broke down…

I’m thinking of producing the prints but then scanning them into a computer and printing them out on a laser printer. This should eliminate too much paper wastage and also become more suitable for printing a larger limited edition.

I also started to work on my content page for the research and started to type up some information. However on Monday my not very elaborate content page was shot down in flames ;0) I’ve re-done it and handed it in, but I’m sure there will be many adjustments to be made…. Also handed in the mid-term module.

Wahey!!! The printing press is fixed!!! So I managed to do a bit of printing today – 28/10 and the prints are looking quite good. More work to be done but they turned out not too badly.

Oh and yesterday at the Academy I met a writer Mr Tim Bowler – AND he agreed to do an interview with me! A really nice and approachable guy.

University of Stirling Library Visit

Went to the library yesterday with a hope of finding some publications about the use (or not  much use) of e-books in education (mainly secondary) however not much luck…

I spoke to one of the librarians who helped me with the search but even she wasn’t able to locate anything. Only thing she knew about was a research done right at the Stirling Uni under name National E-books Observatory Project. All the work is on http://www.jisc.ac.uk/ so I can access it on-line only – I guess very appropriate since it’s about e-books ;) Only thing is – this research was aimed at the use of e-books in university environment, not secondary.

I did however find journals called “Reading Today” from which I was able to photocopy a some articles relevant to my research and they also have a website http://www.reading.org/ which has quite a lot of info, so it was actually quite a productive day ;0)

I also spoke to one of the librarians in charge about this subject and even though she wasn’t very keen on being interviewed she is very happy to complete a survey and give her opinions on this matter in written form. Happy me – getting somewhere.

I organized an interview with Margo at the college library for next Thursday (21/10) at 10am which I’m really looking forward to.

I’m going to do more research about e-books on-line today and start putting together some words….

And I’m going to do more sketching – loads to do….

And I’m trying to get hold of someone at the education office for the Dean Gallery… I have 3 numbers and no one is at their desk, or on hols…. What’s wrong today – tried to call a few offices to organize things and not getting anywhere – must be one of those days…

http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0142.pdf

Feeling Inspired by Chagall

Last week I discussed my case study and questionnaires with the tutors and all seems good to go. I will need to organize some interview questions for the headmistress of the academy and also Linda McKay – the principal of the college, Margo Johnstone at the Library, Martin at KA library and one digital media company I recently approached. I have loads of research to do this holiday week. This Wednesday 13/10 I’m going to Stirling Uni library to go through white pages and journals relevant to my research. I’m hoping to get loads done on that day.

I’m hoping to make an appointment with the Dean Gallery in Edinburgh, tried to call them today, but no answer…. Hmmmm. I’d really like to see the book section, there might even be someone I could interview… ?

The tutors seem to be quite happy with how I am planning to approach my illustration brief, will see. I felt very inspired by Striking Similes by Grenville Kleiser (1868-1953) and I think I made a decision that this is the way I will go. I will need to try various printing techniques which I am really looking forward to.

I started to look at Marc Chagall’s paintings and etchings. Very poetic and his style is just what I had in mind for this brief.

I’ve done some sketches today (11/10). I’m hoping to end up with at least 8 images, so I need to select the similes I will go with so I can work on the compositions.

On 4/10 I work on my Artists Statement and PDP and made my ILP plan a bit more detailed. I also had a chance to discuss the projects with Paul which was good.

I have a huge list of things to go through this week - better get on with it....

Albin Brunovsky