I carve a new stamp almost every day. At first this seems like a productive way to work and push myself into new territory. But when I sat down to stamp tonight I realized it was just my creative way of avoiding the inevitable. You see, when facing a blank page I suffer from the artistic version of writer’s block. With so many options I am paralyzed by plenty. Should a frog ride a bicycle or a beetle climb a tree? Should I stamp in a narrative or patterned form? Colors of inks and papers…. and I’m still looking at a blank page.
One would think a pattern is the easy way to go. But if you really stop to look at successful patterns; i.e. wall paper, gift wrap, you’ll notice that they look almost random but circle back in a pleasing, rhythmic way.
By the time I realized my interest in textiles and graphic design I was well out of school and I’m learning what must be basics from doing, making mistakes, then doing some more.
Below is the picture of book I bought for it’s cover, “That Quail, Robert,” (and the fantastic, curious title.) You can see what I’m talking about with how the feathers are repeated, but not in a predictable way. They flow and dance.
Well, more experimenting (and mistakes) to come!
Paper Cut Illustrations 