Schalk Venter Versus Desk Induced Lower Back Pains

I just passed 7 Days of artistic hammer-time, finishing the last 15, i think (if you really want to know the number count them in the overhead photo) readings. Thus I have to start typing my proposal for my thesis, which hopefully will be done next week.

This might seem boring (and pseudo-intellectual) to the average sane person, but i find it interesting to the point where it is about to affect my emotional stability. For whoever is wondering, I presume at this point (more or less) that I'm using my thesis as an excuse to give my very biased opinion on the state of type within a post-structuralist context in contemporary culture (2009 onwards) after post-modernism/deconstruction.

+5 points to my image as an art intellectual / appearing relevant within a pretty useless field.

On the practical, and probably more relevant side, I finished all 18 (originally 20) pages of my 52cm x 52 cm self- deprecating collection of poems Liewe Schalk Venter, Groete Schalk Venter

I’m going to start the printing probably next week some time.
If anyone want me to make them a screen print by hand (of any of the seven big ones below) on El Toro 200g paper (52cmx52), just drop me a line on Facebook or email, and I'll be happy to do an art trade (even for a sketch). If anyone wants one whose not an artist, you can just give me the monies for the paper and ink, which is probably R8 / R10 in total.

I'm going to print several on newsprint to be distributed with the Papergirl Project in Jan/Feb as well.

Versus Theory and Typography tag-team

Although this update is a bit behind schedule (almost a week to exact) I made quite a bit of progress.

Firstly, I demolished about seven theory books. (And I'm still really surprised by how fast you can ready if you really put some effort into it). The most significant of these were Text on Type and The Education of A Typographer. Although primarily filled with pretentious Modernist Critical Writings, in the vein of ‘The Crystal Goblet’. I found a few relevant treasures here and there.

Secondly, against all expectations I finished the last basic layout of the last few type treatments for Liewe Schalk Venter. Hopefully I’m going to start with the smaller (dare I say fine) typography today.

I’m sorry

Another week hi-jacked by commercial work. The next six days it’s go time.

‘Liewe Schalk Venter’ Typography Progress Revisited

Ah man, I didn’t do a single thing I set out to do this week, those pencil sketches never even reached my desk.

I can’t say that I'm surprised by this anti-climaxial, perhaps anticipated, start. As I mentioned, If I had a healthy integrated work pattern, there wouldn’t be a need for this blog.

But in my defence though, my pc reached a point of no return in terms of functionality, thus I spent two days formatting and installing drivers. Secondly, I did some commercial work (which I generously underestimated - by about two days to be exact).

So - back to square one. Fingers crossed.

‘Liewe Schalk Venter’ Typography Progress

This project’s estimate deadline is long overdue, unfortunately upon realizing it, I resorted to rushing it. However. I feel I didn’t really have a choice, since I need to start on my other work.

In a nutshell, it is basically a collection of poems I wrote for the course I did with English Honours students. These all take the form of letters addressed to your truly, hence they will be bound into a book titled Liewe Schalk Venter - each screen printed duotone on 24 x 24cm cartridge paper.

This is the general direction of each of the 18 pages, except for the six who haven't ventured past pencil sketch state. I’m currently busy fooling around in the screen printing studio with the rest of my class, so I will (hopefully) only be able to ink up those remaining six pencil sketches.

Schalk Venter Versus Introduction

One year into a MPhil degree, with hardly any relevant work to show, is quite a problematic situation to exist within. With my final exhibition scheduled for March 2011 (one more year-and-a-half devoid of deadlines), I started this blog as an effort to maintain myself accountable on a regular basis (every Monday to be exact).

And to clamp down on the distraction monster (who is lately doing overtime in my working space). So that means that I will (boringly enough) only focus on content that is relevant to endeavours within the context of my degree (read: practical work and thesis).

Therefore, this blog is, unfortunately, just an honest account of my creative process. Not a portfolio, promotional platform or networking device. Just an unedited documentation of my work in progress.

If anyone actually follows, digs or enjoys this kind of thing, that’s really rad, although secondary to the aim of this blog.

But really rad none the less.