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simply-sithel · 2 years

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To answer a couple questions that have come up recently on comments & via tags...

@clarasghosts am happy to spread the good word about minis! I've glomped my imposition code onto @momijizukamori's Bookbinder JS page. It's free & web based & hopefully easy to use. You just take a normal PDF and feed it in-- this book was the "mini" layout (under the "Wacky Small Layouts" section)

@emptyyourselfintothesky No, but they do sell them! I've an adorable miniature press from Tony Firman ($175). While he does sell a plough ($100) for it, I've opted for chisel trimming, which I talk about more in this post.

@goodnightmoonvale I've ordered it off Amazon [link]- it's not "official" bible paper, just 45 gsm sheets. Currently $13, paper size A4, 80 pages. Be warned, printing on it is a very finicky process. Have about 1 in 3 pages workout. (and even then, I tolerate some... cruft)

@this-is-surely-tru It varies... Definitely depends on the software folks use and how ornate they want to be- some folks sink a LOT of time into it. I use LaTeX which is all text (like code) and allows me to re-use large chunks from previous projects. I also have written python scripts that let me pull fic from AO3 super fast. A "normal" mini fic from AO3 can take me... 15-30 min to setup? (Import content, sanity check line breaks, generate QR code, etc) The Art of War though was a fresh layout and attempt at "design"-- time spent at computer was probably....? 3 hours? Over several days, plus pondering layout when offline. I don't track it too closely. The hard part is just knowing what it should look like. Executing on a vision is not that bad.

And yes ;) I "tolerate" the step-- the joy for me is the manual process. The mind can wander when folding, sewing, trimming... but typesetting is a mental sink hole for me where I must be Focused. But totally worth it! And every project remains on hand (in a private GitHub repo) for me to pull from next time. Am slowly working up the will to typeset Winnie-the-Poo Chapter 1 as a small book... will keep an eye on how long that takes ;) (easy enough to do if I remember to check the files into git at regular work intervals)

@promithiae Doooooooooo iiiiiiiiiit! There's lots of resources to be found over at @renegadepublishing and a rabid collection of folks on Discord who'd love to help you through the process.

(also wanted to note/celebrate that my follower count has finally caught up with my post count. That's kinda' like a milestone, yeah? Given I started posting here Dec 2013...)

#bookbinding

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emimayooo · 28 days

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🛼🦷🔪

HELLOOOOO ROWAN🥰🥰🥰

(answering for this ask game!!)

🛼 describe your latest wip with five emojis

🧙‍♂️💋🧝‍♀️🐺🗼

🦷 share some personal wisdom or a life hack you swear on

This is especially pertinent to ADHDers/autistics, but whenever you’re learning a new skill, try to relate it to what you're interested in. For example, I wanted to get into reading, but I didn't accomplish that until I related it to my goal of becoming a better (fanfic)writer. Graphic design; I went to community college for it because the thought of designing my own book covers and graphics for fandom friends interested me a lot. Bookbinding, too; I took a very intensive weekend workshop that I otherwise never would have attempted because it was so strongly related to my passion for fanfic. I've also bought a microphone for the purposes of podficcing; haven't started yet, but I hope to soon. Also, when I was taking coding class in uni, what helped me stay invested was applying it to the context of Ao3. How could I use coding to improve my Ao3 experience? Etc. (Which resulted in my making a comment box for my iPad and iPhone.)

So, everything I do essentially relates back to my special interest that is fanfiction. Even my career will (hopefully) relate to it, should I commit to the fan scholar route that is my current trajectory. Dunno if that's the smartest move, career wise, but passion-wise? Yes. I think I'll do great.

🔪 what's the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

I'm not sure if it's weird, per say, but I did do some intense research into mid-2010s France for the sake of a FE3H WIP, lol. Like, I did betaing in exchange to interview someone about Paris, and reached out to another Parisien for that purpose too. But I didn't end up finishing the WIP anyway lol cause it got way out of control.

Anyway, thanks for the asks bestieeeee🥰🥰🥰

#beloved mutuals #asks #emi.txt

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27dragons · 8 months

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9 People You’d Like To Get To Know Better

I was tagged by @weethreequarter, who for some reason I can't properly tag back. Though while I was trying to figure out why, I discovered that somehow tumblr had randomly un-followed them for me (so helpful, tumblr is!) so I'm glad to have fixed that!

---

Last song: I mostly only listen to music in the car, so according to my playlist randomizer, the last thing I was listening to was "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by the Eurythmics.

Favorite color: It's hard to say. Blue was my favorite color for a long time, but it was red for a while, too, and I'm super fond of, like, peacock blue-green and rich purples. Mostly I just really like jewel tones.

Currently watching: Not really anything at the moment. I finally got around to watching Staged (just S1) but I binged that all in one night; before that I'd seen S2 of Good Omens (and am still processing the heartbreak) and the second half of S3 of Witcher.

Last movie: In the theater? It was either Across the Spider-Verse or Honor Among Thieves (the D&D movie); I can't remember which order I saw them in. On my laptop, @monobuu and I co-watched No Reservations because she had an AU idea.

Currently reading: Fanfics, pretty much entirely. I've been poking back through my older bookmarked fics and re-reading them, and keeping up with new/ongoing fics as they hit my notifications.

Sweet/spicy/savory: I'm a massive wimp when it comes to spicy things, though I like a little bit of spicy from time to time. And my sweet tooth has been forcibly dialed back over the last year or so because sugar is one of the primary triggers for my heartburn, which is not just unpleasant but super painful when it hits my stomach ulcer. (But I still really like sweet things, I just hit the "okay I've had enough now" limit a lot sooner than I used to.) And savory is nice, too. Look, I just really like food.

Relationship status: divorced, officially 10 years next month, actually. I sort of wouldn't mind dating but I don't want to put any actual work into finding someone to date. Anyone want to be my extremely low-effort long-distance significant other? 😂

Current obsession: Good Omens is currently front and center, but it's not like I've stopped obsessing about my favorite ships in other fandoms (Dreamling, Geraskier, Winteriron)

Last thing I googled: How to do a thing I was trying to do LibreOffice. Before that, looking up whether some minor health issues I'm currently having might be related to oncoming menopause.

Currently working on: Teaching myself some bookbinding, and a cross-stitch project. I have several writing projects open in their tabs, but every time I look at them, my brain says, "....nah, not feeling it."

---

I never know who to tag in these things. I love reading them, though, even if they're not a mutual or anyone I've ever interacted with. It's so fun, seeing little slices of other lives from all over the planet. So if you've read this, please consider yourself tagged!

#tumblr games #pique queue

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arty-angel-things · 11 months

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I saw that last year you were doing a book binding project on Valley of Serenity? I was thinking of starting to book bind fanfics so I was curious to know how that project truned out!

