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Module 1, Chapter 10: Zigzag Book, Completed

ZIGZAG BOOK, COMPLETED

Ta Dah! My Zigzag Book, 'A Celebration of Blue', is now complete!

Evaluation of Zigzag Book Celebrating the Colour Blue

Does it fulfil your own expectations? Yes – it’s more or less exactly what I wanted. If I'm disappointed with anything it's my own lack of ability. I managed to incorporate many of the techniques covered on Creative Sketchbooks Module 1, and tried to work with a number of different blues, rather than just reaching for the tube of ultramarine, which is always my first choice. I tried to get something different for each page, and think I succeeded in making it not only a celebration of the colour blue, but also a celebration of things I like. I wanted it to represent things that mean something to me, rather than just paint on paper, and I think it does.

Perhaps you feel you have extended yourself and achieved beyond your expectations? To some extent, yes. I feel I've learned a lot. I've experimented with all kinds of techniques, improved my planning, and finally learned not to be scared of the sketchbook!

Did you develop your ideas fully in the design and planning stages? For this project, which was really a fairly simple brief, I think so. However, any of the individual designs could have been developed further, as an additional, independent project. I might take one of the pages, and have a go at developing the design further, for an embroidery perhaps... I'd like to do something more with that stained glass window...

If you made it again, what changes would you make? I'd try to improve my techniques. And I would definitely do something different with the stained glass window - I'd stick to my original idea with a diagonal design, using triangles as well as diamonds. I could see the potential, but didn't carry it through, and I regret that.

General View: I've absolutely loved working on this. I had a fairly clear idea of what I wanted to do, but wasn't sure how to achieve my vision without experimenting, and that's why I used a small A6 notebook and tried to plan things out, and do little samples, and use lots of the techniques covered on the course, and somehow everything seemed to gel.

I’m sure other people have produced zigzag books that are more colourful and more artistic, but I really feel as if this mine – something I’ve thought about, and  created, all on my own, using things and artists I like as inspiration.  As it began to take shape I felt really elated.  and there's a real sense of satisfaction in having developed my ideas and created this, which looks very much like I hoped it would! And I don't think I'll ever again be scared of working in a sketchbook - my little sketchbook for Chapter 10 may not have been part of the brief but it's helped enormously with my approach to work, and I'm thrilled with it, because it's such an individual record of what I've done. 

Module 1, Chapter 10: Zigzag Book, Covers

ZIGZAG BOOK, COVERS

Zigzag Book, Front Cover: Lapis Lazuli..
Techniques: Mark Making (Chapter 1); Cutting and Sticking..
Materials: Tissue Paper; PVA Glue; Plastic Spatula; Decorated Paper from Page 1; Gold Paint; Brush.; 
Inspiration: Lapis Lazuli and Ultramarine Paint.

SKETCHBOOK PAGES

Decorated Papers from Chapter 4 used as front and end papers:

Back Page: More Lapis Lazuli.

Module 1, Chapter 10: Zigzag book, Page 8

ZIGZAG BOOK, PAGE 8, OUR LADY OF EARTH, AIR AND SEA

Zigzag Book, Page 8: Our Lady of Earth, Air and Sea...
Techniques: Colour Mixing (Chapter 1.4); Mark Making (Chapter 1);Resist Painting (Chapter );
Cutting and Sticking (Chapter ).
Materials: Brushes; Watercolours; Glue; Craft Knife, Cutting Mat and Thick Rule: Decorated Paper left
from Page 1 (The World as a Blue Marble). 
Inspiration: Books of Hours; Renaissance Paintings; Icons; Cat's Eye, by Margaret Atwood.

SKETCHBOOK PAGES 

Note: This looks a very childish effort, but I'm not very good at painting and drawing (with the other pages I found ways round that, using other techniques which gave the effect I was seeking). However, I wanted one page to be a painting, celebrating the 'proper' art which inspired my zigzag book, so I've had a go, and done the best I can, and practised colour washes (not very successfully), and using masking fluid (to try and get a neater edge round the figure and for the edges of the gold arch (again, not very successfully). 

It represents Earth, Air and Sea - the blue starry-looking things on the main background are meant to be flowers, and the wavy lines are meant to be the sea. The figure is holding a blue marble, cut from paper left over from Page 1 (the World as a Blue Marble). I like marbles - I've always imagined hidden worlds within them, so this one could be our world (like that famous Blue Marble image), In Margaret Atwood's Book a cat's eye marble can't be bought, it can only be won in a game, so it's an achievement, and reflects the sense of achievement I feel in creating my book!

Module 1, Chapter 10: Zigzag book, Pages 6 and 7

ZIGZAG BOOK, PAGE 6, TILES

Zigzag Book, Page 6: Tiles..
Techniques: Colour Mixing (Chapter 1.4); Simple Printing (Chapter 7); Mark Maing (Chapter 1);Patterns Repeats.
Materials: Brushes; Watercolours; Glue; Craft Knife, Cutting Mat and Thick Rule: Blue Gelato; Card; Stick-On Foam Shapes; old Biro.
Inspiration: Tiles, especially William de Morgan.

SKETCHBOOK PAGES 

Note:This was another page which took on a life of its own... I don't seem to have mentioned on any of the notebook pages that I cut into the foam shapes with an old biro to make textures. 

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ZIGZAG BOOK, PAGE 7, BUTTERFLY

Note: And another one which grew as I did it...

Zigzag Book, Page 7: Butterfly..
Techniques: Colour Mixing  (Chapter 1.4); Mark Making (Chapter 1), Painting; Cutting and Layering (Chapter 5).
Materials: Brushes; Watercolours; Glue; Coloured Pencils; Wire; Sequins; Scissors
Inspiration: Ceramic tiles, especially William de Morgan.

Butterfly scanned in flat - colour reproduction is better here, because I used a tube of turquoise, and added white and black to make it lighter and darker.

Photograph showing painted underside of a wing, and the wing on the background, which was created using coloured pencils.

SKETCHBOOK PAGES