Morris & Co. - A Revolution in Design

Found this designer William Morris while looking for wallpaper for my home.. Again just another example of how  looking for one thing ends up taking you down another pathway..


 The block printing I can look at for a starting base,  then go on to look into digital printing etc... Maybe look at the differences like pro/cons etc... If I get to use examples later on down the line then great.. But it is very much of interest to me at this time... More the prints and detail...old school style of doing things..


 I have found myself thinking about objects lately, nature  an easy example and trying to imagine a design.... Usually in patterns, abstracts, colours. Asking questions like shape purpose and form... Intention etc what can create design. .. It was in fact the object maybe itself that was someone's design.

The plant while on my last holiday was a fan palm, as I looked at the pattern and texture, colour transparency and size. I could see it as a wallpaper.. The sky blue against the leaves or the white of the clouds against the green together makes a fresh, cooling design.... I sat for ages just looking that these trees..

I came home and looked for wallpaper design of the fan palm. what era I wonder would this fall under.....?? I would be interested to learn!!

New technologies have also grabbed my attention because of the capabilities and methods used today! Id be a fool to dismiss them while still keeping a keen interest on my traditional enthusiasm of design.

A must watch




Note to self to look at orwell and goode again!

Letterpress Printing Smails

Smail's Printing Works 

Innerleithen



Today I dragged my mother along to Smail's printing works, and I have to say she rather enjoyed herself. As we entered the shop we were greeted by two friendly faces. Looking around the abundance and high quality of this aged old style of printing was everywhere, from cards and posters to stamps and calendars, art works etc. What stood out to me was just how neat and bright the finish result could be. The black ink was so (what can I say...but ....mmm black) and the yellows and reds just jumped right out. Precise, neat and clear, yet with a sense of ownership and importance you couldn't help but sense something special was awaiting us.

The basic and easiest way to understand the principle of letterpress is to make a fingerprint, Ink is carried on the raised (relief) area's of the finger pad.  The paper then comes in contact with the raised areas and so the print or impression is made.
Like many good ideas the printing press evolved from WINE..... yes we've all had a good idea or what we consider at the time a good idea while the red/white stuff is flowing. Johann Gutenberg (1400-68) a German metalsmith invented a printing press from the same basic principles of a wine press. This revolutionised the printing process.

While some of the technical terms do go way over my head, in the same way you have to see art in the flesh to really appreciate it, a visit to a print workshop like this is definitely worth a visit. The time and careful processes that go into this (which I can consider in its self a art form now) are truly something to be remembered. The National Trust for Scotland took over the family business in 1986 and its no wonder why.




The staff were very polite and the way you were guided along the museum was fun and interactive. The sheer size of the machines and the noise that must of came from working in an environment like this must of been intense. Apprenticeship's alone lasted as long 7 years and for this reason a printing job was consider for life. From mixing the inks to fetching the types he would learn all aspects of the business.

Business was strict too.. long hours were typically  Mon-Fri 8 til 6 inclusive, Saturdays 8am til noon inclusive.


As stated in the apprentice card from smail's  (part of the interactive experience)

Minimum hours to be worked are to be NO LESS than 54 total hours in any given week. It is expected that all Apprentices shall volunteer extra hours to meet exacting deadlines for the good of the business ( it is with reading these words that I question when it all when wrong, jesus now the staff own when they work and dictate to the owners) Execptions to this will be made on saturdays for any apprentice called to represent the town on the Rugby or Football field during the season.

Holidays - 25th December : half day  1st and 2nd January at Mr Smails discrection.....

Compositors - set the type for the all print jobs. These were educate men and were capable of turning the customers scribbled words into visually pleasing and readable designs. 

I also noticed the way we read and write has changed considerably over the years, looking at the old guardbooks and some newspaper prints it was very clear the difference and manner in which we read and talk now is so different. Some of the sentences to me seem more like poems. Grammar not being a strong point with me haha I wouldn't of made a good compositor.

one of the 52 guardbooks

 Printers - mechanically minded and physical strength and stamina needed. good hand eye coordation with impeccable attention to detail.

 

The shop is still using the old traditional machines for private commissions as well as the souvenirs for sale in the gift shop. It also has working examples of the water wheel, paper room and office.


What I did enjoy and find interesting was the fact that some of the well known saying came from this industry....

DAB HAND - before rollers printers used dabbers to dab ink onto the forme before each print was taken. It was critical that an even, thin spread of ink was applied to ensure consistent impressions for a job, and thus those who could do this well were consider a dab hand.

MIND YOUR Ps AND Qs - easy to confuse the mirror image ofthe p and q type, meaning for the apprentices to be careful when helping thecompositors. While nowadays it more a term used for manners it did originate from this.

OUT OF SORTS - Sorts are the individual pieces of letter type. Should a compositor runout of a certain letter in the middle of a setting job, they would be displeased.

and many more.....

Overall definitely worth a visit for young and old.  Will buy some special occasion cards from here and visit again when I have more questions and need answers......


 

 

This also reminded me of the art nouveau poster prints
  

or the old western wanted posters

           

The Summer Show, The Gallery Tweeddale Museum

Upon entering the room you couldn't help but be drawn to the colours and mix of bright pastels and ink black stokes upon them...

While different artist's on display the works themselves while similar on first glance, became a mix of artist's with they own unique style.

First up was Lida Hatrick and I did notice her soft pink and orange palette. warm and soft but with movement and energy.