Hey there, absolutely you should do it! It's super fun! This is the link to my post showing the final results and a few resources linked to get you started

I'm currently in the process of binding another fanfiction though so if you'd like, let me know and I can make a new post with a few more tips and tricks that I've learned!

I absolutely expect my binding of Sleuth Jesters by @/Naffeclipse to turn out looking better, I've already done several things differently compared to my attempt with VoS

And in the meantime before I put together that post, feel free to ask me any questions at all! I'll do my best to help you out and even show some progress pictures of SJ in DMs too!

#book binding #Book binding fanfiction #Ask

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lightlyknitted · 11 months

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Mid Year Goal Update:

It’s June so it’s time for a mid-year update on my knitting. I posted a roundup in March of some goals and current wips so I thought we could do a quick update on where I’m at with that.

My stash busting is not going great. I have purchased a bit more yarn but have slowed down considerably in my knitting and crochet production. So I haven’t used more than I purchased in the last few months. I will be keeping up with trying to shrink my stash but my stash is still controllable.

In the next month or so I plan to start my fiance’s christmas sweater so that it will be finished in time for the holiday season. That will use the yarn I purchased in March and a few from my stash (not completely for the sweater but close). If I have enough left I might make a hat / scarf / mitten set to go with the sweater.

WIPS:

My wedding knit is coming along. I finished the lace filler row I was working on in March but did set it down for a few weeks because I had messed up the next section and needed to rip it out. I completed recently and unknotted the yarn ball I had been using so I have started it back up and changed my pattern.

Because I put it aside for a few weeks I am still on my first 100 grams. I think I can still get that finished by December but I will not be too upset if it doesn’t happen.

I did start knitting a skirt based on a vintage pattern I found in an early 1900’s book. I bought three balls of bamboo pop. I’m on ball number two so hopefully I can finish it up in a month or so.

Another wip I have that is not too high on the priority list is a cardigan. I bought some wool for swatching and testing some ideas I have. There isn’t a set pattern for this, I am making this one up as I go.

FINISHED OBJECTS:

I did finish the campfire cozy shawl. It is currently waiting to be blocked and it turned out good! I am happy with it and can’t wait for it to get cool enough to use.

I also took a week or so to make some golf head covers for a coworker. These were in the colors of the college he graduated from and was a fun project to distract myself with. Ended up making five so he has an extra one in case they get too worn out and fall off.

Other Craft goals:

Another thing I would like to try this year is writing a pattern for a magazine. I have a few ideas but don’t want to share to much information about it at the moment. Fingers crossed it goes well!

I haven’t started the bookbinding properly. I have most of the supplies, I just need to work up the courage to start it. I decided not to make the crepe paper flowers and instead a friend of mine offered me their old tunisian crochet set so I might pick that up since it’s helpful with stash busting.

My fiance and I did purchase a resin 3D printer so we’ve been playing around with that. He helped me make a few bobbins for knitting and it’s kind of fun. We’re planning to use it for wedding stuff but might use it for a few hobby supplies when we get a bit better at it.

#knitting #knitblr #crochet #goals #craft goals #accountability

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cometchasr · 2 years

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at this point, i should get a book on political science and use it to write king of the romans

someone please give me a bookbinding service, need to take exile and make it into a book solely for research purposes for utopia

and for elysium forever, chewy's byz TO run. that's it. i know i won't be able to finish a TO campaign. need to do my bohemia run first

might quit just needs the emo PMD playlist and might quit itself

(idk what other projects i have, too tired to check either)

i think other things i have planned are a hollywillowfallen oneshot i have no idea how to execute, a littleblack oneshot for the wc rarepairs collection, and a thing about starflight coming to terms with his disability.

oh, and the blacier winglet. i fucking forgot the blacier winglet. i am stupid

anyway, anyone else use drafts to save important info?

(currently for me it's the utopia piece titles, epitaphs and also the blacier oneshot timeline.)

oh yeah blacier oneshot tentative title is "frozen sands", but i like it so it's probably going to stick.

YAY

update on might quit tho idk where to go with it someone help me

#mine #kotr; hre

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seachanqe · 3 years

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Your bookbinding projects are so cool!! Could you tell us how you do it? How do you format everything so nicely and like, get it into book form? Frigging sorcery that's what it is, wow

Thank you so much! <3

ArmoredSuperHeavy's guide was invaluable; I could not have done bookbinding without them. It details step-by-step how to format your book in Word to make it look like a book, how to print it, and then some information on how you can put the book together.

This tutorial and this tutorial (both by sealemon on Youtube) show how to do the first stitch to sew my text block together that I tried. Great tutorial and a kettle stitch is a super easy one to do.

Along with armoredsuperheavy's guide above, I also used this tutorial by sealemon again for how to do a hard cover case binding.

This Bookbinding Resources Master List has a TON of information on where and what supplies you'll need to get for bookbinding. It's a bit overwhelming, but I found in general, the basics you need are:

Awl (one of the more sturdy ones, but don't get one that will punch too thick of a hole)

Bonefolder (absolutely essential! You can find places to purchase it in the Master List above or on Esty or Amazon)

Paper (This is my current preference, cheap enough for starting out but still has a book look)

Linen thread (I've seen some tutorials just using sewing thread too)

Pretty paper (for end papers and/or covers, though I've learned it's much better if you use a thicker, more sturdy paper for end papers, something closer to cardstock)

Bookcloth (links to stores that sell it can be found in the Bookbinding Resources Master List above, there's a least one website that sells a grab bag of cloth, which I really liked because you get a random assortment of cloth you can use!)

Book press (You can either buy one or make your own. I made my own, which was EXTREMELY easy to do, there are guides in the Master List above, or I used sealemon's tutorial here)

PVA Glue and some sort of brush (a bigger one and smaller one help, you can find the glue in the Resources Master list above)

Davys board/chipboard/something sturdy to serve as the hard part of your hard cover (You can find places to purchase it in the Master List above, or you can buy chipboard at a craft store, or if you really want to, you can use cardboard you have at home!)

T-square ruler (You're going to be doing A LOT of measuring. Any ruler would work, I just find a T-square makes sure I am perpendicular to the paper)

box cutter (in addition to having a box cutter, I've also found one of these to be EXTREMELY helpful for people like me who have trouble with straight lines)

A good printer, or otherwise you will have to print at a place like Staples. I ended up buying a cheap laser printer, best purchase I've ever made.

I..... think that's it. I may realize I've forgotten something and I'll make an edit to this post later. I am always happy to answer questions though!

#bookbinding #my bookbinding

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lordoftherazzles · 2 years

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A request from @i-did-not-mean-to centered around our favorite soft dwarf, Ori!! I’ve placed this little one shot in the AU-verse of “Bookbinder//Songwriter”, as we’ve not met him yet in that fic, and I’m excited for the day he does make his appearance!!

