Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Rhapsody - Paper Cut

Allow me to introduce you to a new paper cut called "Rhapsody."

Dictionary Definition:
rhapsody |ˈrapsədē|nounan effusively enthusiastic or ecstatic expression of feeling: rhapsodies of praise.• Music a free instrumental composition in one extended movement, typically one that is emotional or exuberant in character.
"Rhapsody" hand-cut paper, 16"x20", by Heather Clements. *SOLD


I tried a new approach to paper cutting on this piece.  When I sketched my idea for this piece, the sketch was in pen.  To shade I simply created lots of parallel lines, drawing hatch lines, like I often do.  You can see my rough idea sketch below.  As I was thinking how to transfer the entire image into a paper cut, in just two values, black and white, I realized how much detail would be lost.  I also really love the look of the long hatch marks, and always have.  So I decided to incorporate those lines in my new paper cut, creating more than just two values.  Here is the sketch:




And a few detail shots:


"Rhapsody" (detail) hand-cut paper, 16"x20", by Heather Clements

"Rhapsody" (detail) hand-cut paper, 16"x20", by Heather Clements
 I am quite pleased with the result, although I did learn a few things about my new technique as I went, via some mistakes I won't be making in the future.

This piece is for sale, please contact me if you are interested.


Inspiration Source #6:  "Ishmael" by Daniel Quinn.


GoodReads.com describes it as: "The narrator of this extraordinary tale is a man in search for truth. He answers an ad in a local newspaper from a teacher looking for serious pupils, only to find himself alone in an abandoned office with a full-grown gorilla who is nibbling delicately on a slender branch. "You are the teacher?" he asks incredulously. "I am the teacher," the gorilla replies. Ishmael is a creature of immense wisdom and he has a story to tell, one that no other human being has ever heard. It is a story that extends backward and forward over the lifespan of the earth from the birth of time to a future there is still time save. Like all great teachers, Ishmael refuses to make the lesson easy; he demands the final illumination to come from within ourselves."

For me, this book revealed everything I had been thinking for years, but with more facts and more eloquently phrased.  It is so simple and well put.  It just may change how you view this world, and therefore how you live in it.  Many people have considered this novel revolutionary.  It was awarded the Turner Tomorrow Fellowship in 1991. This was an award given by Ted Turner, for a book offering creative solutions to global problems.  Read it.  And then read the other two books in the series, "My Ishmael" and "The Story of B"

Buy it from Amazon here.


Thank you so much for visiting,

-Heather

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