I made the mistake of focusing my thumbnailing process on the Meera Syal book and forgetting theBenjamin Zephaniah book. I will note is that I have coincidentally sewn the perfect amount of feathers on the tail, to spell the title out. I will be experimenting with positioning the title over the tail in the thumbnail sketches. (26/11/2020) Update: I hate all three of my ideas. I have been back on pinterest, looking at how other people have approached photographing their own artdolls and such in a minimalist way. I want the fabric sculpture to be the main focus of the cover, my thumbnail sketches were creating more and more work for me to do (eg. Make another model of mini Benjamin Zephaniah? Make a mini boombox and a rasta hat? Sew dreadlocks on the turkey!).
(26/11/2020)
So here's my finished turkey! A big change from my test run. There were a lot of flaws in the first attempt that I wanted to iron out in the finished version.
So here's my finished turkey! A big change from my test run. There were a lot of flaws in the first attempt that I wanted to iron out in the finished version.
- I recognised that I wanted beads for eyes a long time ago but forgot to add the hole in the process of the first bird. Making this mistake early on gave me the advantage for the second run to remember to add it early on.
- In the first attempt, I was only using scrap fabric that had been sat in my cupboard for years (didn't want to waste the good stuff). In doing this, I realised that a lot is lost from using bland coloured fabrics. I took that on board and added bright colours for my turkey. It worked out in my favour, I think.
- Adding frilly loops of fabric to the wings and tail was REALLY time consuming (it took me half a day to do). I decided to scrap that idea (even if it was a similar texture to the feathers of a turkey). I don't feel like it needed the frills in the end, thankfully!
- I also repositioned the wattles (the dangly red bits) on my second attempt because they were too low down and angled incorrectly in the first attempt.
(23/11/2020)
I haven't forgotten about the second book jacket - Talking Turkeys. Over the past few days, I've been accumulating the parcel deliveries of materials I've required to make my fabric figurine. Once I had all the supplies, I carried on to print and prepare the pattern of a 'hen' from the book 'The Artful Bird' by Abby Glassenburg. I found it very tedious to sew the wings and tail to the body (but now I look back, it's more perhaps because I hadn't taken breaks from the sewing machine and such that day at all, so I was getting tired and grumpy anway). What I've learned from this TEST RUN is that the blank canvas is easy to produce. The embellishing process is definitely the more time consuming part of it all. I will be keeping the wattle pattern as I think that worked well, I could think more about the positioning of it though - it looks wonky as hell.
Theres a pattern in the book that's a better shape for the 'turkey' look I'm going for. I also will be rethinking the fabric choices for the wings and tail as the ones from the hen were so annoying (fraying and falling to bits. I was using hessian material so it was destined to fail). I need to tweak the new pattern and add the elements from my test run next.
I haven't forgotten about the second book jacket - Talking Turkeys. Over the past few days, I've been accumulating the parcel deliveries of materials I've required to make my fabric figurine. Once I had all the supplies, I carried on to print and prepare the pattern of a 'hen' from the book 'The Artful Bird' by Abby Glassenburg. I found it very tedious to sew the wings and tail to the body (but now I look back, it's more perhaps because I hadn't taken breaks from the sewing machine and such that day at all, so I was getting tired and grumpy anway). What I've learned from this TEST RUN is that the blank canvas is easy to produce. The embellishing process is definitely the more time consuming part of it all. I will be keeping the wattle pattern as I think that worked well, I could think more about the positioning of it though - it looks wonky as hell.
Theres a pattern in the book that's a better shape for the 'turkey' look I'm going for. I also will be rethinking the fabric choices for the wings and tail as the ones from the hen were so annoying (fraying and falling to bits. I was using hessian material so it was destined to fail). I need to tweak the new pattern and add the elements from my test run next.
To Do List
- Hand-letter the front page reviews and scan lettering
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My most recent thumbnails for the composition have all gone down the pan because I decided two nights ago that I could incorporate all three characters into the book cover. So all the previous attempts where I focused on only one subject, are of no use to me anymore.
Here's the idea that I currently have for the composition, where the backdrop that I'll be photographing the models on, will also act as the blank canvas to display all the text on the back page. While keeping in mind that all the elements you can see will be made into 3D objects, it's going to be a hell of a lot to produce. So next step is to make a list of things to do and tick them off as I go along the way. |
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Another limitation to my work is, now that lockdown has been initiated again, I'm having to order all my supplies online. I've spent over £50 on materials for this project and now it's a case of me relying on mail services to bring my stuff with enough time for me to actually use it before the deadline hits. I have the intention of creating a sari outfit for my model to wear in the scene I'm making. I've bought a scarf and plenty of beads and borace lace to embellish the costume with. Fingers crossed I can actually make the stuff before the deadline hits.
Meera Syal book jacket: I'm struggling because the concept from the extraction I found earlier on in my website is quite a heavy one. I want to convey the 'British Indian' feel to the book in a way that isn't disrespectful. Also, some of the ideas I have are quite hard to sketch as thumbnails. For example, I had an idea to buy some thick acetate, scratch graffiti into it like you'd see on bus stop shelter glass, and place it in front of the camera lens to make it look like she's sitting at a bus stop or something.
