Keen to lop a few toes off your carbon footprint?
Crafting for a Cause is taking on the age of consumerism, waste, obesity and koala slaughter. By matching the 26 letters of the alphabet to cause-driven crafts, an army of ideas has been generated and is ready to reign!
A catalogue, poster and website serve as the launch pad for these ideas. Here they have been expertly prepared, patterned, poked and prodded to not just look great, but provoke you into a super sexy sustainable green lifestyle.
Friday, 18 October 2013
Thursday, 17 October 2013
Paper
I'm printing on Cyclus paper, here is it's bio;
Cyclus Offset is a true recycled offset paper made from 100% post consumer waste. This economically priced range has all the printing properties you have come to expect - rigidity, stability, opacity, tear strength and foldability.
Yep.
Cyclus Offset is a true recycled offset paper made from 100% post consumer waste. This economically priced range has all the printing properties you have come to expect - rigidity, stability, opacity, tear strength and foldability.
Yep.
Thursday, 10 October 2013
Foreword & Afterword
FOREWORD:
As we tilt closer to a fiery apocalypse, there are a few steps we can take to make our carbon footprint a little lighter. The reality is you are using too much, eating too much, wearing too much, owning too much and getting fat and ugly in the process. I don't have the solutions to your problems but I am an expert at putting a bow on top of a pile of shit, so lets get started!
I've connected the 26 letters of the English alphabet with 26 causes that are making life annoying, destructive and bad for frogs. Through this tumultuous book I've responded to each cause with a craft. The 26 crafts are my way of raising awareness, inciting play, dabbling in discussion and lopping a few toes off my carbon footprint. My trash is now treasure, which is another way of saying 'yes this is rubbish, but it's my kinda crap'.
AFTERWORD:
In closing I would love to give thanks' to the materials I have sourced and the hands that threw them in the bin before I lent over and got them out. To my friends and family – thanks for the garbage, it's beautiful! Big thanks also go to Mama Nature, we're on close personal terms since I beheaded a field of violets, styled up some weeds, and stuck faces on walnuts. Couldn't have done this without her, she is a top gal.
And to you – climate change is real and old socks make great gloves!
As we tilt closer to a fiery apocalypse, there are a few steps we can take to make our carbon footprint a little lighter. The reality is you are using too much, eating too much, wearing too much, owning too much and getting fat and ugly in the process. I don't have the solutions to your problems but I am an expert at putting a bow on top of a pile of shit, so lets get started!
I've connected the 26 letters of the English alphabet with 26 causes that are making life annoying, destructive and bad for frogs. Through this tumultuous book I've responded to each cause with a craft. The 26 crafts are my way of raising awareness, inciting play, dabbling in discussion and lopping a few toes off my carbon footprint. My trash is now treasure, which is another way of saying 'yes this is rubbish, but it's my kinda crap'.
AFTERWORD:
In closing I would love to give thanks' to the materials I have sourced and the hands that threw them in the bin before I lent over and got them out. To my friends and family – thanks for the garbage, it's beautiful! Big thanks also go to Mama Nature, we're on close personal terms since I beheaded a field of violets, styled up some weeds, and stuck faces on walnuts. Couldn't have done this without her, she is a top gal.
And to you – climate change is real and old socks make great gloves!
Monday, 23 September 2013
26 Crafts, 26 Causes, 26 Explanations! (I can Explain!)
With some tutor feedback, I'm now looking to fill out and explain my alphabet with a sentence or two to properly communicate what I have been overlooking.
A is for Australian Natives – good craft for a greater environment.
Creating original work with the god given debris of Australia is a great way to craft sustainably, interact with your landscape, educate yourself and promote the Australian wilderness. Foraging for sticks and leaves is free, all it costs is your dignity and composure.
tags: biodegradable, gumtrees, gold leaf, free
B is for Beeswax – using the byproducts of bees to promote their survival.
Bees are fucked – habitat loss, pesticide and disease are wiping them out quicker than the ice caps during climate change. 70% of the world's crops need bees and I want honey on my toast but let's not forget the potential crafts facing hardship. Crafting with the tactile material of beeswax smells great, is sustainable, and also purifies the air when burnt.
tags: honey bees, moulding wax, candles, dead insects
C is for Crystallise – creating new products with old foods.
In ye olde times they knew the worth of preserving produce in sugar, but nowadays we've forgotten this along with how to dance the maypole. Coating cirtus, ginger and flowers in sugar is a stunner of a craft (sparkly pretty magic) but it's also a handy activity to get some extra milage out of your soon-to-rot groceries.
tags: citrus, candies, food crafts, diabetes
D is for Dance – material-less craft in motion.
Dance is the ultimate craft you can do with your body; it's creative, cheap, healthy and good to look at. Jiving around to your favourite tunes is a total workout of the mind body and soul, and I'm a firm believer in the primitive urge to dance; we all want in!
tags: exercise, disco, free, express yourself
E is for Embroidery – scrap sewing that saves.
Waiting around to get married is a thing of the past, thanks to embroidery – it keeps the hands occupied and the mind at rest. It's a great way to rejig an old piece of fabric and encourages you to treasure and use every last scrap. Embroidery; keeping singles sane and scraps sorted!
tags: recycled, sequins, felt, beads, tedious
F is for Fleece – the ultimate sustainable product.
