Materials Impact

The minibook has been assembled for function in the event that I ever start regularly carrying one with me. There are images that I find appealing, tags for note taking and place holding, lined text pages for additional notes, and pocket-pages to hold "little stuff." 

Grouper block print, using colored printing ink, hand painted with watercolor paint, on Strathmore 300 series bristol paper.

When (and if) these minibooks swing into action, the embedded pocket folder is designed to hold small items, such as lists and receipts.  I decided to go this route because my purse is usually a jumble of receipts and lists. When I finally get to the point where I am drowning in little slips of paper, I know it is shredder time - this is frequently connected to "the changing of the purse" OR "traveling by air."

I have observed that there are some air travelers who deliberately create this type of messy, cluttered, or dirty environment - I presume to detour TSA inspectors from venturing forth into personal territory or property.  Interestingly enough, I have never seen one TSA even pause momentarily when heading into these unpredictable zones; in fact, I have wondered if they don't take some delight in adding to the chaos as they rigorously dig, tunnel, and plop items into different locations than the original packer.

I have not deliberately created the havoc zone prior to air travel, although I must admit that a time or two there has been purse chaos I did not take care of before my flight.  A time or two, there has been a stray lip gloss or four packs of chewing gum......and yes, I have lost the renegade nail clipper as a result of poor pre-clutter sorting.

The item that really surprised me was a small, knock off pair of Weatherman-style pliers.  I have carried this handy, fix-all gadget for years; a very practical Christmas gift.  Last fall, fifteen to eighteen years after I first got it, I was admonished by a TSA for carrying this transgressing, three-inch wonder, and told I would have to turn it over, mail it, or put it in a checked bag.  This handy little tool has logged thousands of miles and visited Las Vegas, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Seattle, and other destinations, before being sidelined.  Go figure.

Hogfish and text lines from blocks , printed on Strathmore 300 series bristol paper and mounted on magenta tag craft paper.

Back to the minibook - notice the pocket page above that is designed for dual action - note-taking and small item 'parking.'  The tags I have created also fit into this style of pocket page, although the tags have their own storage envelope toward the back of the minibook.  

Hogfish and text lines block printed on Strathmore 300 series bristol paper.

In this instance, the hogfish is holding down the printed text lines and seems to be guarding the pocket.  I am not sure why I started plopping images on the interior of these pocket pages.  Since the white paper the hogfish and text lines are printed on is not actually tag, but bristol board, part of it's appeal is the structure and rigidity it provides.  It is less porous than the colored tag of the majority of pages, and provides a much more appealing and smooth writing surface for ink or pencil.  The downside of bristol is the unappealing way in which it accepts the watercolor paint.  Bristol must be a compressed, composite paper, because it absorbs the watercolor paint unevenly and in a blotchy pattern.  Although it blends and bleeds out a little in the drying process, the transition is not smooth and the colors to not even out completely.  I know part of that is probably due to the nature of the paint I am using (it has sediment-like particles, it is cheap,) but even FW acrylic inks tend to layer out.  The effect is not as exaggerated as alcohol inks with additional solutions added, but reminiscent of that distilled, sedimentary layering.

Mixed media and mixed materials minibook; fish theme, secondary colors palette.

Once again, a great experiment in the properties and applications of various materials.  Time and time again, I am drawn back to Strathmore mixed-media, 500 series paper for it's superior quality and versatility......wish it wasn't so expensive! AND easier to find!!  (Hmmm - supply and demand - Econ 101, right?)