Vertical Storytelling adventure...day 1

 

When ever I'm in a place where I'm not by myself and with others I have to do my inner work of checking in and grounding myself.  Does that make sense?  Preparing myself for what will unfold, be reveled and what is good for all.  Do I do this perfectly? Gosh No! Most of the time it's a swaying and stumbling act.  We put our best intention out there and adjust.  Above is a short deme sketch shared in the workshop.  Learning to work in a long vertical can be challenging. Not as challenge say as working in a sculpture where you see all sides.  We are use to the square and rectangle but not so much the totem style of art of Tall and Thin.  I'm calling it totem, and it's much like it as of what I'm teaching.  The story is in a vertical format.   Working the composition all the way through up and down and in the middle.   But before we all did that we needed to practice in this format so we started with a collage sketch. 

Using magazine,  gosh I'm not sure what do when one day we don't have magazines...it's such a go to art material for collage. Artist, designer and layout people have already worked some great design layouts in the magazine so we can be inspired with it and create even more. 

We begin the collage palette making with spreading that gesso on the surface of the brown bag and some map pages too.  The drying time with a workshop of the paper making process is crucial. So while we are doing on thing we are letting something else dry.  Yes it creates confusion a bit but it's impossible to have hair dryers going twenty four hours a day.  They all did well with me nudging them along.  

It's so good to with familiar faces and new ones too.  Leah being funny with us. Sitting out under the umbrella was a challenge too as the winds were kicking in and papers were flying off.  Luckily we didn't lose any I don't think.  It was warm but the breeze was a blessing.  

The stamping of the gloss on the Nat.Geo's and then letting it dry and bring in the Nevr Dull creates some new collage papers.  Though as we all know everything is changing and what was isn't any more.  The quality of the National Geo's paper is different and the inks seem to be changing too or the Nevr Dull..  Yes it is spelled NEVR DULL 

it was 5 bucks a can...but we all know what happens...now it's double... and it's very important to use it outside...some smelly solvent stuff.  

So on to more Collage Palette making.