Caldecott competition UPDATE

I can finally update on my Caldecott competition entry!

This project has been time consuming and problematic from the beginning. At first, I was buzzing with ideas and felt very fired-up about it. My work was definitely leaning towards something tangible, physical, as opposed to 'an illustration' per se. However, shortly after starting work on this brief I became really, really poorly with a kidney infection. I was terrified, ill and exhausted!! My ideas and creative flow began to suffer. I knew what I wanted for the brief, but didnt know how to go about it. My confidence to explore new avenues took a blow, and I was a bit stuck.

However,  I began to experiment with cutting birds and typography out of paper and card, and loved the tangible nature of the work. Next came the dilemma of what to actually DO with the birds. I experimented with attaching them using metal wires and magnets to create a hanging structure, but it was ugly and heavy and at odds with the birds. I was a bit stuck...again!

Next I experimented with the birds in Illustrator, arranging them in Illustrator and copying some of the shapes to create an image which worked quite nicely, but which was still not quite right. I was exasperated and fed up. I left the project alone for quite some time, before returning to it fresh and relaxed.

In the meantime, I'd been amazed by a new addition to the Glyndwr art department....a laser cutter!! Wow- what an invention!!! I'd seen the stunning results which are achievable using a laser cutter and new it would be ideal for my birds. However, our laser cutter had taken some heavy usage initially, and had suffered some damage. It was such a shame and I was really disappointed not to be able to use it.

BUT..........

Off I went to Yale college.......................................................................................