Enter the Collaborator
Meet David Allen. Theoretical ecologist, Biology professor, friend, cousin, collaborator. For several years, Dave and I have met every now and then in hopes of producing a book project. In 2013 we are going to make it happen. Dave stayed for nine days, and by the end we had a working idea, a few print tests, and some unrelated photos of Dave at the Natural History Museum.* This project is still very new, like a tiny baby bird. Please forgive me for not laying out the details yet. Much more on this is to come as the project moves forward. Here is a brief, illustrated description of the trajectory of the last few days.
1. We discard an idea.
2. We have a new idea.
3. We think about the new idea.
4. We work on the new idea by candle light.
5. We work on the new idea over a pot of tea.
6. We decide the new idea is The Idea.
7. We develop The Idea.
8. Lunchtime.
9. Computer programming time. boop boop beep beep.
10. Art time. (faint pencil noises)
11. The Idea goes to the studio.
12. We test drive The Idea on the press.
12. The Idea is discussed over a pint. We agree to continue with The Idea and make plans to continue after Dave returns to America.
Much more on this in the coming weeks. Dave is gone now, and that is sad.
In other news, I finished and shipped off the first copy of Simulations on a Two-dimensional Grid. Stay tuned for photos of the final book, which I will produce in an edition of ten.
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* Dave at the Natural History Museum.
7 comments on “Enter the Collaborator”
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Big Jump Press 
collaborator!! along the same lines as my previous stuck/print ideation deck (thank you for THAT idea, no brainer!), i have a question if it’s not too revealing to ask: can you elaborate on what is happening in steps 5-7? i’m curious.
Hey Laura! Sorry, I promise I will elaborate, but not yet. This baby bird idea needs a little time before I start talking too much about it. Soon! How’s the print deck coming?
ooh ooh ooh, yes! keep that baby bird incubating as long as necessary. my question was kind of vague anyway–i think what i really meant was, “are all the tiny drawings part of your normal process? what is that?” so, more general process than content. as for the print deck. . . that is sort of like a quail’s egg in my brain at the moment, but i think i am coming up with a sort of game or structure around which to develop my body of work, which is good. excitement and inspiration has replaced the overwhelmed feeling.
Hello, delicious bowls of Sarah Bryant soup! (And also, hello Sarah Bryant!)
Hello MC Hyland!!! I miss you! Just got your postcard. Awesome.
Such a great post! I can’t wait to see the final product!!!
Thanks, Ray! I am working on it right this minute, actually! Let’s all have a blog high five at cousins this year.