I hope you enjoy this little one shot, my friend! And thank you so much for your love and support ALWAYS.

Peace and quiet was a hard thing to come by within this house. So when those few moments of silence truly hit, Ori knew he had to make the most of it. If it wasn’t Dori’s fussing over the usual–how the house looked, what Nori was up to, if Ori was focusing on his life goals, etc–then it was Nori’s constant shenanigans. Both of Ori’s brothers were loving, just as they cared for one another, but they were like night and day most times, and that could make for a very loud environment.

Especially when they were already loud to begin with!

Ori was typically stuck in the middle or sitting on the sidelines whenever those loud discussions happened, or whenever there was chaos of another sort unfolding, but nine times out of ten he wouldn’t have it any other way. Now, if he could just get Dori to stop smushing his cheeks as if he were five again, that would be lovely!

Silence. It was perfect for concentration. Ori had been working on setting up a proper portfolio with his drawings and design work that often were made into all sorts of different crafts. There were crochet and knitting patterns, but where his talent truly shined was with a pen. A beautiful pristine white stylus that grazed its way across a digital drawing pad with ease, guided by Ori’s steady hand and bright imagination.

Art was Ori’s niche in many forms. Weaving, drawing, and even a little bit of poetry on occasion, but where it truly mattered were the lines. That’s where this portfolio was coming into play. To compile a collection of drawings and new examples that might one day launch him into the big working world of animation and design. For now, Ori would just have to suffer working at the local tailor shop with Dori and using this quiet time to work on one of many side projects.

Or that was the hope until it all shattered with a yell that Ori should have been expecting.

“Little brother!”

The grimace that crawled across Ori’s face was inevitable as his head ducked some, clutching his tablet close to his chest and whining something fierce to himself. Again, he loved his brothers, but his brothers loved him just a little too much to leave him alone.

“Of course I’d find you holed up in your cave,” Nori’s overly cheery voice rang out as the door flew open. An auburn-haired storm was rolling through the house, sporting a wild grin and even wilder ideas, as always.

“Hi Nori,” Ori greeted with a voice that oozed patience, even if he didn’t feel it on most days.

“Working on something important, I wager? Or something perhaps naughty? Is that why you’re clutching your tablet so close to your chest?” One brow arched, Ori blushed, and Nori considered that a mission accomplished.

“No! Nothing like that, why do you always assume–” Ori bit the inside of his cheek, head still ducked and face aflame. “You’re teasing me…and I should know better.” Uncurling from himself and pulling the tablet away from his chest rather gingerly, Ori showed off his current project. A landscape piece with many colorful flowers of different shades and shapes.

“Oh, that is really nice.” A genuine response.

“Thank you. I’m trying to put together my portfolio, any exposure–and before you say it, not indecent exposure–is good.” Setting the tablet down and frantically moving a few papers from his desk before Nori’s ass decided to land on them, the younger brother of the household couldn’t help but huff a bit at the sudden seat occupied on his desk.

“I have some decent exposure work for you if you’re interested! It’s time to break out the ol’ needle and ink again–”

“For the last time, I am not signing your name or your initials on Dwalin’s…backside.”

“No, no, not that, though one day. But, a new fella is easing his way into the little Desolation group. Thorin’s found himself a new man.” Nori’s brows waggled with mischief, a grin on his face and a twinkle in his eye as he gently kicked his legs and looked far too amused than he should have with someone else’s love life.

“I’m not signing his name either,” Ori teased, knowing full well that Thorin was far more reasonable with things like tattoos. Though maybe not piercings from what Ori had heard over the years. “What’s he like?”

“Short, but he’s assertive and feisty beneath that little sweater vest of his. Perfect for ol’ Thorin and a far cry from the string bean he was with before.” Which was good news, indeed, and the sentiment was shared between the two of them with a small nod. “He was asking us to recommend a guy to do some ink, and of course, I have to promote my little brother.”

“I’m not an actual tattoo artist…you got me the tools and told me to have at it…”

“You’re the only one I know with a steady hand and can do great lines. I mean, look at your landscape there! Anyway, I don’t know, maybe you could work out a deal with him? He and his mother own the new bookshop on the corner of Main, perhaps there’d be a place to display some of your pieces? Or promotional work, advertising, whatever it is you want to call it.”

It didn’t sound like a bad idea. As Ori had said, any exposure was good, and to have people outside of the web see his designs and get a taste for them, put a small fire in his chest as he glanced down towards the landscape he had been sketching.

Worrying his lower lip with his teeth for a moment, Ori finally then lifted his gaze and seemed to mirror a bit of Nori’s confidence in his expression. “That’s the best idea you’ve had in a long time, so long as he’s not wanting something…crazy complicated that he’ll have to suffer with for the rest of his life, I mean.” Ori was an artistic sort, but even his creative style knew no bounds. You couldn’t exactly erase the lines of a tattoo as you could a digital one.

“I doubt he’ll go for anything too crazy. Doesn’t seem like the type, but, I’m glad you’re on board. I never fail when I say ‘I know a guy’, though in this case, I know the best guy.” Nori reached over to ruffle at Ori’s hair, which earned a small lean away in defiance before the older of the two was on his feet. “Say, once this is all done and over with, now that we have Thorin settled on his happily ever after, I’d say you’re next!”

“What? No, no that’s okay…I can manage that myself…” Ori sputtered a bit, unwilling to look Nori in the eyes so that the more sly figure could catch him within a lie. “I’m far too busy right now to worry about that anyway.” Though Ori would not be mentioning the cute barista he had spotted during one of his many frappe runs. What was her name again…? Mari? A pretty thing with dark hair like the earth, and a smile that shined like the sun.

“Ori?”

“I’m here!”

“Are you sure? It looked like you were on your way to outer space with that thoughtful look on your face. Is there something you’re not telling me?” Something in Nori’s tone was suspicious, but far be it from him to needle any further…for the moment.

“No, I’m fine. Just…thinking about landscapes, which I really need to finish if I’m going to have this portfolio put together sometime this year at this rate…”

“Alright, if you say so, but remember, you can tell me anything that’s on your mind. Even your deepest darkest secret.” Nori was well aware that something was amiss, and his words and voice hinted at such, but considering it was Ori, it likely had to be pretty mild–whatever it was. “And if you need help out of any trouble…I know a guy.”

“As always.”

“Nori! What on earth is this THING in the front yard?” Dori’s voice barked from the floor level below.

“It’s called artwork! Use your eyes!”

“It’s bright and plastic and doesn’t match my peonies! It’s not ARTWORK. Where did you even get it? Are you stealing from the neighbors again?”

“For your information it’s Dwalin’s!” Well, more like Dwalin’s neighbor’s.

Ori sighed. Just another day at home and another quiet moment come and gone–and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Though now that he was thinking about it…that coffee shop was pretty quiet…and had quite the inspirational view.

