Sketching from photos and making recycled paper with kowhai flowera

I received the unfortunate news that my application for council funding to start another community tapestry was turned down.  Initially I felt really "bummed" about it...but after talking with Heather, The Bach Chair-person, I felt  a bit more encouraged. It was unsuccessful for two reasons - one, the project was expected to take 1 year not the 3 or more I said (but had stated each of the 4 panels would taken 8-9 months per panel) and easily remedied by rewriting application for one panel only. The other issue was it's resting place upon completion. The council didn't want ongoing responsibility for further projects, but I had planned to ask the Art Museum now located at the Town Basin if they'be be willing to take care of the panels. Any way, there are other places I can try for community funding so I'll resubmit it and see what happens. I'n the meantime, I work on a bit of sketching. 

 Composition sketches first using some my
 photos of Hatea River as inspiration.

and then a quick pastel drawing.

I tried a bit of painting but got very discouraged 

(the work ended up in the bin, sorry)

 so went back to using the pastels

My inspiration was this photo I took

I'll revisit experimenting with paint again soon.

Paper-making/Book-making

Experimenting with paper recycling 

and dried plant materials

I purchased a rolled of plain white paper from 

Allens, when I buy kraft paper for my soap labels

After soaking I mixed half and half with some flax pulp

As you can see the white paper was not really 

broken down properly so I'm calling this my

 "confetti" paper to disguise my disappointment.

This rest of the white paper I had soaking

went through an old blender. That stopped 

working halfway through so had to resort

 to using a hand-whiz stick blender.

(the things we do in the name of art lol!)

I threw in a handful of dehydrated kowhai 

flowers and leaves and this was the result.

Now to turn the paper into books...

Sketching/drawing - 4 hours

Paper-making - 11 hours

I was starting to get a bit discouraged...

Every now and again we hit a brick wall. Creatively-speaking, that is. Well, I hit a brick wall during the week but too be honest, I've been trying to find my way around this brick wall for some time now. It's silly really..but I get hooked up on not being "able" to draw. I become SO frustrated actually by my silliness that I went outside and dug in the garden! I find gardening a really big stress release for me and of course, satisfying when you get a weeded/tidy garden. The next day I had counselling so I brought up the situation with "this block" and when I got home, thought...just get out some paper and some pastels and start. Something. 

Anything!

Last year before Christmas I took some photos of a rose that I'd planted. 

It's very pretty, pink, fragrant rose.

And my plan was to try and draw it.

If...I could over "the wall"

Well..the gardening must have helped

  (or maybe it was the talk with my counsellor?)

 as I was quite happy with my first sketchy attempts...

The top one (in pink) is mine, the B/W photo below

 it is what I was working from

... next I work in pencil...

 and wow, I am REALLY happy with this!

*does a little happy dance*

To celebrate, I worked on the koru sculpture. 

 I continued at the frond centre, 

shaping  it into a smooth curve

 and rounding the edges....

..then suddenly I realised something....As well as 

representing a frond, lay it on it's back and it

 represented a wave! Very Appropriate given

 Northland is surrounded by beaches and waves.

Then today (Friday) I worked on an idea (I've had

 in my head) and cut a piece of wood into pieces...

...to make this frame. It's going to be 

for my pottery book covers.

I hope my "idea" is going to work!

Also, the other day THIS arrived! 

I scored it from Trade Me for $28 plus postage.

Time: Drawing 3 hours

3D sculpture 1 hour

Adding pastel to paint, silhouettes and paint on fabric

I did a bit more work on the painted torso Thursday, adding pastels from my newly purchased box. I found a paint brush was a good way to brush off excess pastel dust and I'm starting to like this again.

I haven't quite finished yet.

I want to add some text...

Friday I searched online for and printed out a palm tree. 

 I cut around the outline then drew around it 

on some thin foam I had been given.

 Like so...

 I'm using Fastex Textile Ink

 and mixed the red and blue together 

to make this lovely deep maroon.

 What I hope it'll eventually look like

the foam "palms" mounted onto card

 It started off looking great...

 ....but then started to "bleed"....boohoo!

So I put that aside..

and got my next support ready ...hessian!

 Using the textile paints again

I have an idea with this which I'm looking forward to 

working on it once the paint has dried.

Time: 4 hours (21/22 March) 

Paint/pastels on wallpaper

Stamped silhouette/hand-dyed calico

Paint on hessian

More tone and form...

 I used charcoal for this one

 and while I was in the Materials Shop at TLC I brought some of these

 ....so many pretty colours!

 At the start of the Certificate Course 

you get sent a small box of pastels but it 

only has a limited ranged of colours 

I wanted more blues, greens and purples...

 Using a mix of greens for this one

 ...green, teal and lime for this

 ..and my favourite for the afternoon...

Love how this one turned out!

Time: 3 hours (19 March) 

Resource 5, tone and form, pastels/charcoal

Resource 4: Tone and Atmosphere

Drawing for all Your Worth #3

Exercise 6

Adding paint to one of my ink backgrounds

I was inspired by my purple apple and
thought half of it would work really well.
..I'm really happy how this turned out!

This pamphlet was the inspiration 

for one of the other ink background

I used pastels for this and love 

both the paint and pastel picture.

Must do this kind of thing again...
it was really enjoyable!

Time: 2 hours (Mon 18 Feb)