4 Words For Paper

4 Words For Paper Zine...comic...errr...publication

2011-04-03T21:34:00.000-07:00

Turning the artists books from Round I of this project into a zine/comic...publication of sorts has taken longer than first thought.
I thought, 'Hey...i can work on this before i REALLY get started on my Graphic Novel...you know, get it out of they way, since all of the work is already done + just sitting there...this will be a cinch...+ done in no time'
Choosing the first 3 of the 12, so i can make 3 possibly 4 zines in total.

Peasy, right?!

The crux of it is this...having used antique + vintage materials in the artist books they looked fantastic...in the flesh.
When i have taken them out to share, you get a sense of the overall project... 12 red envelopes means, 12 artist books, means 1 full project...all uniformly lined up or spread out, open - showing their individual contents...
I thought it would be nice + simple to create a zine from all the work that i had put into each book.
Upon seeing these scanned images open on my laptop screen...they just looked really flat + lifeless.
Also...the amount of time that has lapsed, made me feel as tho i couldn't 'recapture' or emulate what i was doing when i created these artists books ( i made these in 2007 to 2008)
So, knowing that i have (as most creatives who constantly hone thier skills + explore new ways to cultivate their practice) since evolved...i knew i couldn't go backwards...

I also wasn't happy with presenting this project in the printed format....to share + sell the way that they were.
So i just said 'F*ck it' + decided to re-do the whole thing.
I tried re-working the panels into greyscale...but it lost alot of detail + it was too grey...+ i held off making it colour due to costs for printing + what i may have to charge (Are the people willing to pay for this?, Will people buy it?...ultimately, i don't care if nobody buys it...everything is ultimately practice for the next project anyway)
So i chose to stay with colour...

That means
1. Re-drawing all the images
2. Scanning
3. Tweaking the contrast + adjusting the colours etc
4. Re-working each new version of the drawing, digitally.
5. Adding new elements to replace some of the items i took out form each panel due to lackluster or flatness.
6. Making each panel cohesive to the one previous + the one after it.

The equation is this.....

Project 1 has 4 Panels
Project 2 has 8 panels
Project 3 has 4 panels

That totals 16 panels of art (all of which has been re-done from scratch pretty much)

Then you add the 2 covers
Plus the 1 intro to the project page + the 2 pages at the back for artist info + original jpegs -
+ the 3 Project word intro/meaning pages

EQUALS - 24 pages in total

That's part of the process i have gone thru to get the following variations of the 2nd of the 3 Artist Books i am compiling for this 'Zine'/Comic/Publication...

Here are some images of original artist book + the newer versions...

Here is the 1st variation/version of the cover...it has since changed...on the right is how the 'Project page' info looks - they have the 4 words to each project, along with their meaning

The challenges being met, by way of colour VS grey scale...layout ideas + a mock copy of the way the zine/comic thingo would look...(the cover won't be red...as that's the only cardboard i had left, which were actually leftovers from the envelopes that 'house' each artist book)

The 1st proper colour printing of a version of the panels for the 1st project - on the right is a panel from the 2nd project...getting there...but not finished.

This is a comparison of the original artist book + the new digitized version...this is the 3rd panel from the 2nd project

A detail + the full (7th) panel (Still not completely finished here) from the 2nd project.

This is (what i thought, until about 3 days ago) the finished version of the new 1st page panel of the 2nd project...i have since re-done this...see below

The new panel reworked into a 'newer' version...

Here is the 1st print practise i did last week...this pic looks a bit yellowie due to the photo being taken at night in the studio...

Well, that's my update + i will be back to show you more...when i gets it dones...
I hope to be finished by the end of next week, but i have been saying that for the last month now...getting lost in details...down the rabbit hole...

...Filka...

...UPDATES...

2010-12-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

I am currently updating the blog
There will be better info + images for each of the projects already completed.
Also some information on Round III.

There was a lot of work that wasn't finished or handed in for Round II, so i was thinking of extending the projects times out from 4 weeks to 6...as i have just finished being a participant for the PENNY BLACK PROJECT which allowed for each stamp to be completed in a 6 week time bracket...

