PHOTOGRAMING (finally got the scanner up and running)

These photograms were made using a light-sensitive paper. When exposed to sunlight, the paper begins to turn white, and remains dark wherever it is being shielded from light, creating the negative of the images you see here. After the exposed paper has turned white, the photograms are soaked in water to activate the chemicals in the paper, reversing the visible image into the positives I have posted. My favorite is the one shown below, where i used an interesting fern-type leaf and my plain-old chain link bracelet. I was amazed to see that there is gradiation in in chain, as if it was an actual photograph rather than a photogram. I plan to do further experimenting in the future. 

FRED AND FREINEDS KNOW WHAT'S UP

Fred and Friends really know what's up. Seriously. They make the weirdest, funkiest, and most creative gadgets and oddities I've ever seen... and for reasonable prices-- because you know that everyone who makes something cool new and inventive has to go and jack their prices up, right? Well that's not the case with these guys.

Above you see the ABC COOKIES cutter. This thing makes cookies look half eaten. Gross, right? Yeah, but who doesn't want to get these? They're just THAT awesome, and Fred knew that. If you ask me, this is genius.

To the right are SKELETON KEY caps. It just a corny joke for God's sake! But people love it. They're totally fine with spending 5 bucks on cute little skulls for their keys, just for the joke. Now THAT'S good marketing.

And the last little kwerk I've chosen to post here are the INANIMATE sticker kits. They are faces for your staplers, cups, and other boring office crap that sits around all tacky like. Look at how cute that stapler looks. It looks like a whale. That's just insane... insanely AWESOME!!!

So what if I sound cheesy? It goes with their product line. Cheesy. and Effective. I think I've made my point. 

YEOMAN'S IN THE FORK...

This past week we took a class trip to Leipers Fork to visit Yeoman's in the Fork Bookshop. This historic building bears hundreds of relics and old books that many would consider priceless. Among these are original copies of Huckleberry Finn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and books that had been read and signed by the signers of the Constitution-- many of which have been hand bound and gilded by famous printers and bookbinders. All in all, visiting this gem in the history of our nation was an enriching experience...

You can read more about them on their blog:

HOME: http://www.yeomansinthefork.com/
BLOG: http://www.yeomansinthefork.com/blog

I would love to return to the beautiful little town of Leipers Fork soon to do some more searching and sight seeing. Anybody who wants to go should definitely get ahold of me!

PAPERMAKERS

This was a class assignment that took about 2 days to complete... We made the paper in class from scratch and were then instructed to create an example of design with it once it dried. Well, here it is.

As you can see, I have drawn an octopus. I don't know why, but I've been on an octopus kick lately and this project fell prey to it. Around the octopus I have written a poem entitled "the Octopus" by James Merril. It's a descriptive piece, but it only really alludes to an octopus once. I really just chose it for the name.

Overall I am pleased with this piece, but i was slightly afraid of messing it up and ruining my only sheet of paper so i restrained myself a little bit. I hope you all like it.

THE OCTOPUS

There are many monsters that a glassen surface

Restrains. And none more sinister

Than vision asleep in the eye’s tight translucence.

Rarely it seeks now to unloose

Its diamonds. Having divined how drab a prison

The purest mortal tissue is,

Rarely it wakes. Unless, coaxed out by lusters

Extraordinary, like the octopus...

(that is where I cut it off)