For yonks humans have been turning to sheep for answers, but all we got was baaa baa baa. When we figured out how small their brains were, we punished them by taking their fleece. Surprisingly it kept us warm, dry and had more uses than the wheel. Knitting, crochet, felting and weaving were just the start, it wasn't soon until this silly sustainable stuff had us all housed in yurts.
tags: sustainable, smart fabrics, nana, baa baa, mutton
G is for Green Guerrillas – stick it to'em while spreading seeds.
In an age of genetically modified seeds and urban sprawling it's time to fight back. Becoming a guerrilla is a serious pledge to resist, respond and risk everything in the name of your cause. Seed bombing and green graffiti is your mission, accept it and don't forget to water. Big! Mean! Green!
tags: revolt, environmental, grass roots, illegal
H is for Herbal Tea – fresh from nature and full of magical goodness.
Long before the common flu shot there was herbal tea. Long before cancer there was herbal tea. What can't the stuff solve? Whether it's boiling up some sticks from your backyard or a mysterious powder from a friend in Chinatown, drink this stuff and your bound to live a million years. It's eco, tasty and beats tap water. Sold!
tags: nature based, old dried leaves, flower juice, placebo effect
I is for Ink – hold the phone and make your own! Sustainable and chemical free.
Simmering down a selection of berries, beetroot, tea, onion skins, saffron and turmeric is a nifty way to get your own inks. Sure they might mould after a few weeks and the colours will fade, but you can illustrate happily knowing there are no chemicals in your nib and your work is a part of mother nature's cycle of life.
tags: eco friendly, new uses, veggies, stains
J is for Japan – taking the fuk out of fukushima.
Since the 2011 Tsunami, the Fukushima nuclear plant has been leaking radiation into our now miserable oceans. Join the sceptics and don't eat anything out of the big blue, instead use the abundance of radioactive seaweed in your next crafting project. Fight back for the little fish that couldn't.
tags: environmental concern, rice balls, radioactive, yum
K is for Koalas – our cosy and beloved – yet disappearing and nearly dead friends.
Koalas are too cute to be true, but when turned into bloodied and smashed roadkill they loose points on presentation. Humans have helped kill almost 90% of the population and it's time we think about saving them. Crafting for their cause is a start, but let's seriously look into some sanctuaries.
tags: Australian natives, extinction, cute, chlamydia
L is for Lanterns – sustainable paper crafts for lighting alternatives.
Turning paper into lanterns is the lighting solution the world has been waiting for. Childish, colourful and a craft for all ages - look into LED lighting options for their energy efficient rating and remeber to consider candlelight over halogens. But be careful when lighting anything on fire, because if you're like me you don't have home and contents insurance.
tags: lights out, earth hour, recycle, say no to coal
M is for Mail – paper practices to keep the postie busy.
Sure mail died somewhat in the name of email, but like vinyl records and magazines it's an art form that has downsized not disappeared. This presents the perfect craft opportunity to recycle every paper scrap and look into some radical eco papers (an elephant dung blend is my preference). Decorate the shit out of your letters and harass all your friends with special spiels and precious parcels.
tags: recycled, sustainable, snail mail, anthrax
N is for Nuts – natural goodies from Mama Nature.
Slaughtering animals isn't the only way to get protein on the daily. Nuts are full of natural goodies but more importantly are great for crafting. Their warped and wrinkly surfaces make a Picasso worthy canvas you'll enjoy sticking things onto. I chose to transform a regular crowd of walnuts into an owl colony, and I've never looked back.
tags: enviro-arts, felt, nuts, too cute to eat
O is Origami - reusing paper, or more-so rebirthing paper.
The patience testing and traditional art of origami is a craft that uses only one (sustainable and recyclable) material. This presents opportunities to recuse some newspaper or even the gas bill. Fold em up, repeat until dead.
tags: recyclable, Japanese craft, nimble fingers, paper cuts
P is for Pickling – playing with and preserving your food supply.
Global greenies just love pickling; it reinforces the idea of eating seasonally, which mean eating from a jar of bitter fluid in the barren winter months. But it's not all doom and gloom if you add enough herbs and sugar, in fact pickling can be fun to do and rewarding to eat. Just remember – pickling is a vampire's craft; timelessly preserving life for all eternity.
tags: sustainable, eat wise, gherkins, slimy food
Q is for Queer Quarfts – celebrating love, freedom and sexuality through multicoloured crafts.
With the rainbow as your inspiration this craft is pretty bullet proof, unless you're a homophobe of course. I chose to craft with multicoloured papers, cutting them into my own alphabet confetti. Sprinkle this during Mardi Gras or over your houseguests to remind them that love is blind and you are mad.
tags: social issues, paper craft, homos, yay
R is for Ragdolls – useless scraps make great new friends.
In the age of fast fashion it's important to remember the worth of textiles. I remember the day when you had you work clothes and your church clothes, but now I have a wardrobe that could clothe 200 orphans. In a desperate attempt to reduce my carbon footprint, I've turned to ragdolls, so my offcuts and thinning T-shirts can now smile back at me with creepy new life.
tags: recycling, textiles, freaky faces, etsy
S is for Stealing Succulents – a clipping one day a new garden the next.
Succulents are the hard to kill solution to urban gardening, but getting them is a crim's art. It's only because they propagate so easily (and I get an adrenaline rush from theft) that I recommend stealing succulents. Tips for your convinience; wear black, carry both scissors and a knife, and do this after midnight.
tags: environmental, going green, spiky, kleptomaniac
T is for Tribal – creatively taking cues from nature-based tribal crafts.