I think this formula will work better also in anticipation of receiving mail + sending it too - as i am looking for some international artists for this round...it might make the whole process easier to work with.

E J Zyla # 6

2009-01-06T21:10:00.003-08:00

Insert pic here

Helen # 6

2009-01-06T21:10:00.001-08:00

pic here

Joanna # 6

2009-01-06T21:08:00.000-08:00

Artist Book

Gail # 6

2009-01-06T21:07:00.000-08:00

The hand made paper reads..."The Poppy Flowers...(can't read this word)...the Blue Ribbon of water breaks the Drought"

Hiatus

2008-12-28T21:28:00.000-08:00

4 Words For Paper is on holidays

all will be fixed and updated and new things will appear in the new year-

Round III anyone???

Project # 6 Words

2008-09-02T22:04:00.000-07:00

Words for Project # 5 - sent out 3rd September 08

Insert pic here.....

Ribbon
Poppy
Blue
Drought

Due back 1st October 08

E J Zyla # 5

2008-09-02T22:03:00.000-07:00

Insert Pic here

Helen # 5

2008-09-02T22:02:00.002-07:00

Insert Pic here

Joanna # 5

2008-09-02T22:02:00.001-07:00

"I was floundering a bit for an idea, and so was reading up about comics on Wikipedia and read that comics are narratives told with pictures when something clicked.

I had dug out these old copies of How & Why Wonder books that I got at last year’s Lifeline’s Bookfest for P4 and just started cutting out pictures I liked – without any real purpose, just hoping that something would happen.

I cut out a picture of a women hanging out laundry which I really liked and left it on top of the pile, the next book to cut up was one on WWII which I didn’t think really fitted, that was until I slept on it.

I started thinking about what all the men in the pictures were fighting for, and also what the price of a peaceful domestic home life is, and then I decided that the WWII pictures fitted better with the lady hanging laundry than any of the other pictures I had cut out.

When I finished it I thought I’d call it ‘the book of war’."

Gail # 5

2008-09-02T21:47:00.000-07:00

"The cover is made from hemp pulp poured over various objects it was then painted with acrylic paint.

The pages are hemp and cotton with pulppainting of recycled and plant fibre paper (left over from another project), the text and images are stamped using a range of commercial and handcut stamps."

Project # 5 Words

2008-08-04T04:45:00.004-07:00

Words for Project # 5 - sent out 4th August 08

Quiz
Sultry
Comic
Concept

Due back 1st September 08

E J Zyla # 4

2008-08-04T04:45:00.003-07:00

Images to be added

Helen # 4

2008-08-04T04:45:00.001-07:00

Stickers, animal print, vinyl + a Letter/description

Jo # 4

2008-08-04T04:43:00.001-07:00

"I had become quite preoccupied with the patterned lining of envelopes – I’m sure there’s a special name for the pattern but annoyingly I can’t recall what it is – and I had wanted to include it somehow. Nothing was really clicking until for some reason my brain connected the word forge with sailing ships. I had an old How & Why Wonder book on ships, and the envelope pattern would be perfect for a wavy ocean. All I needed then was a squid or an octopus."

Gail #4

2008-08-04T03:55:00.000-07:00

Artist Book

Project # 4 Words

2008-07-06T19:34:00.000-07:00

Words for Project # 4 - sent out 3rd July 08

Forge
Sticky
Hide
Texture

Due back 1st August 08

E J Zyla # 3

2008-07-06T19:33:00.003-07:00

Insert pic here

Helen # 3

2008-07-06T19:33:00.001-07:00

Insert pic here

Joanna # 3

2008-07-06T19:32:00.001-07:00

Artist Book

Gail # 3

2008-07-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

Artist book

Handmade paper

A3/A4

Project # 3 Words

2008-06-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

Words for Project # 3 - sent out Tuesday 3rd June 08

Plus
Macerate
Bewildered
Antique

Due back Tuesday 1st July 08

E J Zyla # 2

2008-06-01T19:19:00.001-07:00

Awaiting Project....