Next my very own lecturer Niall Campbell, (careful what I say here haha) But in honestly I did see his own style coming through, while I haven't witnessed much of his work, I could see the characteristics and when I looked around the room I could easily identify which works could be his!

He seemed to have sets of 3 images together using the same colours on each canvas. The colours were strong but muted and gave the feel of past, authority or enforcement. The works had a less linear feel to them and circles were a prominent feature in them. the circles gave a softer but bold yet submissive feel......with the warmth from the prints themselves adding yet another sense. An interesting mix.

Which asks a few questions in itself, especially for a student who is just trying to learn and discover they own interests....

1 - Having your own style! is it a good or bad thing? Is it like a signature in itself?

2 - How important is it to have your own style?

3 - Does the medium you use change your style?

4 - Is it important to be able to identify an artist from first glance?

In truth I haven't been around long enough or have taken the time out enough to know the answer to these questions. If you think about the master's, everyone who's a real arty can identify the works of a van gogh or a turner. Now we have high tech methods like image data acquisition technology. But for the everyday artist, how important is it?

 Are the everyday artist's of today making history. Is the artist giving a time period, whether it’s abstract and modern or traditional. The medium itself used?Will that in time define a period or trend? The internet!!! how we buy sell and create art.

With one of Niall's work I could see it as a cushion! I think it was called a sense of place.......now without knowing anything about why or what it was about, did Niall intent for it for the purpose of homely, living, style of work? Was a sense of place fact or questioning! Did it even exist!

How important is the Title of a Work?

Three (21,22,23) had the same print imagery on the canvasses and I did wonder if it was something more opportunistic like he'd liked the way the print had turned out and thought I'll do another....or if he always had three/four/five works at a time on the go every time.

From everything I see I can't help but feel, I'm missing the biggest thing for my art studies and that actually doing......I can easily sit and type my thoughts yet what I need to do is to try! Shit where and what is time and how do I get some?

The work of Line Mortensen was a different way of me viewing. Using Italian smalti glass, gold leafed tiles, glass rods and recycled slate the artist made a type of wall art. At first I was dismissive of it, thinking -  could of at least made it into a mirror for that price! (my bad) but after leaving the gallery I can appreciate the amount of time and work that most of when into it. From selecting the size, shape then set up to cutting, placing and creating the work. Thats without asking the intended purpose or story behind it.......

Mixed media on canvas seems to be the in thing the now and this puts me off wanting to learn more because I feel I want to create something unique to me.

I guess my first thing I'd want/need to do is my colours.. to mix and create a colour. From a few select colours, (primary etc) to learn my colour wheel basics again and refresh my mind with the mixing process.. To challenge myself to be able to get my intended colour. making the exact intend colours.

TO BLOODY DO SOMETHING CREATIVE INSTEAD OF JUST ASKING QUESTIONS!

Old Gala House, Alfons Bytautas exhibition

Alfons Bytautas.
Incantation Exhibition @ Old Gala House










A Time to Keep Silence
acrylic and collage on canvas





Oh the irony!!    Upon entering the exhibition at Old Gala House with my daughter (13 yrs) and son (2 yrs) I should of knew I was in for a somewhat challenged time. Within 3 mins of walking into the white square room lined with the works by Bytautas, my sons curious nature and attention had quickly disperse to his free rein of marching up and down the room singing the elephant march song from Disneys The Jungle Book.......

Bad idea bringing him along I thought as I tried to ssh him and scan over the works.

A Time to Keep Silence ......mmm indeed....I couldn't help but smile and take comfort from my predicament and the inappropriate title I looked upon then. My time here was quick but the one thing I did take from my visit was the importance of colour and line.   Why colour and line?

It can guide the eyes and evoke a feeling. The intense colours and they selection is something to be appreciated.

The collage mix I also found interesting. I have been interested in mixed media for the past year as it seems to stir something inside me....Maybe because I have an active busy mind I can sense the fun and childlike excitement that could create such works.

Since coming home and doing a little research into Alfons Bytautas I have learned he was a local boy,  born in Selkirk (1955).

He studied painting at Edinburgh College of Art, where he first began to develop his life-long interest in the technique of etching. Then working in an Edinburgh print makers for 30 years as a Master Printer and Senior Etching Technician.
Bytautas became know as a pioneer in the world of printing after help develop the acrylic resist etching and photopolymer techniques...........

I think from what I found it was kinda like the water-based non - toxic alternative from the more old oil based paints us decorators would of used, just in an ink art term... If anything like the painters alternative it will have its pros and cons.........Health and Safety being the biggest (pro) ..Environmentally as well as on the artist and people using it. Next the in colleges, schools and workplaces! Colours and mixers you can create may have expanded, plus surfaces etc..The ability to over-paint quickly, work in layers that differ in terms of opacity, transparency or viscosity. However, if you tend to be a bit old school like myself it may not compare to the more traditional stronger mixes.

Anyway I'm waffling and think I will visit the exhibtion again, alone! But if my interest in printing continues this guy seems to be someone to reference.  Some of his works on display included:

Finding Joy

gouache/collage

Back to Nature



Mirror

gouache

Here's an example of the kinda work that could be adapted and used in advertisement... While I think its a mix of artist's you get the idea..

notice line from and colour

 A guerilla street art mural that brings Northumbria University, Newcastle's student designs to life at Ely's Yard on July 3, 2014 in London, England.

I did like the quote..... As Tom Stoppard wickedly points out  –  “Skill without imagination is craftsmanship and gives us many useful objects such as wickerwork picnic baskets. Imagination without skill gives us modern art.”