Mono print Tests and Concertina Book

I really wanted to do something else with the botanical drawings in my sketchbook other than just including them in my prints. Seeing as I have really enjoyed working with mono printing I decided to combine the two together. I enlarged the pictures from my sketchbook and used them to trace over on a bed of block printing ink to create some mono prints.

The first few attempts (page one of presentation) were on quite light stock, the ink transferred really well but I felt that the line work was too clean. I like mono prints when you gem smudges and accidental marks because they look more individual and you can recognise and acknowledge the process more. I them moved on to some thicker stock which gave the results I was looking for (pages two and three). I am particularly proud of the calla which has a real contrast in line weight where the ink on the plate has not been rolled perfectly evenly. 

I selected about 15 prints I was happy with and scanned these in to photoshop where I adjusted the levels a tiny bit and removed any harsh lines of ink where the edges of my paper had got ink on. From these I then selected twelve prints I was happy with and thought of an order for them. I would have set this up on InDesign but I don't have access to this on my laptop so I used Pages to measure out the necessary rectangles and make the four sections of my concertina book. I improvised with the crop marks and printed each section out. I scored, cut and stuck the sections of the book together and was really pleased with how it looked. The book is a smaller, lower quality version of what would be made if I did this properly. 

I made a simple front and back cover from one of the prints on thin stock. I wanted the cover to have a slightly different aesthetic to the internal pages so this was perfect. Also the clarity of the print meant I could print it even smaller for the back page and it is still clear what it was. 

These are just prints of flowers from my sketchbook, the same flowers that appear in my prints and have meanings relating to the themes of christie. These aren't actually poisons but it would be good to make another with poisons included if I have time. right now this isn't a priority.

Evaluation

• The print quality isn't great because this is just my home printer. It is also only A4 size which means there are more joins in the book than are really necessary. This could even be printed on a roll so there are no joins at all. 
• I think that the page with the two flowers on together (amaryllis) ruins the flow of the book. It would have been better if I had just kept it to one flower per page. 
• If I was doing this again (which I might if I have time) I would include poisonous flowers within the collection to give the book more of a meaning. It would resemble mystery and not knowing who/which plants to trust and which ones to avoid. It would also convey the message that even things with dark and deadly undertones can appear nice from the outside. 
• I would also take inspiration from old horticulture reference books for the layout and probably include the name of the plant on the page. I am undecided whether I would include a brief description or not, it would detract from the mystery of it but would probably make people understand the concept behind it better. 

I mentioned previously that Agatha Christie organised her life in many notebooks so I want to make a few books with some of these flower prints on as a nod to her. This also fits in with my PPP because I have been making notebooks during the build up to christmas to give as presents. I enjoy making actual products as well as just prints of my work because it gives the images more of a function and I feel they are more appreciated as a gift. 

I know I am not making a publication for my final outcome, I had just reached the point in the project where I needed a breath of fresh air and to try something a bit different.