More Veg Drawings

I did loads of observational drawings at the start of the project and they made for a really strong foundation to develop my project from later on. I used food colouring (cheaper than ink!) and an inky fine liner to add definition. I also managed to sell a few at the exhibition shop, but forgot to take photos of them before they sold boo!

'Zine's

This is a little how to zine about the basics of growing veg. This was a fun little extension of the project, I enjoyed doing extra books, samples and collections of ideas. I think they added interest to the project.This was easily made from one sheet of A3, there are lots of how to's online. Zine's (zeeen) are mini magazines, ('zine get it?) mine might not be the most inspirational but there are lots online, by band fans, fashion enthusiasts etc.

Gardening tools

As my FMP theme was Power of Making, drawing tools linked perfectly. I made a sketchbook with inky drawings, mono-prints and finally Photoshop repeat patterns all of gardening tools. I really enjoyed making these drawings and I also managed to get quite a lot done quickly.I always need to have a project that allows lots of drawing, that's were the later inspiration develops from for me. 

A Book For Remembering

Whilst I was sourcing all my research from my gran's box of things she kept from the war, (containing ration books, photo's, newspaper cuttings etc). I came across a series of letters from her brother who died during the war, and the awful telegrams that many families would have received from the king. I felt I needed to include this sad part of the story and not just the nostalgic rose tinted specs' type ideas of community spirit and the sort, in my project.

So this is a little book about remembering. Again I used a mixture of stitch, reclaimed fabrics, sheet music, passages from the letters, lace and various relevant motifs.

Little Books

After gaining a new found enthusiasm for sketch-booking I made more. These books went down quite well at uni. The first book here was inspired by clothing coupon books they used throughout the 40s and 50s in Britain.I photocopied each page of the coupon book and made mini mood-pages combining stitch,pieces of old fabric,lace and copies of labels from various vintage buttons and hooks and eyes etc. 

This next book was about "Make Do and Mend" I used instructions from old dress making patterns and knitting patterns along with reclaimed pieces of lace, fabric and bits and bobs from an old sewing box. All sourced from my gran's sewing room!

What to do when you loose inspiration with your sketchbook...

I approached this project a little differently from previous ones, for the first time I didn't have one big chunky sketchbook I had a number of books; 14 in the end (yes 14 books for one 10 week project I was proud!)

 I'd often felt a lack of inspiration, and daunted by the wad of white pages in a new sketchbook. So I divided the sections of the project into different books; a research book, drawing books, a collage book, mono print book etc.  

This new way of looking at my project actually inspired me to try more things. I also felt a greater sense of achievement as I was completing a few books a week. Plus I had fun making the books, this book here was the first I made, its a kind of look book/ moodboard in book form/ collection of ideas type thing! Based on ration books.

I used watercolour paper, and a mix of reclaimed fabrics, text,stitch,lace,photocopies from my grandparents ration books and sketches of veg.