Talking turkeys book jacket: I want this one to pretty simple, not too much going on. Once I figure out what my turkey is actually going to look like, I can get a better feel for what colour the background should be (waiting on fabrics and materials I've bought online to come through the mail to start). I don't know whether it's appropriate to make the book jacket chrismassy considering the other poems inside probably aren't; I think I should maybe stray away from the x-mas tree idea I have in there somewhere.
Talking turkeys book jacket: I want this one to pretty simple, not too much going on. Once I figure out what my turkey is actually going to look like, I can get a better feel for what colour the background should be (waiting on fabrics and materials I've bought online to come through the mail to start). I don't know whether it's appropriate to make the book jacket chrismassy considering the other poems inside probably aren't; I think I should maybe stray away from the x-mas tree idea I have in there somewhere.
I've been struggling to find any information on the Meera Syal book that has any significance to the task of creating this book jacket. It took a while to form some sort of image in my head about the complextities of the narrative. Now, I have found a great source (actually for school children to access for study guides and such) which goes into depth about quotes, metaphors, imagery and themes that run throughout the book. Exactly what I've been hunting for!
Ask most of my girlfriends, ranging in hue from tinted copper to Dravidian blue-black; between them they run business empires, save lives on operating tables, mould and develop young minds, trade in non-existent commodities with shouting barrow boys, kick ass across courtrooms and computer screens. In the outside world, they fly on home-grown wings. Then they reach their front doors and forget it all."
https://www.gradesaver.com/life-isnt-all-ha-ha-hee-hee
"Syal is writing this book to shed light on how her fellow Asian women have embraced fulfilling careers and maintained healthy families, but they are trying to fill too many shoes. Subject to a culture which places women in the home, these women have attempted to fulfil all of those home duties and to succeed in careers as well. Shame appears to be the common motivator."
The section taken from the website linked in this note, has created a concept in my head. An unbalanced equilibrium of success in and outside of the home. Stepping out of the house as a successful career driven woman, and back into the house as a traditional punjabi housewife and mother. The fight to keep both separate but blossoming, trying to maintain a status in both working life and home life.
Ask most of my girlfriends, ranging in hue from tinted copper to Dravidian blue-black; between them they run business empires, save lives on operating tables, mould and develop young minds, trade in non-existent commodities with shouting barrow boys, kick ass across courtrooms and computer screens. In the outside world, they fly on home-grown wings. Then they reach their front doors and forget it all."
https://www.gradesaver.com/life-isnt-all-ha-ha-hee-hee
"Syal is writing this book to shed light on how her fellow Asian women have embraced fulfilling careers and maintained healthy families, but they are trying to fill too many shoes. Subject to a culture which places women in the home, these women have attempted to fulfil all of those home duties and to succeed in careers as well. Shame appears to be the common motivator."
The section taken from the website linked in this note, has created a concept in my head. An unbalanced equilibrium of success in and outside of the home. Stepping out of the house as a successful career driven woman, and back into the house as a traditional punjabi housewife and mother. The fight to keep both separate but blossoming, trying to maintain a status in both working life and home life.
Review on Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee by Meera Syal
This is "Review on Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee by Meera Syal" by Hannah Park on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
Sourced from: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Isnt-All-Ha-Hee/dp/1784161187
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Sunita, the eldest, used to be 'super swot' until she flunked out of university to marry her psychotherapist sweetheart, Akaash . Then she turned into 'SuperMummyji'. Now she feels trapped by two kids and an unfulfilling job.
'Gob Almighty' Tania is the ambitious career girl who's left her family and 'community' behind. Speaking her mind got her into trouble but out of Ilford. The baby of the gang, sweet, naive Chila, is getting married. She's bagged the Prince Charming of Chigwell himself, Deepak Sharma - the man of her dreams. But he has a catalogue of former girlfriends - including Tania. Both heart-warming and heartbreaking, it's inspired by the juxtaposition of two news stories running in the same newspaper, on the same day: One headlined 'Asian Women Top the Graduate League' and on the opposite page 'Asian Women Top the Suicide and Self Harm League'. " Info from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/hahaheehee/ |
Glassenberg, A, P. (2010) the artful bird, Interweave Press.
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To the left, is a DIY crafting book for making small birds of all sorts. One that isn't on the list is turkeys, but I'm not going to let that stop me. Inside, is information and tutorials into how to craft birds to look similar to the ones on the front page. The list of materials I'll need is super long and with a second lockdown under way, access to shops is at a ZERO. So, I'm going to look through the pages and gather all the materials on amazon to be sent to the house asap. Looks like I'll be trial and erroring on this little guy for a while. |
Pet Chicken Ranch
I approach the building of a hen similar to creating a painting. Starting with the perfect form and fabric for the particular hen. The layers of fabric and thread build and respond to one another. Every step, every choice, is made with great care.
I found this website while roaming through pinterest for some patterns to make a stuffed, felted turkey. She doesn't actually make turkeys in her work but all of the variations of chickens that she has created by chosing appropriate fabrics and such is absolutely amazing to me. I have taken inspiration from her approach and over the next few days, I'm hoping I can accumulate a good load of fabrics and research how to make one of these bad boys! Obviously, the pattern she is using is for to create a chicken but if I just use a similar template and enlarge it, I'm sure I can customise the design in a way that can resemble a turkey?...
Lets find out!
Lets find out!
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Sourced from: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Talking-Turkeys-Puffin-Benjamin-Zephaniah/dp/0141362960
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