Mother nature misses the old days; when we took what we needed, left what we didn't, played wooden flutes and reproduced with our cousins. While we can't rewind the clock, we can revisit tribal arts that echo the simpler times. I selected clay as my medium, but this craft could also use wood, sand, grass and ivory.
tags: sustainable crafts, earth roots, nature, deity worship
U is for Underwater Garden – testing out your green thumb in the big blue.
I was fool for thinking urban gardening ended at the pot plant! Provoked by an empty pickle jar I've now taken my obsession underwater. A self sustaining biosphere can be achieved in a underwater garden with the right number of minerals (rocks and shells), water plants, snails and shrimp. I bought the shrimp, named them, and two of the three have disappeared – I'm devastated, better luck to you.
tags: environmental, hydrosphere, snails, dead shrimp
V is for Vandalism – taking your opinions to the streets!
In the name of a peaceful and sustainable future it's important to graffiti local walls with your mind ramblings. Sure it's illegal but your radical environmental beliefs need to be transferred onto others. I believe silence is more deadly than aerosol cans are to the ozone layer.
tags: environmental rights, human rights, illegal, tacky slogans
W is for Weeds and Wildflowers – are they medicine, food or a darn nuisance?
Recently inner city greenies have had a change of heart; weeds are here to stay so let's eat them quick. Now dandelions, thistle, clover, flea bane, nasturtium and prickly lettuce are all on the menu, coincidentally they are also all growing out of the pavement. While their leaves may be furry and their flowers bitter, weeds are free food. As mother says; the worse it tastes the better it is for you.
tags: gutter gustation, enviro eating, pesticide pallet
X is for Xmas – billions spent every December, but not by you anymore.
Santa's good name has been tainted with the flaws of consumerism; Xmas has got a l'il excessive. In 2012 Australians spent over $16.2 Billion on Christmas so this year it's important we take some of the weight off the north pole. Using recycled paper and handcrafts (sewing, scraps, felt, and crayon) is a great way to recycle the waste of 2013 onto charming gift tags for your beloved.
tags: recycle, consumerism, cute and useless
Y is for Yiayiá – time with the oldies and their depression-era resourcefulness.
A greek grandmama (Yiayiá) is a self sufficient micro organism capable of using every last scrap and keeping waste to a minimum. My Yiayiá recently taught me how to make spanakopita and koulouria – made from scratch and with love.
tags: soul food, family time, hugs, wrinkles
Z is for Zombie Facials – natural ingredients for the ghoul with great skin.
The skin on your face has a rough time surviving in the urban jungle – I regularly worry about bus soot clogging my pores. But before a natural death finds me, I plan to preserve skin I live in, by using the healthy healing help of avocados, oats, honey, and yogurt. Three hours of looking like the living dead will buy you 24 hours of sexy, silky, sustainable skin.
tags: natural ingredients, oily pores, fucken freaky face
A is for Australian Natives – good craft for a greater environment.
Creating original work with the god given debris of Australia is a great way to craft sustainably, interact with your landscape, educate yourself and promote the Australian wilderness. Foraging for sticks and leaves is free, all it costs is your dignity and composure.
tags: biodegradable, gumtrees, gold leaf, free
B is for Beeswax – using the byproducts of bees to promote their survival.
Bees are fucked – habitat loss, pesticide and disease are wiping them out quicker than the ice caps during climate change. 70% of the world's crops need bees and I want honey on my toast but let's not forget the potential crafts facing hardship. Crafting with the tactile material of beeswax smells great, is sustainable, and also purifies the air when burnt.
tags: honey bees, moulding wax, candles, dead insects
C is for Crystallise – creating new products with old foods.
In ye olde times they knew the worth of preserving produce in sugar, but nowadays we've forgotten this along with how to dance the maypole. Coating cirtus, ginger and flowers in sugar is a stunner of a craft (sparkly pretty magic) but it's also a handy activity to get some extra milage out of your soon-to-rot groceries.
tags: citrus, candies, food crafts, diabetes
D is for Dance – material-less craft in motion.
Dance is the ultimate craft you can do with your body; it's creative, cheap, healthy and good to look at. Jiving around to your favourite tunes is a total workout of the mind body and soul, and I'm a firm believer in the primitive urge to dance; we all want in!
tags: exercise, disco, free, express yourself
E is for Embroidery – scrap sewing that saves.
Waiting around to get married is a thing of the past, thanks to embroidery – it keeps the hands occupied and the mind at rest. It's a great way to rejig an old piece of fabric and encourages you to treasure and use every last scrap. Embroidery; keeping singles sane and scraps sorted!
tags: recycled, sequins, felt, beads, tedious
F is for Fleece – the ultimate sustainable product.
For yonks humans have been turning to sheep for answers, but all we got was baaa baa baa. When we figured out how small their brains were, we punished them by taking their fleece. Surprisingly it kept us warm, dry and had more uses than the wheel. Knitting, crochet, felting and weaving were just the start, it wasn't soon until this silly sustainable stuff had us all housed in yurts.
tags: sustainable, smart fabrics, nana, baa baa, mutton
G is for Green Guerrillas – stick it to'em while spreading seeds.
In an age of genetically modified seeds and urban sprawling it's time to fight back. Becoming a guerrilla is a serious pledge to resist, respond and risk everything in the name of your cause. Seed bombing and green graffiti is your mission, accept it and don't forget to water. Big! Mean! Green!
tags: revolt, environmental, grass roots, illegal
H is for Herbal Tea – fresh from nature and full of magical goodness.