#the hobbit #ori #nori #dori #modern!au #i-did-not-mean-to #fic: bookbinder//songwriter #It was so fun playing with characters outside of thorin and bilbo!!#though of course they were mentioned slightly ehuehuehue #razzywrites #razquests #ori's an artist jack-of-all-trades type and i love him #one day i'll compile a proper Extras series for bb//sw

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growing-yet-into-magic · 4 years

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I’m the captain of the ss too many projects. I currently am:

Running animal crossing

Creating a discord server (and moderating it alone until someone smart can help me)

Crocheting a shawl

Sewing a dress (with an ill-fitting pattern 🙄)

Painting devotional things

Baking

Writing a story

Wanting to get!! Into!! My garden plot!!

And trying to get into bookbinding.

Someone please call the plague off. I’m a mess and I miss my girlfriend

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emnagylvl6 · 2 years

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FMP:

Tutorial Feedback

The overall outcome of this tutorial was acknowledging that I have a clear interest in and drive for bookbinding, but I’m still yet to develop a brief to work towards. I currently have a general understanding and I am looking at bookbinding related things, but I haven’t got a problem to solve or a narrative to follow.

I actually found this tutorial a little overwhelming. After leaving the studio, I felt that it didn’t help me to move forward but actually just confused me more. I appreciate the tutors wanted to give me several different avenues/projects to look at to see what other artists have done and to take influence from their narrative but I have too much to look at and to think about.

I’m hoping that as I start to write my learning agreement and just think more about it, I will refine my idea.

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chelsea-gilbert · 5 years

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Evaluation of Place of Words Project (11th October 2019)

What Informed and motivated my design decisions? (e.g. the breadth of my research)

In order to gain more knowledge on my chosen subject matter, I decided to look in the library first for books relevant to the topic. As I was initially looking at language and slang, I found a ‘modern slang’ dictionary, which I looked through to see what kind of words were included. As the book was published in 2010, I found that a lot of the ‘slang’ seemed outdated and no longer current to me. This is what got me thinking about how the cycle of generations creating their own slang and identity continues repeatedly, and I wanted to explore why.

I then also found some books on illustration, as I knew that I wanted to combine photography and illustration within my book. This, along with looking on Behance and Pinterest, led me to find the work of Henn Kim. Henn Kim’s simplistic style of illustrations appealed to me, as I decided that in order for my book design to work well, the illustrations used on each spread had to be fairly straightforward, otherwise they would contradict the photographs used and potentially make the design appear too cluttered and crowded.

I also undertook some primary research, as I wanted a common colour scheme to continue throughout my book, and decided that a good way to decide on the colour scheme would be to ask my peers about their favourite colour etc. as it is a book based on the current generation so it made logical sense.

What changes and developments has my projects gone through?

When I initially got given the words ‘ritual’ and ‘culture’, the idea for my book was going to be about how the new generation use language and slang in their everyday lives to create their own form of identity and subculture which separates them from the previous generations. However, during my research into this topic, I found that a lot of websites and articles about how youth’s using language to categorise themselves, has led to conflict between cultures. I became more drawn to the subject surrounding what other things younger generations come across in their everyday lives which cause issues between the generations.

Alongside this, I came across a video on youtube where young people talk about why they are perceived to have an identity less culture, so I decided to use the book as a way to combat this stereotype given to Generation Z, also highlighting the differences between generations. The act of conflict between different age categories is something of a ritual which is never ending with each new cycle of generations.

After deciding on a final idea, I began to put together design layouts using a variety of different images. After researching different colour ideas, I finalised the images I wanted to use by selecting my favourite images which all followed the same colour scheme.

Did I manage time well throughout the unit?

I think that the most challenging part of this project was the initial development of one single idea from the words that we were given, and so in this stage I think that I could have managed my time better by deciding earlier which route to go down. I found myself researching into several different areas without knowing which one to continue with and this used up a lot of time in the beginning.

Once I actually finalised my theme, I think that I then spent a lot of time worrying about what text to use by going onto an excessive amount of websites and articles to collect text for the book. It turns out that I actually decided to rewrite a lot of it anyway so this could have definitely been completed more rapidly. Other than these elements of the unit, I think that I managed my time well when it came to the development of my designs and creating imagery such as illustrations.

How did I respond to feedback?

I think that I responded to feedback given to me by tutors during weekly tutorials, as well as my peers when I asked them to give me feedback on my work as it was in the development stages, quite successfully, as everything that was said about my work, I could look at it in more detail and agree with the majority of the comments. I found the individual and group tutorials really useful, as when you’re working on one project for 7 weeks, I feel like you start to miss the smaller details, so having both experienced tutors as well as other students who are in the same situation as me allowed me to develop my book well and take constructive criticism.

Are there areas of my design process that need more practice?

I definitely think that I need to work on how I record the research stage of the design process, as for this project, I found myself reading a lot of articles which informed me about relevant topics which ultimately influenced my final design, but I feel like some of this research is not recorded properly in my sketchbook and is only evident if I were to explain the information that I read.

Perhaps using the blog to document any online research would be a good idea in the future, but I personally like to contain all my project research in one sketchbook so that it is all documented in one place and is in a logical order.

I also think that my skills on indesign need to be worked on by experimenting more with the software, as I haven’t used indesign before this project and so at times, I found that there were some things that I wanted to do with my design but I did not have the software knowledge to carry it out myself. However, having other people who were all also using this software as well as having tutors around to assist when needed, I was able to begin developing my skills in this area.

What have I learnt from this unit of study? (e.g. skills, theoretical knowledge, etc.)

Throughout this project, I’ve learnt many new skills which have enabled me to progress with the design elements of the project.

Firstly, the software workshops every week were really helpful, as in each session I was learning completely new tools and ways of designing. By also experimenting with the software outside of the sessions, it allowed me to develop my skills further, which meant that I could convey my design ideas onto the software, with minimal set backs or issues.

The workshops for bookbinding, silkscreen, letterpress and typography were all really useful as well, as with bookbinding and letterpress I had not done them before. The silkscreen workshop was also a helpful reminder of the screen printing process as I already knew the basic process, and the actual exposing of the screen was new to me as well.

The theoretical sessions where we looked at layouts and typographic handling were also extremely helpful, as editorial decisions such as the appearance of widows, orphans, text alignment and rag were all crucial in ensuring my final outcome appeared as professionally designed as possible.

On reflection, are there any improvements that I would make to my final outcome?

On thing that I would improve about my final book, is that after binding it together, there is a small amount of creep on the edges of the book which show part of the inner pages even when the book is closed. To fix this, I would have to use a scalpel to cut away the creep from all three sides, which would definitely improve the professionalism of the final outcome if done with precision and correctly, but as the creep is not extremely visible, I decided against this due to not wanting to ruin the book.

