The ABA Rare Book Fair London, Evolution of a book... in the studio. A re-think.

 It is bizarre, I sit in front of the computer for a portion of every day I am in the studio. I know the potential of the device and am in the shadow of many when it come to realising the potential of this new (new when compared to many other forms of doing things....) device that has changed so many lives and aspects of our everyday lives. It sits on the work desk, allowing me to access a new world that I realise I know so little about. Over time, as new ways of communicating, seeing and being seen have become available, the time worn phrase " the world gets smaller and smaller" is often heard or read.
I am not sure that the world becomes smaller, I believe that I have become smaller as I now realise how small a thing a single life is when compared to the whole of life before during and after.. Any way less of my ramblings. Back to Evolution.

It has taken me sometime but I have, at last, sort of finished the text block for my workshops for the ABA Battersea Evolution, London SW8 4NW .
A combination of a construction technique used by the Pamphleteers, old school cut and paste as used in early Fanzines and the trusty Mac and printer. It has been something of an evolution - from one revolution to another. The finished Booklet/Pamphlet with have an end paper and a semi limp cover.

 I have often said that I combine, perhaps now I am beginning to evolve as well. By drawing into the huge potential of the immediate of the machine I sit in front of, I will be able push my work forward.

 The finished text block combines different skills  from different ages. A combination of the traditional with the now. Perfect.

A B A Book Fair.....

Evolution.. How a book evolves in the studio......

 I suppose the first thing is to have the idea , the notion of what the book will be about. This book is my interpretation of evolution. How something, in this case a book starts, the stages, the cul-de-sacs of thought and doing that follows a path, eventually expiring forcing us to begin a new path, a new process of evolution.

 First the paper is stretched, when dry, the base colour is applied, bold sweeps of sponge and pigment, enhancing the subtle texture of the page.

 As with much work it is often a question of waiting.. waiting. Then the frantic dash, waiting, waiting.....

 Since the Man Booker, last year, I have been enthralled with this little chap. Since his creation, I have wanted to give him a new life and I think that Evolution could be perfect for him.

 Further to my interest in the little chap the copies of him, less eyes and the like (used to create the multiple eyes, noes and mouths held a fascination. A little macabre perhaps, like experiments in evolution, tragically wrong or small steps in the evolutionary process.

 By arranging the various elements on a spreads I am able to create the narrative, a pictorial journey.  The enlarged half tone lends depth and a physical tension. The almost machined, plain factory functionality of the dots reacting with and against the frailty of experimental evolution and an element of the state of human kind.

 Finally the stretched paper is released from board........

 .... and the final spreads cut in preparation for the next process.