Studio Time in the Sun

I've realized that recently I've been spending a copious amount time in my wonderful 9 x 9 with, what I feel is, little to show for it. Large quantities of time does not necessarily equate to large quantities of quality work...some students should be sent that memo during harsh critiques when all they have to say in defense of their work is the 100 hours the spent on it.

Anyways,

On this beautiful sunny fall day, I did what I do best and what most inspires me...walked about town.

I listened to people, watched people, chatted up strangers...the usual. I ended up at the library where I was introduced to the work of Beat Streuli, a street photographer.

Explaining his process.

I identified with this statement very strongly - Both with my photographs as well as my writing that documents who I'm seeing. This is the reason I walked from 84th St. to 25th St. while in NYC over fall break...you can see and hear so much that you didn't plan.

"People Actually Said These Things?"

"People Actually Said These Things?"

Someone asked me this recently.

I'm trying to think of a way to convey that the text is based on real situations and literal quotes opposed to Internet quotes or all my own text. 

I'm considering putting the dates of the quotes somewhere on the card to communicate when these things were said. 

But this may get confused with the date of creation.

Reconfiguring the images. Using more collage opposed to just one image.

Use of film for my image opposed to magazine cutouts.

Others with Stationary Success

Recently I've been looking at what other's cards and stationary that is very similar to what I want to be making. 

 While looking at these cards I've been focusing on 

• Packaging - thin plastic case with the front of card exposed and envelope behind it. 
• Envelope - Either related directly to the card in color or just plain white
• Labeling - Typically artist/company information and website were printed very small on the center back of the card. 
• Variety of products - Almost all that go from stationary and postcards to journals/notebooks. There were also coffee cups, t-shirts, wallets, bags posters, magnets. 
• Sizing of the cards - The ones that were a variety of sizes looked so similar in style that you knew they were related. 

In the small groups last Tuesday we talked about the typical Hallmark-like categories that cards fall into and how my work strays away from the "Get Well Soon" type of cards. At http://www.kissmekwik.co.uk/ I found a list of categories that closer captures my themes.

These cards are similar to mine because of the juxtaposition of the old images images with charged biting text. However, I think there could be more of a focus on design and craft because they just slapped these white text bubbles on the image.

Bluebarn House.

This company that uses more thought and technique in their creating. 

Printing. Letterpress. Recycled papers. 

" Wanting to steer away from the standard mass-produced fare so common to the publishing industry"

http://www.bluebarnhousestore.org/

Fashion Illustrators

Fashion illustrators...uuhhhhh
....that's as about as much as I can say. Some don't see the need for it or the value in it. However the  UK and France get it with Japan close behind (although more digital than I prefer)

David Remfry

Esdar Maren

Cecilia Carlstedt

5 + 1 ObSTructions

This week I looked at what I've made thus far. I noticed a clear pattern/formula for how I've been working. Thank you Lars Van Trier.

Neutral colors + old images (typically involving people) + matte mod podge + sewing details + text =

My obstruction was kind of like playing a game. Each card I made I had add something that I typically hadn't or subtract something. Some of the adjustments were small, probably unnoticeable to those besides myself and other adjustments were larger and made a clear difference in the aesthetic I've established so far.

*Used a new magazine

*Used a more abstract image

*Showed only the hand of a human instead of a full figure

*Used two images together

*Used new magazines

*Mixed machine stitches with gluing the string down

*No figure

*No mod podge

*No figure

*Correlation between "grow" and the image.

*"Friendly" card. There's not really any humor incorporated into this card

This card was probably the biggest jump from my work thus far and although it's not successful in my eyes. I think I'll be using some of the techniques again.

*New magazine

*Subtracting the image

*Glossy mod podge

*Glued down the string

*No machine stitching

*No text

Project Wants...Project Gets.

Scan's from the real "In Case of Loss, Please Return To:"

Suggestion of putting the "punch lines" on the inside of the card...creating more time/interaction between the initial viewing and full comprehension.

Blogs, Collages, and Roberto Benigni

Charles just exposed me to Maira Kalman's blog today and I really love her use of text, both the handwriting style and the details she chooses to note.

http://kalman.blogs.nytimes.com/

Currently I'm trying to develop a narrative/story-telling quality within the collection of my own work.

Interested in descriptions that explain to you rather than tell you.
Roberto Benigni's character Attilio de Giovanni in La tigre e le neve says this:

"I told myself: 'There must be people whose job it is to use the right words, put things in a way... who when their heart beats, can get other people's hearts to beat.' That day I decided to become a poet."

The movie wasn't so great, but that line was worth it. I don't plan on being a poet, or for that matter probably not even a professional artist. But if you're going to communicate anything, one should strive to get their viewer/listener to feel it or react to it, not just understand it.