Beginnings of some new stuff

Before I start I like to try a small section and maybe make a mistake or two. It helps me check that the scale is okay and is like a tiny warm up before I begin the proper one.

More of the little objects again. Clothes pegs...

... and scissors.

I'm on a mission to get these done quickly. Although I've said that before!

Aaaaaargh. No more hangers!

More hangers?
Well that's it. The final comp. Probably the final colour too. It'll be about a foot square. Just got to source some paper now.

 The other one was a bit crap. Too messy.
Seems to be that as soon as I put anything up on here I go, "Oh I know, I'll do this instead!".
Well at least the blog is keeping me motivated.

I am struggling a bit this week. Its half term. I'm bloody knackered. Too knackered in the evening to risk wielding a scalpel! I'm hoping, this weekend for some time out from my lovely children to get some cutting done.

wondergirl

For my best friend who is unwell.
You are amazing and I love you xxx.

St Valentine

This is my effort. Started it a couple of days ago with plans. Its wholly dependant on symmetry as I have no time to do both halves of anything today. Daughter still very unwell and I can't be ignoring my children in order to draw pretty pictures on my computer.

Feeling like a half hearted artist and a shitty mum. Can't do anything wholehearted today.

Sorry. Back later with some cheer, maybe.

London Plane

I lived in London for 10 years and I love these pompom trees, especially with only a few leaves left. Just a whole load of bobbles.

A ton of pom poms falling from the sky...

...well they don't actually fall off, that's why they're still beautiful in February.

Another paper cut or screenprint? The beginnings of something. I'm just playing. I'm also doing a lot of stuff with thistles and leaves too, and trees.  More like this. We'll see.

I was hoping to do more actual cutting this weekend but my eldest daughter is ill. Poor sausage. I hope she's properly on the mend tomorrow.

Hangers, hangers

I should be hanging up laundry. Instead I'm doing this...

 

 

...and to anyone in the know, yes, I am using Illustrator version 10! Hey it works. Will try and cut it out later if I can keep my eyes open after putting kinder to bed.

Vicx at Paper Village is going to show my stuff in her shop during the Bristol Southbank Arts Trail. I am very excited.

Anyways, back to the cuddling my children between mindless toil...

Woman's Realm

Things on top of other things.
The loneliness of the long distance mother.

The beginnings of something. Screenprints, papercuts, doillies.
Yep, more circles.

Double helix and flower arranging.

This is the thing that's got me hooked on paper cutting.


About 6 years ago I started photographing and drawing trees and leaves. I had loads of ideas about where it was going, mostly around making jewellery. I did what I often do, took the idea, ran with it until it was too horribly huge and daunting to even start, with massive set up costs and no time - I'd just had baby no.2 in 3 years. Another folder in the "projects" folder.


Then it turned into an idea for a cot mobile. Something based on a spiral that would be interesting, viewed from underneath. Once again I did nothing with it. But then, I did have 2 babies to look after at the time!


So........

Another couple of years on I got around to cutting it out. Hugely satisfying, but it took ages and a few scalpel blades. I am hooked on paper cutting and there will be more of this to come. I'm hopefully going to get an electronic dye cutting machine in the new year - its like a plotter but with a blade. 

I still want to do some hand cut pieces of framed artwork. Hand cut stuff has a life to it that you don't get with a machine and you never follow the file exactly and you can make it up as you go along, but a machine would be great for testing stuff and I also want to do some stuff that I can make and sell aside from that. 


Below is the illustrator file. It was printed it out with a stroked outline on one sheet and cut from 2 sheets of paper at once (red and yellow). Before I started cutting I stuck the 2 sheets together along the spiral spine. It's been hung up for a while now so it's sagged a bit. I'm going to try cutting it out of some stiffer nicer card, with a digital dye cutter.

I still have those jewellery plans and tons of others but baby no. 3 is 15 months so it may all take a bit more time...