Inspired by text

I've been a little frustrated at times this week, unmotivated and feeling quite negative about my project and where I want to head.

Chris distracted me and suggested that I should take some time out and just experiment with making some monotypes, which didnt interest me very much. However, when looking through some cupboards for some perspex, i came across some old moveable type letters, and an old typewriter that caught my eye. There was a period in Utrecht when I was quite interested in Books, and became very interested in writing when I started my blogs. I think that it would be quite cool to encorporate text in to my prints, i feel that using text could make my images more powerful.

Ive been experimenting with using the typewriter. Its quite old and crusty, and the ink is running out so I might have to invest in getting some new ribbons, and find out what colour ribbons are available. Ive been experimenting with using text in more experimental ways - creating shapes out of words and stories, not neccesarily writing in standard format..but upside down, diagonally, all over the place really. I used the typewriter to type on to some print experiments. I think it would be interesting to type directly on to my prints with the typewriter. I shall continue with more experiments, but these are the ones that I have done so far. I have also experimented with using carbon paper, if i wind in the carbon paper on top of the print, i can create blue text which is more bold than the ink in the typewriter at the moment.

my experiments:

typing onto a print - the ink is pretty old, but it looks like it will be effective.

Using carbon paper to create blue text. Its over a black print though, so the text is hardly visible.

Using Carbon Paper on a lighter print, interesting, but it leaves lines.

Artists using text:

Paul Smith
Im really inspired by this guys work. Hes got cerebal palsy, and he creates the most amazing images using the typewriter...it takes him hours. I like the way that he is using text to create an image, not even text but also different symbols. That is what I have been experimenting with. Hes using text in an unconventional way, which im interested in.















Guillaume Appollinaire
I have not been able to find much about this mans work, but apparently he started some revolution in french poetry. From what I have discovered he also uses text in an unconventional way..using text, and poetry, and also to create images as well.

More Experiments:

I have been experimenting with creating images out of words, like both Paul Smith and Guillaume Appollinaire have in their work, and I am quite pleased. I have been keeping with the bicycle theme, still trying to create a chaotic image. I have created block images of people on bicycles, using repeditive words such as 'BIKERAGE' and 'Surely they should wear helmets', 'biking in amsterdam' and other short sentences like that. In one i tell the story of the time when this lady crashed into my bike in Holland. I really like both of these experiments, and feel that i can use these ideas in later prints.

In black

This experiment i really like, I got a new typewriter ribbon which allows me to use both black and red ink as well. Im quite excited about the red ink, as i think it will be more effective! In this one i have typed the images over a photocopy of photos of people biking in holland on their dutch bicycles. Im still using repeditive words. Though i think it would be funny to get some dutch words also into some prints.

Id like to use these in some prints later on if i have time, i can imagine them in very layered prints, with these bicycles coming at each other from all sorts of angles, entwined with other images, such as the brick roads in utrecht, or a map as well, or little windmills or street lamps, and of course text as well. They need to be busy and chaotic.