Another improvement that I would make to my book is to make sure the alignment is as precise as possible on the printers that we have access to. On a couple of the spreads where my design includes a block or background of colour running to the centre of the page, a small section of another page is partially visible on another spread. I did test out the precision of the registration when printing double sided on several printers, however to improve this I could ensure I try all printers to make sure I get the best possible outcome or explored whether the uniprint printers would have given a better outcome. I could also have then used a different method of binding which may have concealed the gutter more than using staples and saddle stitching the book, as this would make sure that even if there were slight misalignments with the double sided printing, it would be virtually unnoticeable.

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neighbourart · 7 years

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KISTELEKI DÓRI - grafikus/graphic designer

Amikor senki sem figyel, rendszeresen beszél magában, kedveli a kövér macskákat, az elhúzódó reggeli kávézás nála mindennapos, szeret kézzel írni, újabban a környezetvédelem, a kihalófélben lévő fajok problémája foglalkoztatja a leginkább.

When nobody is watching she talks to herself, she likes fat cats, long morning coffees are an every-day routine of hers, she likes to write with her hand, she is most concerned about environment protection and the extinction of species lately.

Dóri asztala/Dóri’s table.

1. Milyen típusú emlékek inspirálnak jobban: a jók vagy a rosszak?/What kind of memories inspire you the most: good or bad ones? A negatív élmények intenzívebben hatnak rám, ezért a kínlódásaimból néha profitálok rajzolás közben... Ugyanakkor persze blokkolnak is bizonyos munkafolyamatokat.

Negative experiences have a more intense effect on me so sometimes I can profit out of them while drawing…. On the other hand, negative experiences can also block certain work processes.

2. Ha újjászülethetnél egy ma élő vagy már halott művész személyében, kit választanál?/If you could reincarnate as a living or dead artist, who would you choose to be? Talán Hundertwasser.

Hundertwasser, perhaps.

3. Hogyan lendülsz túl az időszakos alkotói válságon?/How do you overcome a temporary artistic crisis? Elmúlik... muszáj neki :)

It goes away… it has to. :)

4. Kinek mutatod meg először az új alkotásodat?/Who sees your work first? Nincs kiválasztott személy. Általában a családtagok látják először, mivel ők vannak a legközelebb. De ugyanakkor szakmabeli barátok, ismerősök, és a megrendelő véleményére is kíváncsi vagyok :)

There is no chosen person. Mostly my family members see it first because they are the closest to me. However, I am also interested in the opinion of friends’ and acquaintances’ from the same profession and of course I am curious about the customer’s opinion as well. :)

5. Mit érzel, amikor egy másik művész a tiédhez hasonló munkát készít?/What do you feel when a fellow artist creates something similar to your work? Természetes, hogy művészek egymástól függetlenül hasonló stílusban, hasonló munkákat hoznak létre. A baj ott kezdődik, ha koppintásról van szó... az valószínűleg zavarna.

It is natural that artist makes works with similar styles independent from each other. The problem begins when it is copying each other’s work… that would bother me.

6. Mit szeretnél, hogy miről emlékezzenek majd rád?/What would you like to be remembered by? A munkáimról. (ezzel biztos újat mondok.. :)

By my artworks. (This must be new to you… :)

7. Kedvenc budapesti pillanat?/Favorite Budapest moment? Kedvenc nincs... de a legutóbbi élmény, ami nagyon meghatározó volt, az a Hiromi koncert a Müpában... tátott szájjal, könnyes szemmel bámultam.

I don’t have a favorite… but the last experience that was determinative was the Hiromi concert at MÜPA (event hall in Budapest). My mouth was wide opened and my eyes were filled with tears for the whole entire time.

8. Van olyan gyerekes szokásod, amit akkor csinálsz, amikor senki nem figyel?/Do you have any childish habits that you do when no one sees you? Rendszeresen beszélek magamban...és ehhez erőteljes mimika is társul. (nem tudom, hogy ez mennyire gyerekes, viszont aggodalomra ad okot:))

I regularly talk to myself… which is accompanied by a strong mimic as well. (I don’t know if it counts as childish, but gives a reason to be worried for sure. :)

9. Van-e napi rutinod?/Do you have a daily routine? Mivel jelenleg részmunkaidős állásom van, a hét egyik felében egy szigorúbb rend szerint élek, a fennmaradó pár napban szabad-úszom, de az elhúzódó reggeli kávézás mindkét esetben elengedhetetlen!

Since I currently have a part-time job, in one-half of a week I have a more strict order and in the rest I am freelancing. However, the long morning coffee time applies to both cases.

10. Hogyan fogsz neki egy új munkának?/How do you get started on a new project? A munka jellegétől függ. Általában szeretek rákészülni a dolgokra: inspirálódni, nézelődni, ötleteket gyűjteni. Ha van szöveg alap - és nem túl hosszú - (illusztrálandó vers, dalszöveg) akkor kézzel leírom. Hiányzik a kézírás, szeretem legalább ezeket a sorokat papíron rögzíteni (a bevásárló listán túl..), ezáltal közelebb is kerülök az adott műhöz.

It depends on the nature of the project. Mostly I like to get prepared for things: getting inspired, looking around, collecting ideas. If there is a text base- and if it is not too long- (A poem or song lyric that has to be illustrated) then I write it down with hand. I miss writing with my hand. I like to at least write these lines down (apart from grocery lists). This way I get closer to the given piece.

11. Van egy jól körülhatárolható hangulat, amikor könnyebb számodra az alkotás?/Is there a particular mood that makes creating and working easier for you? Ha van mondjuk egy hetem, (vagy 4-5 napom egyhuzamban) amit teljesen egyedül, zavartalanul az alkotással tudok tölteni, az rengeteget segít.

If I have a week (or 4-5 days at a time) totally alone, without any disturbance and I can concentrate on creating, that helps a lot.

12. Sör vagy bor?/Beer or wine? Sokáig hittem, hogy a sör az egyik legjobb barátom, de sajnos be kellett látnom, hogy nem bírom. Ezért most már inkább bor és fröccs.

I thought beer was my friend for a long time, but unfortunately, I had to admit that we are not working out too well. So now I rather choose fröccs (wine mixed with sparkling water).

13. Kutya vagy macska?/Dog or cat? Mindkettő.. ha macska, akkor legyen kicsit kövér!

Both… if cat than it should be a little fat!

14. Mit szeretnél kifejezni az alkotásaidon keresztül?/What would you like to express through your art? Ez változó, témától is függ. Az önkifejezést általában nem tudom kikerülni...

It varies, also depends on the theme. I cannot bypass self-expression…

15. Milyen a stílusod?/What is your style like? Aprólékos, szürreális, sok-sok ponttal, vonallal, és improvizációval.

Meticulous, surreal, with lots of dots, lines, and improvisation.