Helen # 2

2008-06-01T19:18:00.001-07:00

Awaiting project....

Joanna # 2

2008-06-01T19:14:00.000-07:00

Artist Book with pop out

Gail # 2

2008-06-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

"The paper is hemp fabric which has been through my beater and the veges have been lightly cooked then pressed onto fresh paper and dried slowly between cloths in a press. The veges I used were zuchini, cucumber, carrot, celery and red cabbage."

Project # 2

2008-05-05T21:16:00.002-07:00

Words for Project # 2 - sent out on the Tuesday 6th of May 08

Words are
Industrial
Palindrome
Distance
Ramble
Due back on Monday the 2nd of June

E J Zyla # 1

2008-05-05T21:16:00.001-07:00

Mixed Media - Artist Books
14.7 x 11.2cm
Inks, tissue papers, ribbon, pencil, watercolours.
1. A FOOLS ERRAND

2. THE RATIONAL PHOBIC

3. I A SCRIBE

4. MODERN VOODOO

Helen # 1

2008-05-05T21:15:00.002-07:00

Mixed media - Hand made book
Process + next set of words

Joanna # 1

2008-05-05T21:15:00.001-07:00

A folding hand made book + next words

Gail # 1

2008-05-05T21:12:00.000-07:00

A4
Hand made paper collage.
Word Process + next set of words

Project # 1

2008-04-01T03:10:00.000-07:00

Words for Project - sent out on the Tuesday 1st of April 08

Due back Thursday 1st of May 08

4W4P - Peeps

2008-04-01T02:50:00.000-07:00

Introducing the newest particpants of Four Words For Paper...Round II

Helen Nehill - Helen is a Sydney-based artist and illustrator. She works mostly with pen & ink and collage, and takes photographs obsessively.

Joanna Coltman - Joanna creates Zines and artists books.

Gail Stiffe - Gail has been making paper since 1984 and books since approximately 1990. She has explored most aspects of handpapermaking and specialises in pulp painting and plant fibre papermaking.

and me......again......E J Zyla - Is a visual artist who writes, illustrates and creates her own books and zines.

Round II

2008-04-01T02:49:00.001-07:00

4 Words For Paper
Round II

Intro:
A dedication to paper and words
Where the paper art of letter writing is fast becoming a thing of the past –
Instead of conventional letters it’s the actual use of sending these ‘letters’ that is the tradition that will be a focus and a foundation-
The action of recording something to share with another person that will eventually be kept for posterity-
Letters are a real and personal way to recall how things were as we are able to capture a sense of personality, time and placement-
The human connection-
The idea behind it is to re-animate the letter writing format-
Using the tradition/ritual behind letter writing and making it speak a more modern language…

About:
E J Zyla started the ‘4 Words For Paper’ project in January 2007-
The idea was to involve artists of high artistic skill and creativity, to find local artists who had an understanding and grounding in works on paper/ bookbinding/zines etc- A call out was made to
3 other artists (E J Zyla makes 4, as project manager) and all were interested in participating – The brief was sent out with an outline for the motivations of the project - The project commenced 8th January 07 and the 1st four words were sent out – participants were given one month and found this to be sufficient time in which to complete the task-
The projects’ first round had run for 14 months due to a few hiccups in deadlines and so forth –
Round II will run for over 6 months not including the exhibition time -

Inspiration:

This project is about challenging the way you work as much as the way we communicate –so I offer the idea up of not going with what is safe or comfortable – this is a project that offers you a chance to work with creative ideas to compliment the new words for each project – try something different –
For the1st round of 4W4P I set out to create a series of journals. I had a plan, (also one of the other participants did this also (postcards)), which were artists books in their own right- as I knew that I had 12 projects to complete this allowed me to set out a plan as to what I wanted to create- I was then able to manipulate that format depending on what words were sent each month – so each little journal/artists book is different yet still connect to the main idea – I have been able to create envelopes, bookplates, a box and smaller companion books from the main idea from this project –
You might want to have a plan to work to or just take it as it comes with each project –

4 Words For Paper - Finale

2008-03-28T05:36:00.000-07:00

Over view and update for 4W4P - Round I -

4 Words For Paper ran for over a year starting with the call out to artists in December of 2006

Artists chosen having recieved the project overview, were then sent out the 1st set of words in January 2007

The project ran for over the year mark due to time over lapping on words + projects due back as is to be expected with a new project, a small number of people to co-ordinate + personal schedules.

