Day 30.  I was pleased with this in the beginning, until I suggested to myself to make a stencil. It got more and more out of kilter. The time was passing, the longish process could have been much quicker, I didn't print this but drew around the lines and filled in with my tech pencil. The words say 'teach you'.

Day  29. I cringe and shrink away from owning this. Thinking to use up some inks, and my choice was, well just say that I am not into these colours. None of the tests indicated that the ink would bleed, not over the pencil or the underlying letters, but it did. I still had options, over painting with gesso or sumi and starting again. From experience I know if things aren't going well - put the project aside for a while. The words are 'your reading of it'.

Day 28. It has taken me several days to get to this stage. Full of promise in the sketch mode, then lost the plot with the positioning of the colours. I was rushing because I realised time was getting away from me. I like the colours although some of the pencils were too hard for the paper at this time of year. The word is 'Let'. There is no focus, no reason, no where to go for the eye.

Day 27. An update on day 14. Have to mention Walter Rast, I have been obviously influenced by his style. This of course makes it even harder to read. Might do another hour or two later on.

Day 25. A small hand cut stencil saying, 'spill over your tongue'. I did two impressions the same and the third one is turned over upside down. 

Day 24. I had an idea for this word 'juice' 

but I couldn't find my water soluable 

crayons. They had better be contrite 

when they turn up or else. It reminds me

I am growing old and one of my pet 

peeves is not knowing where my gear is.

I wanted a really loose sketch and 

substituted water soluable pencils, 

taking a scan before spraying. I know

it's impossible for me to go backwards.

Day 23. I should have left this alone after the initial pen lettering. By adding the colour I throught it would be more readable, cohesive and perhaps sympathetic with the opposing page, none of that happened. The words say 'chew it's pulp. Let it's'.

Day 22. Not keen on using red with purple but wanted to continue with the colour started on the previous page. Happy enough with the way the words fitted into the shape although Martin struggled to read it cold turkey. The reversed S was a design choice that I am not sure works, the centre word could be moved right a tad. The words are 'so put a poem upon your lips'.

Day 21. Continuing with the circle theme from yesterday, I wrote today's words within them. Making sure the lines touched the edges. Unfortunately this idea didn't work, but it deserves another attempt with some tweaking. I also got lost in my colour idea, fruit ripens on the outer edges first, it could've been much more effective.The scanner has been quite harsh with it's interpretation of the pencil colours. The words are 'you'll only know it's ripe if you taste.'

Day 20. This page was damaged with watercolour and pencil from previous work. I did not consider repairing until I had finished because the paper may have not handled it. I didn't know as I have not used it before on this project. I measured the letters several times as they look crooked, seems ok with the ruler, must be my glasses or an optical illusion.  Interesting counter shapes appeared and surprised me, I liked that. The circles cover the blotches and over runs. The words are 'test the firmness'.

Day 19. The plan today was to have no straight lines, to use similar colurs to the opposing page and try coloured pencils for a different texture. I am not sure anyone can read this but me. The words continue the poem and are 'judge the colour,'

Day 18. I enjoyed playing with the watercolours. I have a newish schmincke pan colour that I didn't like and it's changing my eye towards some of the colour blending. Still quite rough work, because of the time allowed and my lack of skill. The words say 'no need to sniff first'.

Day 17. Another unsuccessful  play around with the words. All was OK until the lettering, I should have thought more about it. I will need to tone the letters down to hide their imperfections. It's one of the restrictions we have to deal with - allowing only a few minutes a day. I do not take into account the time spent thinking how to approach the words, they are fragments scattered throughout the day. Today's words are 'it should come off the stem easy, just a little tickle'.

Day 16. This has taken 2 days and I don't have the skills to have done it properly. There was no sketch, no colour plan, no pattern research, just the word 'poem'. It is an area my mind is in at the moment so there may be more - trying to improve perhaps. There is still along way to go to 100!

Day 15. A bit pushed today, and not able to give as much time to design or play with these words. This will give the next word more of a presence I am hoping. Next three days will be down country and managing to give myself some time. I hope you can read the words from the image.

Day 14. After watching Martin struggle to interpret the words so far, I thought a rough recap might be in order. These are the words of the poem so far. 'On How to Pick and Eat Poems.' Stop whatever it is you are doing. Come down from the attic. Grab a bucket or a basket and head for light. That's where the best poems grow, and in the dappled dark.

Day 13. I am spurned on by the wretchedness of this day's attempt. After several days of controlled words in a 'colouring-in-style' I thought I would try for looseness. Achieved a mess! Maybe the only good thing is that it matches the opposite page in colour. The words say 'watch out for thorns and bears.'

