Process vs. Deadlines

One thing the University has wanted of me, has been to see my process. This may sound easy, but it's been a major shift in the way I usually work. Why? Because for most of my working career I've been dealing with deadlines. Deadlines don't allow you to meander and try various ways of attacking an end goal. With a deadline, you think something through in your head and you go for it. Then you send it off and get paid.
     Books are a slightly different beastie in that I always made tons of sketches, and sometimes played with some new digital methods, but it still didn't go quite as far as this.
     Here at the College of Art, they've asked me to show my process - that part that happens in my brain. They've also asked me to meander and try different media, styles, techniques before deciding which might work for my current project. Basically, they want to see my brain on the outside.
     Once I figured that out, I was able to dive into this new way of working and document it. In fact, one of our required projects is an almanac - basically, a diary of our process.
     So I bought a gorgeous sketch book and I started putting my ideas into it. It also includes sketches, images of influential books and art, pictures of various workshop projects, etc. Judy Schachner would call this a 'character bible' - she's done one for every one of her books. But until now, I didn't really get it. Happily, I'm starting to.
     It was also the reason they had us take a book-binding workshop - to learn to create an almanac (or bible) from scratch. Between my sketch book and my handmade book, I didn't want to create one more book, but I did want to collate these creative volumes. So, for my almanac project, I created a box to keep these two items in. I also might include other floaty things like pretty feathers and leaves.
     It turns out there is a ton of skill involved in making books and boxes - and a ton of little tricks of the trade. (Read my post about book binding here.) I will forever have a greater appreciation for these handmade treasures. My box isn't perfect, but I'm pretty darned proud of the end result.
     Here is is just opened, revealing the caramel paper lining inside and the two books - my sketchbook and handmade book, which will soon be full of Trickster paraphernalia (more on that soon). Here you can see how the books pull out. And with the books pulled out. I opened my handmade book so that you can see how the end papers and decorative details tie in with the box design. My next step will be to make labels for the books and the box itself. I've cut a lino block, which reads "e's process, a.k.a. e's brain on the outside." (I used the easy carve board - which I will never use again - pah!) And I cut out the word Tricksters, which I will use for a new (to me) printing method - collagraph. More on that soon, too.      In the mean time, I have so enjoyed being able to take the time to explore various methods and run down different rabbit holes. Using glue sticks and scissors speaks to my inner creative child. I hope I can keep it as part of my process in the future. It's so much FUN and makes me feel like a true artist!