I didn't want to play with this layout. And that's exactly why I did it anyway.
As usual, when I hate what I'm doing, the conflicts are plentiful. And when I'm determined to finish it anyway, I put more into resolving the conflicts of the page. As a result, I end up discovering five or six new ways of doing things that go into my bag of tricks for future use.
It isn't that I like the way this turned out. I'm still less than thrilled with the layout. It's that I developed ideas and picked up some skills that will serve me later. That's what makes this page successful.
And just for the record, you can't see what I learned. What I learned has nothing to do with the look of the page. In this case, it has to do with which adhesives work with which materials and which won't, sometimes using them in combination and discovering that layering more than one glue at a time is sometimes what it takes. Also, that layering tissue onto paper that won't take the ink or paint you want to use can sometimes be all that's needed to get it to work, and without changing the look of what's underneath--if you dampen it and use an adhesive that dries crystal clear. Lots of little things like this came up and I forced myself to find solutions instead of making accomodating changes.
Just because. Because I did it to learn new things that would expand possiblities and make future pieces--the ones I'm excited about doing--smoother, faster, less contrived, and more fun. Because sometimes the best way to learn is through the combination of unforseen conflict and the will to resolve before you move on. And you can't plan the unforseen. But it so often creeps up on you when stick with something you don't especially like. When you resolve to resolve it.
I like the pieces that teach me something, even when I don't like what they look like.
Posted by: joanne thieme huffman | January 09, 2013 at 03:55 AM