Long before the common flu shot there was herbal tea. Long before cancer there was herbal tea. What can't the stuff solve? Whether it's boiling up some sticks from your backyard or a mysterious powder from a friend in Chinatown, drink this stuff and your bound to live a million years. It's eco, tasty and beats tap water. Sold!
tags: nature based, old dried leaves, flower juice, placebo effect
I is for Ink – hold the phone and make your own! Sustainable and chemical free.
Simmering down a selection of berries, beetroot, tea, onion skins, saffron and turmeric is a nifty way to get your own inks. Sure they might mould after a few weeks and the colours will fade, but you can illustrate happily knowing there are no chemicals in your nib and your work is a part of mother nature's cycle of life.
tags: eco friendly, new uses, veggies, stains
J is for Japan – taking the fuk out of fukushima.
Since the 2011 Tsunami, the Fukushima nuclear plant has been leaking radiation into our now miserable oceans. Join the sceptics and don't eat anything out of the big blue, instead use the abundance of radioactive seaweed in your next crafting project. Fight back for the little fish that couldn't.
tags: environmental concern, rice balls, radioactive, yum
K is for Koalas – our cosy and beloved – yet disappearing and nearly dead friends.
Koalas are too cute to be true, but when turned into bloodied and smashed roadkill they loose points on presentation. Humans have helped kill almost 90% of the population and it's time we think about saving them. Crafting for their cause is a start, but let's seriously look into some sanctuaries.
tags: Australian natives, extinction, cute, chlamydia
L is for Lanterns – sustainable paper crafts for lighting alternatives.
Turning paper into lanterns is the lighting solution the world has been waiting for. Childish, colourful and a craft for all ages - look into LED lighting options for their energy efficient rating and remeber to consider candlelight over halogens. But be careful when lighting anything on fire, because if you're like me you don't have home and contents insurance.
tags: lights out, earth hour, recycle, say no to coal
M is for Mail – paper practices to keep the postie busy.
Sure mail died somewhat in the name of email, but like vinyl records and magazines it's an art form that has downsized not disappeared. This presents the perfect craft opportunity to recycle every paper scrap and look into some radical eco papers (an elephant dung blend is my preference). Decorate the shit out of your letters and harass all your friends with special spiels and precious parcels.
tags: recycled, sustainable, snail mail, anthrax
N is for Nuts – natural goodies from Mama Nature.
Slaughtering animals isn't the only way to get protein on the daily. Nuts are full of natural goodies but more importantly are great for crafting. Their warped and wrinkly surfaces make a Picasso worthy canvas you'll enjoy sticking things onto. I chose to transform a regular crowd of walnuts into an owl colony, and I've never looked back.
tags: enviro-arts, felt, nuts, too cute to eat
O is Origami - reusing paper, or more-so rebirthing paper.
The patience testing and traditional art of origami is a craft that uses only one (sustainable and recyclable) material. This presents opportunities to recuse some newspaper or even the gas bill. Fold em up, repeat until dead.
tags: recyclable, Japanese craft, nimble fingers, paper cuts
P is for Pickling – playing with and preserving your food supply.
Global greenies just love pickling; it reinforces the idea of eating seasonally, which mean eating from a jar of bitter fluid in the barren winter months. But it's not all doom and gloom if you add enough herbs and sugar, in fact pickling can be fun to do and rewarding to eat. Just remember – pickling is a vampire's craft; timelessly preserving life for all eternity.
tags: sustainable, eat wise, gherkins, slimy food
Q is for Queer Quarfts – celebrating love, freedom and sexuality through multicoloured crafts.
With the rainbow as your inspiration this craft is pretty bullet proof, unless you're a homophobe of course. I chose to craft with multicoloured papers, cutting them into my own alphabet confetti. Sprinkle this during Mardi Gras or over your houseguests to remind them that love is blind and you are mad.
tags: social issues, paper craft, homos, yay
R is for Ragdolls – useless scraps make great new friends.
In the age of fast fashion it's important to remember the worth of textiles. I remember the day when you had you work clothes and your church clothes, but now I have a wardrobe that could clothe 200 orphans. In a desperate attempt to reduce my carbon footprint, I've turned to ragdolls, so my offcuts and thinning T-shirts can now smile back at me with creepy new life.
tags: recycling, textiles, freaky faces, etsy
S is for Stealing Succulents – a clipping one day a new garden the next.
Succulents are the hard to kill solution to urban gardening, but getting them is a crim's art. It's only because they propagate so easily (and I get an adrenaline rush from theft) that I recommend stealing succulents. Tips for your convinience; wear black, carry both scissors and a knife, and do this after midnight.
tags: environmental, going green, spiky, kleptomaniac
T is for Tribal – creatively taking cues from nature-based tribal crafts.
Mother nature misses the old days; when we took what we needed, left what we didn't, played wooden flutes and reproduced with our cousins. While we can't rewind the clock, we can revisit tribal arts that echo the simpler times. I selected clay as my medium, but this craft could also use wood, sand, grass and ivory.
tags: sustainable crafts, earth roots, nature, deity worship
U is for Underwater Garden – testing out your green thumb in the big blue.
I was fool for thinking urban gardening ended at the pot plant! Provoked by an empty pickle jar I've now taken my obsession underwater. A self sustaining biosphere can be achieved in a underwater garden with the right number of minerals (rocks and shells), water plants, snails and shrimp. I bought the shrimp, named them, and two of the three have disappeared – I'm devastated, better luck to you.
tags: environmental, hydrosphere, snails, dead shrimp
V is for Vandalism – taking your opinions to the streets!
