Projects

I love the December holidays - not because everyone leave Johannesburg and leaves the roads easy to travel on or the restaurants are empty [and closed] but it's the time of year I set aside to re-do notes, re-plan lessons and create some new work - not all of it calligraphy though.

I have a great 'idea-sharing' friend Niki Zipp who owns Paperchain. She is a great 'stamper' [groan] and has wonderful tips for people who feel they are not 'creative'. While I understand the possible concept of not 'feeling' creative I simply do not subscribe to that term.

Most of us have lovely homes, manage to dress and coordinate our wardrobes very successfully and not many of us would [if we use lipstick] wear orange lipstick with a pink dress. So there is a subliminal understanding of design and colour in all of us. Alright, I concede some are more adept at this than others, but understand we can all 'become' creative with the help of sets of 'rules' which of course can be broken, or under the guidance of others.

I go to Niki to do 'structured work so that I experience A to Z instructions and see a finished piece at the end. My personal work is much freer than the work done with Niki, but it is good DISCIPLINE to hear and follow guidelines instead of always giving them and I know that my students can go to her to create an 'art-work' which is satisfying. Niki always says that her work is art for people who think they can't draw.

Because people indicated interest I will briefly talk through the piece below, but if you live in Johannesburg, please contact Niki for a class as she is the expert on this process.

I [obviously] always look at a piece to see if calligraphy can be added. This piece offered a few places to add lettering.

Unfinished piece

• First prime the canvas with gesso [PVA is fine] to even the surface. 
• For the background I mixed acrylic paint, a base yellow - rather like Naples Yellow, Paynes Grey and a bit of Terra-cotta. These mixtures were rather liquid. 
• Allow to dry. While doing that find some beautiful papers to tear. Look at mulberry paper, translucent paper from an old book, tissue paper with writing and so on.
• TIP: when tearing most papers draw a line of water along where you want to tear. MUCH easier.
• Choose stencils which will fit in with your ideas. 
• Paste the paper either just above or just below half-way.
• Choose colours to fit in with the theme. I choose Paynes grey and a yellow - neutral is best and a touch of Burnt Siena for 'depth'. The mixture should not be watery.
• Place the stencil in the appropriate place. Use a sponge to 'dab' the paint after ensuring you have dabbed excess water on a 'practice sheet'.
• TIP: work from top to bottom.
• I first sponged the fine lacy flowers and felt it was too light on the top with the darker 'pebbles' at the bottom of the piece. I added a 'tree' to the top portion which balances the piece more effectively.
• I will add skeleton Roman letters to the top left and bottom right to 'frame' the collage.
• It will be difficult to photograph, but I will try and post the finished piece once complete.

So you can see that there are a lot of processes but well worth the effort. 

Look for beautiful stencils or cut your own. Collect textured papers and be creative