31 December 2012

From a to z



Just in time to post my second alphabet for A Letter a Week! (Some background on the project can be found in this post & my first alphabet can be seen on the ALaW blog here.) This alphabet is inspired by the theme 'Going Dotty', meaning it somehow incorporates dots/circles/pixels. It ended up very different from my original concept, which was to have assumed the form of a large 'cube' composed of twenty-seven 7-cm cubes—one for each letter of the alphabet + a 'title' cube. Each cube would have explored a way in which dots/circles are used to communicate/represent/express things in our world...the 'C' cube was to have featured columns as represented in architectural drawings; 'N' focused on musical notes; braille for 'B'; places on maps, i.e. towns & cities, for 'P'; knots for 'K', Venn diagrams for 'V', star maps for 'S' and so on. But as the weeks of the second part of the year flew past, I realized I needed to simplify the project in order to finish in time.

I thought about simply devoting a single cube face to each letter and its subject (instead of an entire cube), but then, as I was making polenta one day, the formation of circles when oil was added to the water caught my attention. I quickly photographed the pan of spotted water with the idea of indulging in some play time with Photoshop later. By using the 'Selective Color' sliders (found under 'Image': 'Adjustments'), going through 'red', 'yellow' & so on (then sometimes returning to a color again after going through the whole menu of colors), I was able to give the incredibly boring photograph some very interesting colors. I then applied the 'Palette Knife' filter to soften the circles a bit. By repeating the 'Selective Color' process on the newly saved image, I was able to further vary the colors, and ended up with a whole rainbow of 'marbled' patterns.

I chose six of my favorite versionsone for each of the six cube faces. Next I spent some time considering words of nine letters or less, with the idea that the letters of each color would form a word. I wanted to include each letter of the alphabet at least once, for a complete 'alphabet'. Despite the flexibility gained from the availability of 54 faces, finding words that used all of the letters was much more difficult than I expected (perhaps because I limited myself to words that I associated with living a creative life).

Many words had to be eliminated because their letters were too 'common'. After filling several journal pages with various letter/word combos, I got out the Scrabble tiles (which were immensely helpful).

These are the words I chose:
be amazed
explore
question
make/give
create joy
wish/find








And here are the 'words' (click to see a larger view)...








I was disappointed to see that I'd forgotten to mask each 'marbled' designmy original intention was that the letters would each feature a different ninth of the design (somehow I realized this only after printing, assembling & photographing the cubes). It would also have been interesting to devote some time photographing the formations that occur when oil joins water—to see the variety that could come from the process. Overall, though, I am happy with this collection of lettered cubes; they are feel good in the hand & are fun to play with.

By the way, this is the original, very humble, image...







And here is a jumble of letters...













 

And a few shots of the cubes taking shape...





*

I hope the year is ending on a good note for everyone. 2012 has brought many wonderful things for me, but these last days have been tinged with sadness...my grandmotherthe one I wrote about in this postpassed away on Christmas night. Her ninety-one years were good ones, and she has been ready to join my grandfather for some time now. It is hard to accept that she is no longer here, but I am glad that she is finally at peace...

May you find peace, and much joy, in 2013...



16 comments:

  1. I wish you peace and happiness too in the new year, Lisa. I'm sorry about your grandmother, I hope your memories of her will always be sweet.

    And these cubes are fantastic, I really love them! I admire the complexity of your approach, wow, the ALAW 2013 project will be so exciting!

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    1. Thank you for your good wishes and thoughts, Ersi. I have enjoyed thinking back over all of the good memories of my Grandma - and my Grandpa, too.
      I am also looking forward to a new year of ALaW, especially with 'peace' as the theme for one of the alphabets...
      - Lisa

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  2. I'm so sorry to hear of the loss of your grandmother. They are very special people indeed. Savor your memories of her and your times together.

    As for your cubes for ALAW...I'm in awe. Just pure, unadulterated awe. And to think it started with oil added to water. Amazing the things that inspire us, isn't it?