In the name of a peaceful and sustainable future it's important to graffiti local walls with your mind ramblings. Sure it's illegal but your radical environmental beliefs need to be transferred onto others. I believe silence is more deadly than aerosol cans are to the ozone layer.
tags: environmental rights, human rights, illegal, tacky slogans
W is for Weeds and Wildflowers – are they medicine, food or a darn nuisance?
Recently inner city greenies have had a change of heart; weeds are here to stay so let's eat them quick. Now dandelions, thistle, clover, flea bane, nasturtium and prickly lettuce are all on the menu, coincidentally they are also all growing out of the pavement. While their leaves may be furry and their flowers bitter, weeds are free food. As mother says; the worse it tastes the better it is for you.
tags: gutter gustation, enviro eating, pesticide pallet
X is for Xmas – billions spent every December, but not by you anymore.
Santa's good name has been tainted with the flaws of consumerism; Xmas has got a l'il excessive. In 2012 Australians spent over $16.2 Billion on Christmas so this year it's important we take some of the weight off the north pole. Using recycled paper and handcrafts (sewing, scraps, felt, and crayon) is a great way to recycle the waste of 2013 onto charming gift tags for your beloved.
tags: recycle, consumerism, cute and useless
Y is for Yiayiá – time with the oldies and their depression-era resourcefulness.
A greek grandmama (Yiayiá) is a self sufficient micro organism capable of using every last scrap and keeping waste to a minimum. My Yiayiá recently taught me how to make spanakopita and koulouria – made from scratch and with love.
tags: soul food, family time, hugs, wrinkles
Z is for Zombie Facials – natural ingredients for the ghoul with great skin.
The skin on your face has a rough time surviving in the urban jungle – I regularly worry about bus soot clogging my pores. But before a natural death finds me, I plan to preserve skin I live in, by using the healthy healing help of avocados, oats, honey, and yogurt. Three hours of looking like the living dead will buy you 24 hours of sexy, silky, sustainable skin.
tags: natural ingredients, oily pores, fucken freaky face
Sunday, 22 September 2013
Concept Development
As I noted in the previous post, I'm thinking about 4 things to strengthen the concept and result of my project:
- materiality
- artistic concept and execution
- audience participation
- sustainability
I want to push these 4 groups to their limit and brainstorm a range of ways to improve them.
For materiality, as most of the crafts are complete or planned, this comes down to the product I make and the paper I use. I'll be looking into this in the next week with our paper workshop on Friday and talking to printers. Ideally I want a 100% recycled stock that is visibly recycled as well as professional and beautiful to touch. Housing the postcards in a box/kit also means I want the box to be superbly made and Zoe has given me a contact for this. Ideally this box is fun, bright and desirable! But is it just a box? Does it look like a book but opens up to have loose items? Is it disguised?
For artistic concept and execution, I want to make sure each postcard is designed in a way that it's image side could double as wall art. This means they are big and cleanly laid out. I'll keep the graphics to the information side but need to make sure the images are beautiful, simply, printed nicely and big enough to see all the detail. I want the project to sit as a great item amongst a bookshelf and great ideas and writing.
For audience participation I made the project postcards not a book as a means to get people interacting, sharing and thinking. Could this be pushed even further?
For sustainability I am making sure every project has a green edge to it and this is referenced in the writing and infographics. I think there is something else I could do with the product or how it is received to really push the sustainability message further.
- materiality
- artistic concept and execution
- audience participation
- sustainability
I want to push these 4 groups to their limit and brainstorm a range of ways to improve them.
For materiality, as most of the crafts are complete or planned, this comes down to the product I make and the paper I use. I'll be looking into this in the next week with our paper workshop on Friday and talking to printers. Ideally I want a 100% recycled stock that is visibly recycled as well as professional and beautiful to touch. Housing the postcards in a box/kit also means I want the box to be superbly made and Zoe has given me a contact for this. Ideally this box is fun, bright and desirable! But is it just a box? Does it look like a book but opens up to have loose items? Is it disguised?
For artistic concept and execution, I want to make sure each postcard is designed in a way that it's image side could double as wall art. This means they are big and cleanly laid out. I'll keep the graphics to the information side but need to make sure the images are beautiful, simply, printed nicely and big enough to see all the detail. I want the project to sit as a great item amongst a bookshelf and great ideas and writing.
For audience participation I made the project postcards not a book as a means to get people interacting, sharing and thinking. Could this be pushed even further?
For sustainability I am making sure every project has a green edge to it and this is referenced in the writing and infographics. I think there is something else I could do with the product or how it is received to really push the sustainability message further.
Saturday, 21 September 2013
C is for Crystallise
For C i am going to crystallise (in sugar); citrus fruits, ginger and flowers (preferably native violets and rose petals).
I think they will make for amazing photos!
Updates
So at the moment the project is:
1. 26 jumbo (from an A3 sheet) postcards, with the craft photo on one side and the writing on the other.
2. An A0 poster that summarises all this in alphabetical order.
3. A series of 6 jumbo original postage stamps, with my face on them.
4. An orange box that houses the interactive kit ( the postcards, poster, postage stamp and room for craft supplies)
Feedback from Wednesday included;
- My tone is Amy Sedaris meets Beci Orpin meets Bob Brown. Perfect.
