Module 1 chapter 5. Putting all those paper to good use

I started this chapter in December before I became overwhelmed with the necessary seasonal activities and have now finally finished it. We are waiting for some serious weather to arrive in the evening but with any luck the weather will observe the signposts for King's Lynn and head elsewhere. So I thought it was a perfect moment in the evening to start writing up my notes while dinner is cooking and the wood-burner is lighting.

The aim of this chapter was to use the coloured papers made for Chapter 4.

Chapter 5.1 Cutting a paper shape into segments.

I chose to use an orange (fruit) for this activity. Although the shape produced interesting possibilities in terms of dividing and cutting, it did on the whole make for shapes that looked celestial. I started off by printing a simple orange shape in two sizes.

I then made some notes.

I made my first designs on black paper and tried to use all the different types of coloured papers I had made. For example watercolour washes, acrylics with clingfilm, inks and watercolours with salt.

Then I got down to business and started to use the coloured papers as a base. I used various similar coloured papers in different sections to see the effects.

 I think NASA would be most interested in these. I certainly enjoyed the process.

Chapter 5.2 Cutting Layers for Designs

I hope in this and the following section I have done what was expected. I found it quite hard to find something simple but interesting and looked at lots of options:

I was most tempted by the later. In the end I went for a simple clear shape, as before with the orange, beetroot.

The two share something in common. Oranges are my favourite fruit and beetroot is my favourite veg.

I chose two papers I liked

Then remembered just in time to make a tracing before cutting out

I separated the beetroot leaves so that I could layer the two papers a little although the shape was not easy to work with. I played around using various coloured papers on the base and changed the beetroot layers.

For the extra activity I added a third layer of paper.

And worked now with the three layers of coloured papers on various backgrounds including one I had put in my sketchbook (black with caran dache neocolour wash. Although these may not have been what was wanted I thought they were really jolly and I loved the three dimensional aspect to them. I also added the leaves to some of my celestial oranges.