Success this evening - have now printed out four pages for the book. Two from last week & I don't mind them, but I much prefer the two from tonight. I think cause I managed to photoshop an image delightfully (at least delightfully to me!) and if there was more time (or I was doing this at home) I'd like to work much more on the first two. The lemon I like anyway, not cause I worked a lot on it: I just love the colours.

Tonight is printing prac. At least first attempt. Shall see how things go before the arrangement and layout.

I've put this stuff in cause it has been some "stuff I do". I happened to see one of the Star Portraits episodes this week with Rolf. (Link: http://www.starportraits.co.uk/; not that the webpage is interesting - its not - its just indicative if you are unaware of that which I write). It was one I hadn't seen the first time round (Bill Oddie). Its not the famous people factor that interests me in this televisual feast; it is firstly that you get to watch Rolf, and secondly you get to watch HOW different people work with paint. Or pencil. Or charcoal, or paper, or computer or whatever it is they work with. And HOW painting the very same thing can be depicted in ways entirely differently, yet be completely recognisable.

I've just read probably the most exacting phrase I've ever heard in relation to Rolf - "he does not carry the cultural cachet of other Australian exports"(Farah Farouque, The Age), which probably accounts for the look of fright and the cautious backing away of people whenever I pontificate on the man's genius. Most people grow out of their childhood idol, and I did too, as a childrens' entertainer, but while doing that, Rolf went and surprised me by existing very successfully as something else as well - an impressive artist. And all the while he was simply being like my dad - a man who wanted to entertain and didn't care what adults thought of his garrulousness; he knew kids loved it.

This week in class I need to get to the images. I've got some saved on the stick, which have been through myriad filters and actions and distortions in the "shop", only to have mistakenly flown off the Mac, or trashed themselves in front of my widening, frightened eyes as I watched hours of adjustments progress back to the beginning image. Hard to explain the sweat, learning and creativity expended in an image that remains the same.

Finally, the support for the Book is complete. And here's how it looks.

Closed.

Now it awaits only the images, the pages, the pictures, the narrative (if there's to be one - undecided), the purpose and the raison d'etre behind its existence. Shall get to.......

And Open.