Day 12.This did not end up as I imagined! It looks a bit duck like, when I did the larger rough copy it lay on its side and was eyes with a monocle. The words say 'Go slow.' It might help if you rotate the image anti-clockwise. Off to Hamilton for a bit of a do, a special number for my sister-in-law.

Day 11. Today my trial is a teenager or a cheap poster on boxed fruit. The words were really good to read and I have not satisfied myself with the result. I am disappointed. That's what this project is about for me. The words say 'and in the dappled dark. Looking forward to tomorrow, gotta get better!

Day 10. Enjoyed yesterday's effort so much that I decided to do it again today. Because there were more words the scale is much smaller, for me less interesting and more just a pattern. The green was not planned until halfway through, bit of a mistake. The words say 'that's where the best poems grow,' The apostrophes and commas were forgotten about, might correct later.

Day 9. This was fun but I am not sure how many could decipher the words. Using Inktense pencils it satified my need for lines and control. I think I managed the scale OK and the letters were kind with their counter spaces. I was aiming for similar margins around the letters, must try harder. Perhaps I should do another one. The words say 'head for light'.

Day 8. I worked on this for two half hour periods over two days, I did not know when to stop. Wish I could go back - big sigh. I am interested to see where I end up after 100 Days. The words I worked with are 'or a basket and'. I used coloured pencils and have unsolved issues between what I want to achieve and how do I get there.

Day 7. I am getting behind with the schedule, several different attempts have not made it. This was interesting to design and is unfinished. This day's words are 'Grab a bucket' and I must get onto the next. I have used coloured pencils for this page. 

Day 6. Definitely evolving, getting harder to read, perhaps too abstract, the word is attic.

I think if I have time I will go back over the pages trying to intergrate them with the page they are on and then associate them to the adjacent ones. At the moment because they are a bit too controlled for me I would consider quite a lot of random writing in and around and even over the top. The colours will need to be more subdued.

I have decided to post in colour to save time, these earlier ones have been added at a later date.

Day 5. This seems to be a more organic test and I was a little happier with the result. I revisited Adolf Bernd's book on painted letters. It is taking more time than I want so there is very little decoration.

The words today are 'from the'.

Day 4. 

Focussing on imperfections and some other areas that are under consideration I definitely need to do better on day 5. Areas left white should be consistent, the width the same, can I do this? I am not sure as there are quite a few factors:- eyesight, hand, paint and brush and supporting surfaces. The paper has been selected, I wouldn't choose it again. I will try and do better. The paper is affecting how the watercolour pools, I will live with that also. I need to introduce some finer detail , it is to blocky with nothing to focus on.

I will open Adolf Bernd's Book on painted letters and see what solutions he uses and perhaps improve mine.

The words today are 'come down’.

Day 3. The hardest so far to design, loss of interesting detail as the rusty parts of the brain tried to handle the negative counters. I have run out of time.

I give myself permission to continue at a later stage, in fact to alter and or complete all those designs that I come up with better solutions for. I will however work over, under and around, yet still keeping the original. 

The words today are 'you're doing'.

Day 2. I continue with Phyllis Cole-Dai's poem, the words today are 'whatever it is'. The page pauses are going to take away from the flow of the words and the line length that Phyllis has chosen, I will have to live with that.

I am scanning the pages in black and white thinking that I will be surprised when I see it bound in colour at the end.

Day 1. Phyllis Cole-Dai has given me permission to use her poem  'On How to Pick and Eat Poems'.  Phyllis wrote it in gratitude to thank the enthusiastic readers of 'A year Of being Here' it is her collection of mindfulness poetry. I hope to explore and develop how the various 343 letterforms interact with each other, if they appeal to me, and to play with watercolours and pencils. Yet I still want to recognise what the words say. It is a challenge as it was the first time I have spontaneously chosen to read verse.

I intend to use  the '100 Days' project to help me maintain momentum and will post on their site and this blog.

This is the first day and I used the first word 'stop'. The paper - Clairefontaine Paint On 250gsm (multi techniques) torn into approximately 10.5 x 15cm, which I intend binding into a book at the end.

My Family.
This shadowy period of their lives, where they have not been before. 
One leaning into the other adding strength to both - heartening to see. 
Another thinking and doing as he knew how, stoic and patient. 
Bursts of laughter, tears welling, stomach churning, gulping.
The house is now his.
Dark, quiet. 
Calling out but no sound replies. Cold, alone with the wind.
The cats stir and stretch. 
Shiver and feel the load.
It is just him now.
Going round, not numbers, but things that shouldn't be lost.
Call out again. Plead.
Holding onto a thin line, a shared bond that I hope will last.
18.6.16  Jeanette