- An alphabet book is an educational tool, be aware of this.
- Watch the tone of all the projects; are they organic/recycled/sustainable. Are any not? Should they be edited out? Most can be twisted to be.
- Jumbo postcards introduce a level of interaction, which is great. Can I add more???
- The series should be strict on colour code, graphic symbols and patterns for each!
- It is indeed a kit.
Concerns from today for the moment;
- The final letters are still (ahhh) resolving; G for guerilla or graffiti (taking Vandalism from V, and making V Vegetarian or Venus Fly Trap). Also J is for Japan and Z is for Zen but I'm not sure what these crafts and causes look like. Getting these last ones decided will be a relief as all the other projects are confidently in my time line (8 fully complete, 4 nearing completion, 5 planned and ready to do in the immediate future, 5 to be arranged on the day of shoot, and 4 still in trouble (G,J,V and Z, as explained).
- Getting all craft done and photographed by October 2nd, but also having the writing done by then. I have design ideas I am ready to jump into thereafter.
- Also I want to add 1 or 2 more layers of concept to the project, I understand what this means when Zoe explains it but need a brainwave to get the idea. Adding another level of participation, artistic concept, resolution, materiality to the project is a lead...
1. 26 jumbo (from an A3 sheet) postcards, with the craft photo on one side and the writing on the other.
2. An A0 poster that summarises all this in alphabetical order.
3. A series of 6 jumbo original postage stamps, with my face on them.
4. An orange box that houses the interactive kit ( the postcards, poster, postage stamp and room for craft supplies)
Feedback from Wednesday included;
- My tone is Amy Sedaris meets Beci Orpin meets Bob Brown. Perfect.
- An alphabet book is an educational tool, be aware of this.
- Watch the tone of all the projects; are they organic/recycled/sustainable. Are any not? Should they be edited out? Most can be twisted to be.
- Jumbo postcards introduce a level of interaction, which is great. Can I add more???
- The series should be strict on colour code, graphic symbols and patterns for each!
- It is indeed a kit.
Concerns from today for the moment;
- The final letters are still (ahhh) resolving; G for guerilla or graffiti (taking Vandalism from V, and making V Vegetarian or Venus Fly Trap). Also J is for Japan and Z is for Zen but I'm not sure what these crafts and causes look like. Getting these last ones decided will be a relief as all the other projects are confidently in my time line (8 fully complete, 4 nearing completion, 5 planned and ready to do in the immediate future, 5 to be arranged on the day of shoot, and 4 still in trouble (G,J,V and Z, as explained).
- Getting all craft done and photographed by October 2nd, but also having the writing done by then. I have design ideas I am ready to jump into thereafter.
- Also I want to add 1 or 2 more layers of concept to the project, I understand what this means when Zoe explains it but need a brainwave to get the idea. Adding another level of participation, artistic concept, resolution, materiality to the project is a lead...
Monday, 16 September 2013
Inspirational A-Z Book
Although I'm questioning wether to make the project an A-Z book, this is a great layout that has me drooling.
Sunday, 15 September 2013
Confessions, Tantrums and Re-evaluations
I'm having a bit of a freak out this weekend. I think I need to restructure things slightly. I've grown sick and tiered of some of my crafts and am feeling a bit overworked from spending at least 12 hrs on each, staying up till 5am most nights. I'm reminded of times when the demand on my creativity has zapped my mind so I think an idea refresh will both reshape/strengthen the project and re-inspire me for another week of hard work .
I've put together a rough book and some of the images are working, some are not. I need to talk to my tutor about these. Feedback coming soon.
I'm also starting to work on ideas for the book itself, incorporating feedback from wednesdays presentation; such as not doing a book but a different form of publications. I'm workshopping these ideas tonight (while still going ahead in producing the mountain of craft I'm making, such as T for Tribal Art, pictured below).
I've put together a rough book and some of the images are working, some are not. I need to talk to my tutor about these. Feedback coming soon.
I'm also starting to work on ideas for the book itself, incorporating feedback from wednesdays presentation; such as not doing a book but a different form of publications. I'm workshopping these ideas tonight (while still going ahead in producing the mountain of craft I'm making, such as T for Tribal Art, pictured below).
Wednesday, 11 September 2013
Interim Presentation & Feedback
Today we presented to our groups, tutors and external marker. The presentation went well but I'm keen for some notes on my presenting skills.
Here is feedback on my project and my thoughts.
- It's clean I love my idea.
- The causes seem a bit random, try to make them consistent. I discussed this and think they are constant; see my previous post about tone.
- Mock up a test book ASAP
- Might need to separate the patterns and white space might be needed.
- I need time to analyse the book and give it a big revision before hand in (reflection time, restructure time). This means the 3 weeks of October are; week 1 - design, week 2 - revise, week 3 - print.
- Is a book the right format? For some people it could be a call to action and needs to grab people more. The visuals and concepts would be great in more loud media.
- Deciding the audience will change the format.
IN RESPONSE - over the next few days I will
- Plan 3 different book layout (only do 1 of them)
- Plan 3 different sets of additional collateral (only do 1 of them)
ALSO
Not sure what tone to take; is this a first person book about me, my suburb and interest (hence my casual language) or do I need to keep it professional/book shop friendly?
Here is feedback on my project and my thoughts.
- It's clean I love my idea.
- The causes seem a bit random, try to make them consistent. I discussed this and think they are constant; see my previous post about tone.
- Mock up a test book ASAP
- Might need to separate the patterns and white space might be needed.