16. Mi az, ami a leginkább feltölt?/What can recharge you the most? Ágyban vagy teraszon könyvet olvasni, kávéval, zenével! Nekem ez a mennyország:) De az utazás, koncert, kiállítás és a mozi is szuper dolgok, ha jól választunk persze.

To read a book in bed or on the terrace with a cup of coffee and music! That is heaven for me. :) But traveling, concerts, exhibitions and the movies are also super things if we choose them wisely of course.

17. Hol leszel 10 év múlva?/Where will you be in 10 years? Nem szeretnék belegondolni.

I don’t like to think about that.

18. Kedvenc évszak?/Favorite season? Ősz. A túl meleget és a túl hideget sem bírom jól, a tavasz pedig túl vidám.

Autumn. I don’t cope with too cold and too hot and spring is too happy.

youtube

19. Mi a legrosszabb tulajdonságod?/What is your worst characteristic? Nem tudom kizárni a külvilágot... ezért a halogatás is nagyon jól megy.

I cannot close out the world outside… this leads to me postponing things.

20. Melyik korban élnél szívesen?/In which era would you prefer to live in? Én azt hiszem, a fára mennék vissza... nem jó érzés ennyit ártani.

I think I would go back in the trees… it doesn’t feel good to harm so much.

21. Mi az az alkotás, amit mindenképpen meg kell csinálnod, mielőtt meghalsz?/What is that specific artwork you have to accomplish before you die? Mostanában a környezetvédelem, a kihalófélben lévő fajok problémája foglalkoztat elsősorban, ezért mindenképpen szeretnék ennek a témának egy nagyobb volumenű projektet szentelni.

I am most concerned about environmental protection and species that face extinction the most. This is why I would like to tribute a bigger project to this theme.

-------------------------------------- NÉVJEGY - Kisteleki Dóri:

"Képei egytől egyig saját univerzumot jelölnek ki, és rögtön magukba szippantják a szemlélőt. Kisteleki Dóra a Képző-és Iparművészeti Szakközépiskolában végzett könyvműves szakon, majd 2011-ben diplomázott a Kaposvári Egyetem Művészeti Karán, képgrafika szakon. Művészetére inspirálóan hatott Weöres Sándor és Juhász Ferenc költészete és képi világa, rajzait – melyekre szürreális részletgazdagság jellemző – tollal, akvarellel, tussal és/vagy akrillal készíti. Dóra a Nyugat Plusz irodalmi folyóirat illusztrátora, de készített már grafikákat Szabó Balázs Bandájának és az Elefánt zenekarnak is."

"All of her pictures designate an own universe and immediately sucks in the contemplative. Kisteleki Dóra graduated from the Secondary School of Crafts as a bookbinder and she achieved her college degree at the University of Kaposvár and majored in picture graphics. Her art is inspired by the poetry and imagery of Weöres Sándor and the of Juhász Ferenc. Her drawings which are characterized by surreal details of richness are made by pen, aquarelle, ink and or acryl. Dóra is the illustrator for Nyugat Plusz literature journal, furthermore, she made graphics For Szabó Balázs Bandája (music band) and the Elefánt band (Elephant music band) as well."

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// DÓRI MUNKÁI ITT TEKINTHETŐK MEG/CHECK OUT DÓRI’S WORK HERE: https://www.behance.net/dorikisteleki https://www.facebook.com/kistelekidori

#neighbourart #hungarianart #artanddesk #budapest #kistelekidori #graphicdesigner

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bookisland · 5 years

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This past June, I got to visit Fairbanks, Alaska to teach a comprehensive workshop in book conservation. I was invited by the Alaska Literacy Council, who funded most of the costs of the workshop. It was an amazing opportunity for me, and one I did not take for granted. I put a lot of work into preparing for the workshop, and the students worked hard at their projects throughout the class. Several of the students had little to no experience in repairing books, but I was very happy with their results! Most of the pictures I took were outside of class, because we were so busy in class. Click on, or hover over, the photos for the captions.

Many thanks to my exceedingly kind hosts who indulged my every whim, and served me Alaskan salmon every day I was there, and even allowed me to cull some birch bark to take home from their collection of kindling. Where I grew up in Wisconsin, there were many birch, but hardly any where I currently live in California, so I was thrilled to be able to bring home some bark!

This was also one of the rare times when I have given a public lecture on bookbinding. It was part of my duties in teaching the class, and I saw it as an opportunity to set the context for the students in the class (who ALL attended–thank you!), and to educate the general public about book conservation, something I love to do. Surprisingly, I didn’t choke on anxiety during the lecture as I have before, and was able to keep within the time limit as well. Success!

Being a private practice bookbinder involves a lot of very quiet time spent in my studio alone, so I cherish these opportunities to get out and meet people of my ilk. All the Alaskans I met were very down to earth people I could really identify with. I hope the knowledge they have gained in my workshop fuels their ambitions to repair all the books they can for many years to come!

Ten knives waiting to jump into the hands of eager students!

After dinner hike up the road

Salmon every day, every way

My host’s husband likes bikes too

Big Dragon

Birch forest, with birch bent by previous seasons’ snowfall

Creamer’s Field in Fairbanks, where we went hiking. Fairbanks is in the interior of Alaska, not on the coast, so the landscape is different than the popular images of Alaska.

The Creek flows on

My host, a book artist, and her husband, a writer, did a residency at Beaver Creek

My host’s work: a piece of glass blown to look like water in the river

Extraordinary light and shadow as the squall moved in

Big skies

Tundra flower… anemone?

Rock outcrop

Soft, mossy ground atop Murphy Dome

Murphy Dome, with rainstorm fast approaching

Fireweed? No. Delphinium?

Hiking trail on Murphy Dome

Mural in the childern’s section of the library

Rockwell Kent exhibit in the library

Artwork in the library

The public library branch where I gave my talk

Needle cases from walrus tusks

Couldn’t help but photog the shoes of course

Beautiful designs on walrus tusks

Bag made with fish skin leather

Caribou Artwork

The University of Alaska Fairbanks has a terrific museum, the Museum of the North, which has many objects made by native craftspeople

Only in Alaska!

Our classroom: You can tell from the mess that we were working hard!

My book before treatment

Before treatment

One student’s success at color matching this very difficult cover

More home made baked goods

Sustenance: I had a huge appetite though the class, and ate a ton of these!

Two filet knives a student brought in to show me

Ramona Quimby front cover after repair

Ramona Quimby rear cover after repair

One of my students is a painter, so color matching was right up her alley!

Love lost, love found in one of the books I purchased for repair

A painting by my host’s friend in the Fairbanks airport

Flying over the Alaska Range

Alaska Dreaming This past June, I got to visit Fairbanks, Alaska to teach a comprehensive workshop in book conservation.

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lightlyknitted · 1 year

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It’s almost June so it’s time for a mid-year update on my knitting. I posted a roundup in March of some goals and current wips so I thought we could do a quick update on where I’m at with that.

