The Heat Is On

Circumstances are somewhat against us as we try to prepare and finish editions of our books for TTP

However after an enormous amount of measuring, cutting, folding and pasting we are getting closer to completion.

Drawn pages being made for the mussel book

Shell books almost completed...they are awaiting these

Shells waiting for varnish to dry

Next up the wave books.....

Editioning

Madeleine and I are not really editioners.  We usually both make one-off pieces.  So making editions is a bit of an anathema for us.  We have both made a promise to TRY and keep a record of what paper we have used  and how we made certain marks on a plate.  I once saw a fabulous technicians note book at the Peacock studio in Aberdeen filled with a record of a prints progress how the colours were mixed and what colours went where.

This work is for the background page of our 'Wave Book'.  Drawn with inks and water based pigment

These lithography prints are for the pages of the 'Shell Book'.  The lithography plate that has proved to be a bit of a fight.  On Japanese paper.  They are waiting for another layer.

One more struggling day

The Wave Book

A dozen little waves waiting to be drawn, two transparent layers lain on top of a backing layer.

Test piece for backing layer.

Trouble Shooting

A good day for me....Sue....as we have encountered many plate problems today, so I have a folder full of solutions and we have created some interesting results.  We had to make a new plate for the second layer of the shell book cover.

Painting on the gum arabic

Then a coat of Klear/Future...when this is dry it will be rinsed with water to remove the gum arabic

 

Final Print ready to be divided......

Starting an edition

It's been a slow start, Sam has been ill...but today we started on the shell beach book printing the covers and drawing the litho plates for the inside pages.  The originals were made on the polyester litho plate from the UK and they are dreadful.  So we have had to start again with Pronto.....this can be ordered from the States www.renaissancegraphics.

the drawn pronto plate

Preparing the ink, the prepared plates waiting.

The first layer down, one more layer to go.  This will be divide into sections to make the covers.

Display in Engramme, Quebec City

We recently posted some of our research work and haiku from the beach series in a display cabinet in Engramme print centre

It's in a corridor...bit difficult to photograph!

Back to work for sam&sue

We have been discussing the ego.  It came about because Sue raised the issue of ownership of photos taken during collaboration, of wanting or needing recognition, 'Wow that's a great shot.... kind of thing... pat on the back to you.'

We then discussed the fundamentals of successful collaboration and the necessity to 'let go' of the ego.  Our collaborative relationship has so far been a wonderful lesson in the experience of the liberation of ego.  There is no need for ownership.  The photographs become something else - like a person.  Our artists books become a communal product of both our photography.

This was taken today -31 degrees...too cold to press the shutter!!!