no ink today...
Nov. 3rd, 2007 08:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jaeclectic...but I am really pleased with the progress on the design, and A and I both had a great time working on it. (Sadly, I lack scanner so no pic yet, but will post again when A sends me a file.)
Before going to bed last night, I instructed the back of my brain to work on it overnight. Not sure if I dreamed about it, although I did dream about things like trying to go down a ladder while wearing shoes that were falling off... and then realizing I had left something at the top... but I digress. I did in any case wake up with a much clearer idea of exactly what *parts* of the top section of the design I felt needed to change. So, I used my minimal photoshop skillz to erase those sections and started playing around, took a break to go to the farmer's market, then noodled some more until it was time to catch BART. And spent the BART ride staring at the various sketches, pondering.
When I got to the shop, it was apparent that A was in fact expecting to work on the design, and was extremely pleased with what I had done in putting together sketches of the options, and we spent most of an hour exploring and putting things together in a way we both really like. Throughout this, we were both very optimistic that we'd actually get to the inking part today. A's theory was that as long as I had the stencil on my back by 5:00 (halfway through the 2-hour appointment) we were good to go.
Then, when I had the (supposedly) finished design in hand, and was giving it one last ponder while she set up her tattooing station, I had another thought. I was happy with the revised top section, but I noticed a problem with the overall balance of the piece. Because of the different sizes of the top and bottom elements, there was more empty space between the top and the middle than between the middle and the bottom. It just looked... slightly off... a little unbalanced. And the thought crossed my mind: maybe the two side parts should angle up? But I immediately rejected the thought because that would mess up the central knotwork, which is one of the parts I've been crazy about since I first saw it... So I instead asked A if maybe the bottom element should be just a smidge further down? Although that might be problematic because then it would be more cross-like, which is one of the things we've been trying to avoid.
A gives it a long look, and tapes it up to the wall so we can both see it with good perspective, and she sees what I'm saying, and suggests that maybe later some other elements could be added into that open space. And then she says: Oh I've just thought of something and I don't even want to say it.
And what she was thinking was the same thing I'd thought before: that perhaps the two side elements should angle up. So, she took a copy of the design and cut it into sections and lo, did it not look incrediblly fabulous with the side elements angled up a bit!
But what about the knotwork? She starts fiddling with that, and realizes: oh! with the change in angle, it will actually work out so that the lines from the top and bottom can really work into the knot, instead of just merging. Which would also be fabulous!
We both kept laughing about the fact that we'd both had the same thought, and both didn't want to say it.
So anyway... She is going to work on the knotwork within the next few days, and put it all together. And my next appointment is Dec 1.
And I think (hope) we will actually just be ready to go.
Despite the fact that (3 hours and some later) I am already transitioning from elation to doubt -- will it really be right? Are the decisions I made about the top really good? Will I change my mind about everything tomorrow? Brain, please shut up now.
Other than that:
After the tattoo appointment, being in a very festive mood, I walked down to Borderlands, where I discovered that they are having their 10th anniversary sale! Whee! So I bought a whole lotta books.
Now I'm home and contemplating the fact that tomorrow needs to include all the usual life-maintenance chores plus getting ready for travel. I am forcing myself to do one load of laundry tonight, but otherwise am going to Just Not Think About It [tm] until morning.
And quite possibly make myself a gin and tonic. Because why not? Cheers, all.
Before going to bed last night, I instructed the back of my brain to work on it overnight. Not sure if I dreamed about it, although I did dream about things like trying to go down a ladder while wearing shoes that were falling off... and then realizing I had left something at the top... but I digress. I did in any case wake up with a much clearer idea of exactly what *parts* of the top section of the design I felt needed to change. So, I used my minimal photoshop skillz to erase those sections and started playing around, took a break to go to the farmer's market, then noodled some more until it was time to catch BART. And spent the BART ride staring at the various sketches, pondering.
When I got to the shop, it was apparent that A was in fact expecting to work on the design, and was extremely pleased with what I had done in putting together sketches of the options, and we spent most of an hour exploring and putting things together in a way we both really like. Throughout this, we were both very optimistic that we'd actually get to the inking part today. A's theory was that as long as I had the stencil on my back by 5:00 (halfway through the 2-hour appointment) we were good to go.
Then, when I had the (supposedly) finished design in hand, and was giving it one last ponder while she set up her tattooing station, I had another thought. I was happy with the revised top section, but I noticed a problem with the overall balance of the piece. Because of the different sizes of the top and bottom elements, there was more empty space between the top and the middle than between the middle and the bottom. It just looked... slightly off... a little unbalanced. And the thought crossed my mind: maybe the two side parts should angle up? But I immediately rejected the thought because that would mess up the central knotwork, which is one of the parts I've been crazy about since I first saw it... So I instead asked A if maybe the bottom element should be just a smidge further down? Although that might be problematic because then it would be more cross-like, which is one of the things we've been trying to avoid.
A gives it a long look, and tapes it up to the wall so we can both see it with good perspective, and she sees what I'm saying, and suggests that maybe later some other elements could be added into that open space. And then she says: Oh I've just thought of something and I don't even want to say it.
And what she was thinking was the same thing I'd thought before: that perhaps the two side elements should angle up. So, she took a copy of the design and cut it into sections and lo, did it not look incrediblly fabulous with the side elements angled up a bit!
But what about the knotwork? She starts fiddling with that, and realizes: oh! with the change in angle, it will actually work out so that the lines from the top and bottom can really work into the knot, instead of just merging. Which would also be fabulous!
We both kept laughing about the fact that we'd both had the same thought, and both didn't want to say it.
So anyway... She is going to work on the knotwork within the next few days, and put it all together. And my next appointment is Dec 1.
And I think (hope) we will actually just be ready to go.
Despite the fact that (3 hours and some later) I am already transitioning from elation to doubt -- will it really be right? Are the decisions I made about the top really good? Will I change my mind about everything tomorrow? Brain, please shut up now.
Other than that:
After the tattoo appointment, being in a very festive mood, I walked down to Borderlands, where I discovered that they are having their 10th anniversary sale! Whee! So I bought a whole lotta books.
Now I'm home and contemplating the fact that tomorrow needs to include all the usual life-maintenance chores plus getting ready for travel. I am forcing myself to do one load of laundry tonight, but otherwise am going to Just Not Think About It [tm] until morning.
And quite possibly make myself a gin and tonic. Because why not? Cheers, all.