- I need time to analyse the book and give it a big revision before hand in (reflection time, restructure time). This means the 3 weeks of October are; week 1 - design, week 2 - revise, week 3 - print.
- Is a book the right format? For some people it could be a call to action and needs to grab people more. The visuals and concepts would be great in more loud media.
- Deciding the audience will change the format.
IN RESPONSE - over the next few days I will
- Plan 3 different book layout (only do 1 of them)
- Plan 3 different sets of additional collateral (only do 1 of them)
ALSO
Not sure what tone to take; is this a first person book about me, my suburb and interest (hence my casual language) or do I need to keep it professional/book shop friendly?
Tuesday, 10 September 2013
Typography & Design Consideration
I'm still trying to get some type ideas together while I'm working on the craft (October is book design month, but I'm thinking about it a lil now)
I just wanted to talk about these images because they really captivate and inspire me. Obviously they are mostly amazing Japanese design.
I just wanted to talk about these images because they really captivate and inspire me. Obviously they are mostly amazing Japanese design.
Firstly this pink image. I love the softness and strength of it. The wishy wash application of the colour, the thin thin type, the hand generated type and the small info graphics; a map, a stamp and some small print. Theres also a fine illustration and some layering in there. So many soft elements making up a really detailed, unique and kick ass image.
Still loving the idea of creating my own font. This is a great example. I love daggy 1970's serif fonts and the simple hand generated treatments. Not overdone..
I just love this. I love orange a lot. It's simple strong and on point. The kind of design simplicity only the Japanese can execute.
O is for Origami
Draft for O;
TH CRAFT: 'Okay origami is annoying, not as bad as sedoku but it makes me a bit mad. This is a craft for the mathematically minded and the self punishers. Somehow though I've pulled through and produced this darling recycled garden of eden/flowers. Enjoy! I didn't!'
THE CAUSE; 'Paper, paper, paper... gah it's everywhere. At least it's easy to recycle. *add statistic here*. Fold everything you can! I used the Telegraph, some old pink paper, newspaper... even the origami instructions. Lucky for me this project came at a pivotal moment in Australian politics and Tony Aboott and his white devil harem are all folded away neatly in my sneaky flowers - adding a double benefit factor to the cause championing aspect of this craft.'
Do I seem a bit angry in this post? I have just watch 4 hrs of a women's prison show, and I've been folding paper since 1pm... it's past 1am now. You do the math!
UPDATE: its not 3.25am and I've finished a gazzilion origami flowers. Thank god theres no lead in newspaper anymore.
Sunday, 8 September 2013
L is for Lanterns and Light
Firstly I need to tell the thousands of readers of this blog that I'm not posting as much because I'm away making! Which is a very good thing.
Secondly I wanted to note that I'm learning a lot about my design process, such as the black zone between thinking of an idea and execute it. As much as I wanted to work through the ideas and get them done swiftly, there has been a need for experimentation and some failure before finishing each idea off. Because of this many projects are underway but few are 100% completed.
Thridly! The title of the post; L is for Lanterns and Light. Originally L was going to be for lentils, which I'm a strong believer in as they can feel far more people that meat can, using the same amount of land. They are necessary for sustainable food production. However there wasn't a crafty appealing use for lentils, so L is for Lanterns and Light. In this project I will produce 3-4 crafty solutions to this idea.
Last year I produced these lanterns for a subject;
The lanterns used recycled/seed containing paper (grows when planted into Sydney native species) and were produced in 5 different shapes. Being 100% made of paper they were sustainable, except for the small LED light that lit them from within. LED's are however a great solution to lighting, using a fraction of the energy used by traditional lighting. For this project I will not reproduce these as the laser cutting treatment we used to the surfaces is to high-tech and not crafty enough. So I will recreate some of the shapes but with different paper and simplified, hand-cut design. I want to produce 3-4 lanterns for the others could be along the lines of;
I might make L stand for Lights Out, and link this project to earth hour/electricity awareness.
Secondly I wanted to note that I'm learning a lot about my design process, such as the black zone between thinking of an idea and execute it. As much as I wanted to work through the ideas and get them done swiftly, there has been a need for experimentation and some failure before finishing each idea off. Because of this many projects are underway but few are 100% completed.
Thridly! The title of the post; L is for Lanterns and Light. Originally L was going to be for lentils, which I'm a strong believer in as they can feel far more people that meat can, using the same amount of land. They are necessary for sustainable food production. However there wasn't a crafty appealing use for lentils, so L is for Lanterns and Light. In this project I will produce 3-4 crafty solutions to this idea.
Last year I produced these lanterns for a subject;
I find most of these so childish in the best possible way, and if done right they wont look cheap and flimsy but fun, crafty, temporal, and decorative.
The category of L also has the option for me to include some hand rolled beeswax candles. Which I initially produced for B, so we will see where/if they go.
I might make L stand for Lights Out, and link this project to earth hour/electricity awareness.
Thursday, 5 September 2013
Tone Tally
I want to make sure the tone of the book is consistent and looking at the project I have 3 main groups; humour, traditional hand crafts, and plant based. Here is a tally which (as I'm making it right now) will inform what direction I need to push the undecided projects in.
I just did this and was surprised! the results are 6, 7, 6 to traditional craft, plant based and humour. So with the undecided crafts I just need to keep this ratio up!
I just did this and was surprised! the results are 6, 7, 6 to traditional craft, plant based and humour. So with the undecided crafts I just need to keep this ratio up!