The last set of words were sent out in March of 2008 + due back April 2008.

Overall the 1st round of 4 Words For Paper project ran for 16 months.

In that time the individual works were shown at

The Carina Library
Brisbane Square Library
Bulimba Library
Grange Library

Here is what the Cabinent at The Grange Library looked like

E J Zyla # 12

2008-03-28T04:33:00.000-07:00

Insert pic here

Travis # 12

2008-03-28T04:31:00.001-07:00

Michelle # 12

2008-03-28T04:27:00.000-07:00

Jay Dee # 12

2008-03-28T04:25:00.000-07:00

Project # 12

2008-03-28T04:16:00.000-07:00

Words for project 12 -

For this project - i made the participants choose words from the other artists that weren't used for the project -

M picks from Jay Dee

Travis picks from Michelle

Michelle from M

Jay Dee from Travis

The words chosen were

Transform
Footprint
Garden
Shadow

E J Zyla # 11

2008-03-28T04:12:00.001-07:00

Insert pic here

Travis # 11

2008-03-28T04:10:00.001-07:00

This is an A3 sized piece that breaks up into hexagonal puzzle pieces and on the back is a small written piece about the 4 words and their use for the piece - individual pieces fit together also to make small puzzles also -

Michelle # 11

2008-03-28T04:09:00.000-07:00

Jay Dee # 11

2008-03-28T03:54:00.000-07:00

4W4P Call-out Round II

2008-03-05T19:01:00.000-08:00

Download this flyer for details

Project # 11

2008-02-12T20:33:00.000-08:00

Words for Project # 11

Sidenote

Puzzle

Magic

Hope

E J Zyla # 10

2008-02-12T20:31:00.001-08:00

148 pages of writing and pictures then flipped over and the same again

One side done 'traditionally' in caligraphy ink then the other side done in pen

Hand made + bound artist book.

Full of pen + ink story scratchings.

Covers on both sides are hand carved

Travis # 10

2008-02-12T20:29:00.001-08:00

This is an A4 sized piece that folds in on itself to create the story -

Michelle # 10

2008-02-12T20:24:00.001-08:00

Jay Dee # 10

2008-02-12T20:20:00.001-08:00

Project # 10

2008-02-12T20:17:00.000-08:00

Words for Project # 10

Fixed
Tome
Together
History

E J Zyla # 9

2008-02-12T20:11:00.001-08:00

I have created 4 Tarot cards, each representing the word.

Accompanied by 'interpretive reference cards'

4 Tarot cards

Mixed Media on 220 gsm card

Travis # 9

2008-02-12T20:09:00.001-08:00

Michelle # 9

2008-02-12T20:02:00.001-08:00

Jay Dee # 9

2008-02-12T19:49:00.000-08:00

Project # 9

2008-02-12T19:43:00.000-08:00

Words for Project # 9

Cherry

Skeleton

Compromise

Grams

E J Zyla # 8

2008-02-12T19:40:00.000-08:00

1 of a bunch of photo styled pictures
Unfinished Project...i hope to finish this one as i have all the story done-

It just comes down to time really

STORY

I looked at Greif and he took me to his mother

The Queen a Crone, shone her dark eyes upon me
“The world has room for you” she said
As grief leans in to touch the surface of my skin
Forming a Darken that finds a place beside me
My Darken can make a forming out of my desire
Darken can make me a desire
And place in it a part of its own self
I am / me
ə Җ
I a desire for darken and comfort
The mother love of grief
I, her newest daughter
Find a place away from her attention
And play for darken with grief

Travis # 8

2008-02-12T19:35:00.000-08:00

.....It's in the post......

