Having decided to focus on feet and floors, and to use a 4x3 "spiral" grid for printing and folding the book's pages, I laid out some of the series of photos in InDesign. My printer, which had been given up for dead, sprang back to life (a miracle!) and permitted the printing of several versions -
The little book made from another printout of the two series from the V&A, with two different floors, when joined together "reads" like this -
The line of black stitching at the bottom of the page is to help with orientation. When it's absent from the bottom of the page, or of half a spread, that's because the photos have turned a corner (their orientation has changed in the original layout) - and the book has to be turned in the hand to have it right-way-up. So the reader is physically taking part in the journey through the museum, not just by turning the pages but also by turning the book.
I also tried putting the images onto acetate (tracing them), but that turned out to be a dog's breakfast in this format -
Utter jumble and chaos. Also, this acetate is very springy, especially when thoroughly creased - it doesn't want to sit still, the way paper can.
In sum, the book format is starting to happen, but many aspects need sorting out. Which photos - anything other than photos (eg thread line) - how many pix/pages - what kind of paper - colour print or monochrome - what to put on the back, if anything.
This one uses Victorian tiles from the corridor outside what used to be the textile rooms -
Legs (and mosaic floor of Renaissance sculpture gallery) on one side, Victorian tiles on the other. A difference not just of texture but of scale.
This is coming along very interestingly. I am loving seeing your process
ReplyDeleteI'm liking these!
ReplyDeleteSemi-translucent tracing paper or cotton organza might work better than acetate ( thinking of the experiments I did with my Taplow Vase 'secret books')
Really find the books with the feet of passing person/s fascinating. Really like them.
ReplyDeleteFourteen years ago in New York I took many digital photos of peoples feet with the idea of using them in a piece of work. I was taken by the great variety of footware. Digital photography was relatively new to many people so I often pretended I was juggling with my new digital camera when taking these photos. One day, on a train, a very large man stood up and said you have taken a photo of my feet. I was rather scared but then he said something about me being an artist and that he thought I was going to use it in my work. I can not remember what I said but that was all there was to it. I was very pleased to be taken for an artist.
I still have not found a use for the photos.
These little books are just brilliant! So clever and arresting. interesting range of meanings pop into one mind at once, or perhaps just use them for contemplation: where will I go next!?
ReplyDelete