Wednesday, 4 September 2013
New Layout?
After the worries of the last post, I've come up with a solution! And it seems to fit my constraints. The book folds at the top, similar to a calendar, and is square. There is 1 page per letter and content. All imagery is made in a square frame, with a circle excluded for text later (so all imagery has to be made with this in mind - eg the embroidery is done on a square piece of fabric, with a circle section left untouched.) See diagram below.
What this means for my existing projects is that some (especially the ones that were confusing me and were maybe a bit out of place) are now redundant and this format is better for flat, patterned and easier to photograph images. For example J for Jar Jungle wont look good, so will be swapped. This also allows me to simplify some projects, such a P for Pickling is not so much about photographic documentation of pickled produce, instead I can use existing pickled produce, cut it up and make a pattern in the grid I've developed.
This means a far simpler list of craft projects - 1 project per letter, each will be patterned around the text. They tentatively are:
A - Alphabets OR Australian Natives
B - Beeswax
C - Crayons OR Clippings
B - Beeswax
C - Crayons OR Clippings
D - Disco Dancer
E - Embroidery
F - Felt
G - Googly Eyes
H - Herbs
I - Ink Illustrations
J -
K - Kleptomania
L - Lentils OR Life (Seeds)
M - Magazine Mockery
N -
O - Origami
P - Pickling
Q - Queer Quraft
R - Recycled Ragdolls
S - Stealing Succulents
T - Tea Time OR Textiles
U -
V - Vandalisation
W - Weeds and Wildflowers
X - Xmas
Y - Yaiyai
Z -
(So there is a few OR options and J, N, U and Z are still undecided! AH! - Also these being undecided leaves open the option to make more humour/eco/plant/art projects depending on what the order needs - I need advice on this from Zoe)
Concerns, Critiques and Beeswax Bees
So I've just emailed my tutor with my current concerns which having worried and loosing sleep! They include;
- the layout!
- photography!
- craft project strength, consistency, tone and clarity
- time frame ( I need time to experiment as well as create finals)
Luckily one creation that has worked out is my beeswax bees which are adorable!
Tuesday, 3 September 2013
Monday, 2 September 2013
Revised A-Z of Crafting for a Cause
Here is my current master list of craft projects. Some (more than I'd like) are still undecided and some are ready to go! I'm still quiet paranoid about photographing them all at the moment as I need a clear well lit studio and I don't have one. I also need photography to be done at different stages and on different days. AH! Each one is being proposed as a 4 page spread; the first page is a blank, the second is the title page (A is for...), then there a double page images spread. The projects in red are still being discussed and have some potential ideas beneath them. Of the projects in black, only a few need revision and I'm worried some need a bit more pow.
A
is for
_
- alphabet/type using A materials (ie apples)
- Aboriginal
B
is for
Beeswax
- beeswax bees
- beeswax candles
C
is for
Crayons
- celebrity drawings
- c word illustrations (ie. cactus)
D
is for
Disco Dancer
- page spread of dance poses
E
is for
Erratic Embroidery
- samples
- envelopes
- big embroidery
F
is for
_
- fruit with faces
- felting
- felines
- flowers
G
is for
Greek Grandmama
(aka Yaiyai)
- spanakopita
- greek biscuits
H
is for
Heartfelt Herbs
- herb bouquets
- herb art
I
is for
Ink Illustrations
- 4 illustrations with eco inks;
1. onion skin
2. berries
3. candle burn/black
4. saffron?
1. onion skin
2. berries
3. candle burn/black
4. saffron?
J
is for
Jar Jungle
- photos of clippings in jars
K
is for
Kleptomania
- spread of stolen items
L
is for
_
- lino
- lights
M
is for
Magazine Mockery
- collage of things from trashy mags
N
is for
_
- newspaper
- noodles
- neon
- nails
O
is for
Origami
- 4 O words made in origami;
- orchids
- oranges
P
is for
Pickling Produce
- photos of home pickled produce:
- pickles
- capsicum
- onions
Q
is for
Queer Quraft
- confeti
- nails
-
-
R
is for
Ragdolls
- a series of 4 small dolls
- 1 bigger doll
S
is for
Stealing Succulents
- arrangements of succulent clippings
T
is for
Tea Time
- 4 tea recipes
- teas in a jar
- teas in a hot cup
U
is for
_
- undies
- upcycling
- UFOs
- used
- underwater
- universe
V
is for
Vandalisation
- 6 messages stenciled and photographed
- 1 more illustrative stencil
Y
is for
Yogurt Masks
- 4 recipes
- photos of people in the masks
X
is for
Xmas
- tree decorations
- cards
- wrapping spread
W
is for
Weeds and Wildflowers
- arrangement of wildflowers/weeds
- 4 plates of nicely presented food/salads
Z
is for
_
- zulu
- zombie
- zinc
- zebra
- zumba
- zero
- zodiac
- zucchini
Friday, 30 August 2013
E is for Embroider Everything!
For the sake of generating enough work for each letter, each letter will be planned as a 3 page spread (6 pages). The first spread is a blank page on the left and an intro on the right. The into includes the E is for Embroider everything, a 1 paragraph description, a rating, a small list of other crafty words and a small teaser image. The next 4 pages/2 spreads is the imagery. For E this include; 1 page of sewn samples (on raw linen?), 1 page of sewn envelopes/stationary/cards, 2 pages of embroidered clothes (undies, jumper and maybe shoes?)
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