WIPS:

Because I put it aside for a few weeks I am still on my first 100 grams. I think I can still get that finished by December but I will not be too upset if it doesn’t happen.

FINISHED OBJECTS:

I did finish the campfire cozy shawl. It is currently waiting to be blocked and it turned out good! I am happy with it and can’t wait for it to get cool enough to use.

Other Craft goals:

#knitblr #knitting #knitters of tumblr #crochetblr #fiber arts #crochet #lace knitting

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connorrenwick · 5 years

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Where I Work: Zai Divecha

Zai Divecha is a Bay Area native artist based in San Francisco, California, whose creative explorations began with metal. After graduating from Yale (both undergrad and grad), the cycling enthusiast became a metalworker who just recently transitioned into working with paper. Now she’s creating small and large scale geometric works made from paper featuring repetitive pleat patterns. For this month’s Where I Work, Divecha opens the door to her shared studio space in the Dogpatch neighborhood for a look at her process.

What is your typical work style?

I’m a morning person, so I like to get my day started early. A few days a week, I get up at 5am to do a 30-mile bike ride before going into the studio. There are few things I love more than cycling. And going out at dawn — when the fog is still thick and the light is a cool, grayish blue — is the absolute best.

I usually get into the studio by 10am, and work until 7 or 8pm, taking breaks to chat with my studiomate or take Simi out for a walk. Some days end up being more computer- or admin-heavy; other days are more focused on making. Unless I’m really in the zone, my brain typically shuts off around 8pm, and I’m useless after that.

What’s your studio/work environment like?

The studio is bright, cozy, and clean. A huge skylight lets tons of light in. When we moved into this space, my studiomate and I laid the flooring ourselves, and we chose a pale gray color in order to bounce as much light as possible into the room. We mop the floors regularly to keep the dust under control. Lots of plants, candles, and furs make it feel cozy and welcoming. I’m a neat freak, so I need the surfaces around me to be clean in order to think clearly and feel creative. The less clutter I have in sight, the more focused and creative I am.

My studiomate Emi Grannis is a big part of my daily life. She’s a metalsmith who makes fine jewelry, and she’s also one of my very closest friends. Even though we each run our own separate businesses, Emi and I help each other out constantly throughout the day: she’ll take photos or videos of me working for my Instagram; I’ll help her draft tricky client emails. She’ll weigh in on my design decisions; I’ll help her triage her to-do list. We know each other’s strengths and needs, and we’re good at making the other person feel supported, focused, and happy. It’s pretty special. I don’t know where we’d be without each other.

How is your space organized/arranged?

We have a small studio space on the mezzanine level of a shared metal shop called ShopFloor. It’s located in the Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco, and it’s three blocks from where I live (best commute I’ve ever had). Our studio is 270 square feet, so it’s pretty compact. I have my little zone at one end of the room, Emi has her workspace in the middle, and at the back, we have a lounge area with a couch and a makeshift kitchen (mini fridge, microwave, tea kettle). The couch was a game-changer — having a soft, comfy place on which to take breaks (or naps!) means that our days can be longer, more productive, and more sustainable.

How long have you been in this space? Where did you work before that?

I’ve been working out of this building for two and a half years, but it’s only the last nine months that I’ve had this cozy studio space on the mezzanine level. Before that, I rented a bay on the ground floor, in the metal shop. I was making welded steel vessels and mosaic steel wall hangings at the time, so it afforded me easy access to the metal shop tools. But I didn’t have walls, private space, or heat, so while it was utilitarian, it was not particularly inspiring or comfortable.

But now that I’m primarily working with paper, a medium that doesn’t require any machinery at all, it’s been lovely to have a contained, quiet space away from the noise and grime of the metal shop. I have walls, heat and air conditioning, a comfy couch, and, of course, one of my best friends nearby, so I’m much happier and more productive now.

If you could change something about your workspace, what would it be?

A teeny bit more space would be nice. I routinely have to downsize my tools, prototypes, and projects in order to make space for everything.

Is there an office pet?

Yes! My dog Simi often comes with me to work. She’s a chill, low-key dog most of the time, but she’s become infamous for starting to hump her dog bed as soon as clients walk in. She can be a liability.

Do you require music in the background? If so, who are some favorites?

I tend to listen to downtempo electronic music when working. It needs to be melodic, hypnotic, and a little edgy. Nicolas Jaar, Chet Faker, Polo & Pan, Glass Animals, Zhu, and Alina Baraz come to mind. Here’s a playlist I made of my favorite songs for work. If I’m doing repetitive measuring, scoring, and folding, I’ll often put on a podcast to keep my brain engaged. The Guilty Feminist, Reply All, The Daily, and Planet Money are current favorites.

How do you record ideas?

I have all kinds of systems. I have a notebook that’s just for my daily to-do lists, I have a separate sketchbook for drawings and diagrams, and I have a series of digital notes that are synced across my devices.

Do you have an inspiration board? What’s on it right now?

All of my inspiration boards are digital at the moment: I have dozens of Pinterest boards, and a number of Instagram collections of saved posts. Lately I’ve been saving things like 3D-printed ceramics, hand-carved wood home goods, geometric murals, blackwork tattoos, installation art, and parametric architecture.

What is your creative process and/or creative workflow like? Does it change every project or do you keep it the same?

I often start by examining prototypes and sample pleats I’ve made in the past. I hold them in my hands, and collapse and expand them. I imagine how they’d look or behave if I made changes to the pattern. What if I altered the angles or spacing of the pleats? What if I pinched it at one end, and let it fan open at the other? What if I made this out of a translucent Mylar instead of paper? What if I made a collage, where I put this pleat next to this other pleat? Then I’ll make a quick mock-up using scrap paper. I love that it’s so easy to prototype with paper. I can test out ideas quickly.

Once I have a plan, and I’ve figured out all the measurements, the execution is a series of repetitive motions: measuring out a grid, scoring lots of lines, and working with my hands to pleat the paper. I love settling into a meditative routine, and making only minor changes with each sheet of paper to optimize my efficiency and precision.

What kind of art/design/objects might you have scattered about the space?

A tiny painting of Point Reyes by Susan Hall, who’s a dear family friend. Ceramic pieces by Two Hands Full, Pinckney Clay, and ShanMan Clay Co. A half-moon shaped serving board I made out of Cocobolo wood. A concrete sculpture of hands by Rheal. Two brass Ganesh statues that my mother gave me when I was little. A sweet note that Emi left me one day. And a handful of items collected from nature: a Cholla cactus branch, an antler, and a dozen potted plants.

Are there tools and/or machinery in your space?

Now that I’m primarily working with paper, my tools have been pared down to just the most unassuming and lightweight ones: pencil, rulers, cutting mat, X-Acto knives, painter’s tape, needle and thread, and bone folder.