Michelle # 8

2008-02-12T19:31:00.001-08:00

Jay Dee # 8

2008-02-12T19:25:00.000-08:00

Project # 8

2008-02-12T19:19:00.000-08:00

Words for Project # 8

Room
Surface
Darken
Crone

E J Zyla # 7

2008-02-12T19:07:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed making this project.

The second page has a fold out cut-out hand painted design to reveal a hidden message.

Artists Book

1 of 4 pages

Mixed media + Antique Paper

Size - 21.6 x 11cm

Created 2007

STORY

The horizon is my best friend and my enemy

As tangents play shapes and become a story, a life

The Void fills...the world expands...i need to catch my breath

The love + loves on the horizon, My best friend + my enemy

Four Words For Paper Exhibition

2008-01-05T22:39:00.000-08:00

This exhibtion runs from the 6th of January until the 27th of January 2008
Any and all intrested parties in participating in round 2 are to contact me (M.Squared) here - c_mujook@yahoo.com.au

Send 3 to 5 Jpegs at 72 dpi of current work for submission -
All enquiries will be responded to -

If you are after Contact details to any of the other artists you can contact me or the artists directly-

BRISBANE SQUARE LIBRARY Cabinent 1

2008-01-05T22:15:00.001-08:00

Cabinent 1

BRISBANE SQUARE LIBRARY Cabinent 2

2008-01-05T22:04:00.000-08:00

Cabinent 2

BRISBANE SQUARE LIBRARY Cabinent 3

2008-01-05T21:54:00.000-08:00

Cabinent 3

BRISBANE SQUARE LIBRARY Cabinent 4

2008-01-05T21:46:00.000-08:00

Cabinent 4

BRISBANE SQUARE LIBRARY Cabinent 5

2008-01-05T21:39:00.001-08:00

Cabinent 5

BRISBANE SQUARE LIBRARY Cabinent 6

2008-01-05T21:17:00.001-08:00

Cabinent 6

BRISBANE SQUARE LIBRARY Cabinent 7

2008-01-05T21:06:00.000-08:00

Cabinent 7

BRISBANE SQUARE LIBRARY Exhibition photos

2008-01-05T20:53:00.001-08:00

Cabinent 8

Travis # 7

2008-01-05T00:54:00.000-08:00

........It's in the post..........

Michelle # 7

2008-01-05T00:48:00.001-08:00

Jay Dee # 7

2008-01-05T00:43:00.001-08:00

PROJECT # 7

2008-01-05T00:42:00.000-08:00

Words for Project # 7

Horizon
Void
Love
Tangent

E J Zyla # 6

2008-01-05T00:30:00.000-08:00

Following on from the previous artist book, i wanted to make a 'cheap' version of project #5.

Cardboard covers with spray painted stencil covers.

Edged with masking tape + bound with ribbon, this artists book is full of snippets from primary school work books, found paper objects, left over scraps of writing, preliminary idea scribbles etc

Artists Book

Mixed media + Antique Paper

Size - 21.6 x 11cm

Created 2007

Travis # 6

2008-01-05T00:27:00.001-08:00

.....it's in the Post.....

Michelle # 6

2008-01-05T00:08:00.001-08:00

Jay Dee # 6

2008-01-05T00:03:00.000-08:00

PROJECT # 6

2008-01-05T00:02:00.000-08:00

Words for Project # 6

Note
Fragile
Wanderlust
Decode

E J Zyla # 5

2008-01-04T23:50:00.001-08:00

Artists book made with different found antique papers.

Inside this book are some tales + sketches.

Travis # 5

2008-01-04T23:44:00.000-08:00

Michelle # 5

2008-01-04T23:26:00.001-08:00

Jay Dee # 5

2008-01-04T23:19:00.001-08:00

PROJECT # 5

2008-01-04T23:17:00.000-08:00

Repetition
Crave
Journey
Disguise

E J Zyla # 4

2007-12-31T18:15:00.000-08:00

I will admit i was pushed for time with this project, having gone all out for the first 3.