    Have a wonderful New Year!

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    1. It is amazing how many memories have come rushing back this past week, and as I talk with others about their recollections of their grandparents I realize how lucky we are to have such special things to remember about them.
      And yes, the oil + water thing was pretty neat...I love how the simplest things can take you down unexpected & interesting paths.
      I'm looking forward to seeing you over on the ALaW 2013 blog this year!
      - Lisa

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  3. The happy memories will always sustain you.
    Thank you for a year of beautiful images and the intricacies of your arriving at such things.Here's to more beauty and happiness!

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    1. Thank goodness for memories...as time marches on, you realize how rich you are for all of the memories.
      Thanks so much for following along with me this year, Diane...And, yes - I'll raise my glass to continuing to discover beauty & happiness!
      - Lisa

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  4. What a fascinating and creative way to make marbled paper. I'm impressed!

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    1. Thanks, Helen! In all honesty, it felt a bit 'lazy' to create a version of 'marbled' paper without size, mordant, pigment, etc., but I like that it did at least originate with oil suspended on water. Plus it was so much fun to see what could be done with such a casual snapshot of our lunch-in-progress! Someday I may see where else the idea can take me...
      - Lisa

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  5. I have just had the lovelies wander thru all of this again Lisa - too quick the first time. Its amazing how it all came together, how the polenta inspired the paper and the coloured cubes spell words and...well just about everything. Thanks for being so great at sharing your process and your thinking - I am always inspired.

    The loss of your grandmother is a real sadness for you all - and I wish you strength in your sadness, and lots of happy memories to remind you. Go well into 2013...

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    1. Thank you for your generous words, Fiona. It's been a lot of fun to join the inspiring group of artists you've brought together for ALaW...and so interesting to see how many different ways the magical 26 letters of our alphabet can be interpreted. I just love the potential inherent in the merging of letters/words & visual art.
      I appreciate your kind words about my Grandma, and am indeed taking comfort from all of the wonderful memories that stretch back to my childhood...
      - Lisa

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  6. Hello Lisa,
    I am sorry to hear about your grandmother-may she always be at peace and may you have happy memories of her.

    Your creative process is always such a pleasure to read about and see the results of. So interesting how making polenta can lead to these. I love the 'marbled' look, colors, and playfulness of these cubes.

    Hope you and yours are having a wonderful New Year.

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    1. Thank you for stopping by, Sophia, and for your kindness...I think knowing my Grandma is at peace helps a lot. She enjoyed - and fully appreciated - so many wonderful experiences in her lifetime, and she will always be a part of her family and friends and other people she touched during her nine decades.
      I am quite amused by the link between making polenta and these 'marbled' cubes, and wonder what surprises the kitchen holds for me this year!
      Happy 2013! (Still finding it hard to believe a new year has begun...)
      - Lisa

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  7. Hi Lisa- The other day, I quickly glanced at your beautiful photos and it is only today that I am sitting down to really read and grasp the process that created these wonderful cubes. I am always so amazed at how you approach your work. There are always so many levels. And the fact that you follow through on all those levels is just awesome!

    I was so sorry to hear about your Grandmother. I hope the memories of her will keep you strong and put a smile on your face. Know that I am thinking of you...Julie

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    1. Hi Julie - thank you for visiting to have a look at this latest project of mine...and for your much appreciated comments. I'm glad to hear you have also joined this year's edition of 'A Letter a Week', and am excited to follow the evolution of your alphabet(s)!
      Thanks also for your thoughts about my Grandma...it's true that many wonderful moments & memories - things I haven't thought about for years - have been surfacing this past week. I feel lucky to have so many reasons to smile...
      - Lisa

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  8. Just catching up on the last couple posts...thank you, as always. I love the dotty spotty marbled font cubes! Very clever and intriguing.
    Wishes for all that is calm and bright, and hugs for the beautiful woman = Grandma.

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed the cubes, Aimée! And thank you for the wishes & hugs...
      - Lisa

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