What tool(s) do you most enjoy using in the design process? The bone folder. It’s a bookbinding tool made out of bone that’s used to score paper. It lets me make precise, sharp folds. It feels smooth in my hand — so simple and primitive.

Let’s talk about how you’re wired. Tell us about your tech arsenal/devices.

I have an iPhone X, a MacBook Pro, and a Canon 5D Mark II with a few different lenses. I store all my notes, documents, and photos on Box, so they’re accessible from any device (I used to work at Box; old habits die hard). Instagram is my main marketing and sales tool, so I spend a fair amount of time on it.

What design software do you use, if any, and for what?

When I was doing metalworking, I used Illustrator and SketchUp to design wall hangings and prep vector files for lasercutting. Now that I’m working primarily with paper, my creative practice is blessedly analog! The less time I’m on the computer each day, the better.

Is there a favorite project/piece you’ve worked on?

I recently finished up a large hanging paper installation, and my partner Phil Reyneri added subtle light effects to it using Lightform, his company’s tool for projection-mapping. Each edge and facet was illuminated with projected light patterns.

Do you feel like you’ve “made it”? What has made you feel like you’ve become successful? At what moment/circumstances? Or what will it take to get there?

I definitely don’t feel like I’ve “made it.” I have so many things I still want to make, and so many goals I still want to hit. But I suspect I’ll always feel that way, even if I’m making a lot more money. There’s a famous cycling quote by Greg LeMond that I love: “It never gets easier, you just go faster.” I think this is true for running a business, too. I feel like I’m hustling just as much as I was three years ago, but when I compare the work I was making and the types of problems I was solving now, it’s clear that I’ve made a lot of progress.

Tell us about a current project you’re working on. What was the inspiration behind it?

I’m developing a series of smaller paper pieces with stitched red accents. The goal is to sell them framed in shadowboxes with glass fronts, so they’re ready to hang. I’m excited to offer pieces that are elegant but also accessible — at a price point that my friends could afford.

What’s on your desk right now?

I have a cutting mat, some rulers, a mug filled with pencils, pens, and X-Acto knives, a few pieces of pleated paper, my reading glasses, and my laptop. I try to keep it as bare-bones as possible.

Do you have anything in your home that you’ve designed/created?

Just a few random craft projects here and there. I have a set of ceramic fruit bowls I made in high school, and some dog beds that I sewed out of canvas drop cloth and painted (I made one for my studio and one for my home). One day, I’ll do a proper paper installation for our place!

Photos by Zai Divecha, Emi Grannis, Phil Reyneri, and Andy Wong.

via http://design-milk.com/

from WordPress https://connorrenwickblog.wordpress.com/2018/12/18/where-i-work-zai-divecha/

#Uncategorized

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uclavapae · 6 years

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Rob Tom | Teaching Artist of November 2018

Hometown: Santa Monica

Major: Design Media Arts

Q: How did you discover your interest in the arts and how did you know that it was something that you wanted to pursue professionally, as an artist or as a teaching artist?

A: I’ve always been a storyteller, since I was a child, I would craft elaborate stories and fantastical worlds I would lose myself in, and wanted to share with my friends. Eventually, when they started becoming too complex to explain in words, I had to find a new way to share my vision. Ultimately this lead me to working in 3D space. As my ability to create richer and more dynamic stories grew, so did my curiosity about the visions those around me saw. I grew so fascinated by what those around me saw all I wanted to do was bring those visions to life too. While I am very fortunate I’ve been able to make this into a profession it was never the goal. All I wanted to do was show those around me the worlds I saw. Though in more recent years I’ve dedicate my time to teaching. To me being able to show my ideas is what got me through the hardships I’ve experienced. Thus I want to pass on my these practices I’ve gained to others, so they too can get past the hardships they may deal with in life.

Q: Describe what the student artists in your VAPAE afterschool arts or arts enrichment program are working on and the process they’re using.

A: Currently my students [at Creativity Sessions @ Ad Astra] are working with various mediums such as bookbinding, video editing, and more traditional mediums. The process I have them primarily focus on is personal interpretation and how that can be expressed in various forms.

Q: Why is an enrichment opportunity like this important for those participating? What do they gain?

A: My teaching philosophy is to teach students how to question art, as well as the world around them. I want my students to go further than taking something for face value. Regardless if these students want to become professional artist or not, these skills I focus on in my art classes can be applied to any field.

Q: Did you have an opportunity like this when you were a younger artist? If yes, how did it help shape your love of art? If no, in what ways could a program like this have helped you?

A: I did not have many opportunities to participate in programs similar to those in VAPAE. I feel if I had the opportunity to participate in one of these programs I would have been able to develop my artistic skills with much more ease then I did on my own. I would spend weeks trying to learn how to master one technique that I feel in a VAPAE class I would have been able to learn in one class session.

Q: What do you personally gain as a teaching artist, arts facilitator?

A: They say the best way to learn something is to teach it, not only do I get to refine my own skills by teaching students, I can see their perspective which sometimes makes me rethink how I am looking at something. Plus walking away knowing I’ve been able to give them knowledge or a skill they can use to help them in life always puts a smile on my face.

Q: What are the benefits to you as a student/graduate in the UCLA VAPAE program? Was this program a good choice for you? If so, why?

A: The biggest benefit I’ve found is the community of VAPAE. Even after graduation I still feel that I always have a family to go to if I am ever in need of assistance. Everyone cares for one another and is there when you need them. Whether it’s advice for teaching, feedback on a lesson plan, or someone to grab coffee with on a stressful day, someone's always there.

Q: Are there any anecdotes from your time as a VAPAE Teaching Artist at an Arts Enrichment or Afterschool Arts Programs that stand out to you? Perhaps you had a breakthrough with a student or saw some particularly noticeable growth in that student through this program, collaboration etc. Maybe something surprised you or made you think about art or teaching in a new way.

A: On my first day of teaching [at Ad Astra] I had just started to give instructions for the project we were going to be working on. All of a sudden a student raised their hand to ask a question, I assumed it was to clarify something but she asked if we could start working on the project. I paused and was at a loss for words. The other students then jumped up and tried to start working even before I had fully finished explaining everything to them. All these students wanted to do was get to work and create art, when I was expecting to have to really work with them to get started. This moment is very special to me because it reminds me just how much students when given the opportunity, want to make art.

Q: What are your short-term and long‐term career goals?

A: Currently my short-term goals are to work in fields unrelated to 3D design, all knowledge is useful knowledge to me. I want to take the time and to focus on new things that I can eventually bring back into my practice and incorporate into my designs.

B: My long term goal would be to bring all the practices I’ve worked on over the years and start my own design studio, that can put out the art I so desperately hope to make someday, while also serving as a place for people to learn from.

#uclavapae #teachingartist

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