I decided to go with a recycling theme + use some of the interesting paper shapes + leftovers from the first three projects + tying it in with the 4 words.

STORY

THIS - Found a shape in the dark + captured it with a blind judgment
MUST BE - A lucid puppet with taught strings
THE - The mechinations of Time + Love = A machine...
ILLUMINATION - A man made myth of creation.

Travis # 4

2007-12-31T18:07:00.000-08:00

Michelle # 4

2007-12-31T17:42:00.000-08:00

Jay Dee # 4

2007-12-31T17:39:00.000-08:00

PROJECT # 4

2007-12-31T17:35:00.000-08:00

Words for Project # 4

Machine
Blind
Lucid
Illumination

E J Zyla # 3

2007-12-29T17:59:00.001-08:00

Mixed media on Antique Paper

Size - 21.6 x 11cm

Created 2007

STORY

She tried to starve herself for her words

Like a tree releases moisture in a drought to coax the rains-

She played a game to coax the words

A small sacrifice for the greater good of words-

It’s a gamble that nature takes- this was in her nature also

She gambled

Wait for the rains and watch the block move-

Pray the block moves-

Block shifted but into something else- and she watched without remorse-as she saw it had a little of her language tied to it-

The very words she was trying to coax found her a finding- she traced a path up the skin and to wound, not to the words-

They were retreating in reaction

Sealed neath the wounds are the words-

She tried to cleanse herself, so her wounded words would heal-

Limp and slow her skin soaked up her wounded wordless apathy and made her wait-

Writing it away won’t work as she fed it morsels of Morse code-

Codes and secrets with a hope-

The life in her is trying to get out…not to end- the words have a way of finding a way-

But that only made them go deeper, this was her process-

It’s in her bones now

Words have tested her and sorely so- She was blunt she was gentle-

She learnt to pace herself and listened to the strength of her heart-

The origin of a language was all she had now- THUDDA thudda THUDDA thudda THUDDA thudda THUDDA thudda

The words weren’t lost for good-

But she……………..Was She?

That language of body told her that her timing wasn’t wrong-

Find a way for words

No more starving to bring out the best-

No cutting of the skin to test the origin of idea-

Her impermanence and impatience were not the destroyers of or the creators of her inspiration-

They were just words- Proof of its own

Method and means-

She had both

They shared in this victory

She now sees the limitlessness of words stretched out before her-

A way for beautiful words-

Beautiful in the form and true in their meaning- Smitten with possibility

They weren’t as pretty as the last ones, but at least they didn’t carry sinister meanings and underhanded characters with them- these ones had something more - They had strength and volume, like they carried proof of her worth

And a weight of her wants-

They had rhythm and dare/ing-

Words she can now give a new meaning to-

Time passes and so new words come to her………….penumbra- a dark witness- a former glory – A description of deeds

Watching the works of her words wind their way to the heart to find the rhythm that she lost-

Meaning with the words-they found a way to honour her and surface thru her skin-

As she scratches at those old scabs and feels the knocking of history in her bones-

It’s a remainder of a reminder

The history of her deeds and the words for the stories-

They have honoured her-

She has the meaning now-

A token shrine whistle ling thru my memory shapes

Travis # 3

2007-12-29T17:53:00.001-08:00

Michelle # 3

2007-12-29T17:44:00.000-08:00

Jay Dee # 3

2007-12-29T17:41:00.001-08:00

PROJECT # 3

2007-12-29T17:35:00.000-08:00

Words for Project # 3

E J Zyla # 2

2007-12-20T03:37:00.000-08:00

Artists Book

1st of 8 pages

Mixed media on Antique Paper

Size - 21.6 x 11cm

Created 2007

Project 2 saw me become more ambitious.

sticking with the same format, i wanted to create a miniture Graphic Novel style artist book.

It has 8 panels + can turn into a house type structure.

Travis # 2

2007-12-20T03:35:00.000-08:00

Michelle # 2

2007-12-20T03:33:00.000-08:00

Jay Dee # 2

2007-12-20T03:30:00.000-08:00