ANST - Documentation

[Gail P. Taylor]

Regarding documentation for A&S....

I've experienced competitions where documentation is required, and where
documentation is not required.  Both exist.

I like documentation.  It allows people who don't specialize in a particular art
form to understand what an artist has done- how far he or she has gone to
recreate a period object.  I cannot fully appreciate the efforts of most
artists, unless they tell me what they did, particularly if they are not
recreating something that is inherently sparkly or oppulent.  If the artist
isn't there, I rely on the documentation.  Documentation allows you to either
brag about the period techniques that you are using, or explain why you are
choosing a different way of doing things; in the process, you demonstrate that
you KNOW what the true period technique is, and educate your readers.

Unfortunately...most people don't read it.  With one stained glass window in
which I replaced two mis-colored pieces that to me were obviously a the work of
previous restorer ...I've heard a fellow complain that I had not done a very
good job matching colors with the "original" window.  However, the people who
really WERE judging, they had no problem with what I did, as they could read
about it in my documentation.  I was recreating the original, rather than the
repaired, window.

Despite the fact that there seem to be many classes on how to document their
work, many people still are hung up on the subject of documentation.  I've seen
newer artists write HUGE histories about their particular art form, and only
superficially mention what it is that they had done on the piece.   This is not
what's being looked for in documentation.

I've more or less worked out a "formula" for my documentation, and generally
those who read it have liked it. There are some sections that I've used
repeatedly, with little modification.

1.  A few sentences about your general art form.  Stained glass is a an artform
that began about so and so, and went to so-and-so.  It's believed to have grown
out of prior art forms such as _______.  Early on, stained glass was primarily a
Christian art.  The windows were found in cathedrals, etc, and served multiple
purposes...they pictorially instructed the illiterate masses, created a sense of
majesty, etc etc.  Eventually became more secular; popularly used for heraldic
purposes (note...I'd only add this last part if I was going to display a
heraldic window).    Then...Reference this.  You got this information from
somewhere....give the writer credit!

2.  Talk about the specific object for a  couple of sentences.  It was created
when, where?  It's now where?  How big is it?  Anything particularly intriguing
about this one object that made you choose it?  Reference where you got the
photo of the object from.  Have the book or a good image of the original object
available for the judges.  Sometimes I put this section first...

2b.  Optional:  Instructions for viewing...stained glass windows are designed to
be viewed from a distance, and look better from about 10 feet.  I tell the
viewers this.

 3.  Optional:  My artistic objectives in creating the object.  If you are doing
it to work on a particular technique to continue your own training, then tell
people.

4.  Materials:
I break this down into individual categories of materials that were used.
Pattern, glass, paints, lead, etc etc.  I list where I bought it, and how close
to period these items are...particularly if they are the absolute closest that
we can currently get.  If you cannot use the period materials now because they
cause cancer or are unavailable, then this is a place to note this...and then
you will not be 'dinged' for using as period as possible, but not dangerous,
materials.  In the process, you end up indicating that you know what actually
WAS used in period, which makes you look knowledgable.  This is also an area
where you can deal with the "how involved were you with your work" judgement
that often gets made....I buy my glass from merchants and don't blow it
myself...the -same way- that period glasspainters got their glass.  If someone
would rather I blow my glass and judge me down for this...then they are being a
bit extreme for this particular art form.  Finally, if I'm creating a
period-like object that isn't an exact reproduction of a period object, I
justify the decisions I make.  For example, if I chose a particular color, I can
list that this color was popularly used in period, and even show a picture of an
object of that color, from a similar period.

5.  Equipment: Talk about the tools that you used:  Were they period?  If not,
were they are close as you can get, without burning down your house or getting
sued by your homeowners association?  Again, here you end up mentioning the
period tools, and add another reference.

6.  Methods and Construction.  I go through my process of creation, divided into
submethods.  Most methods require about a sentence or two each.  I don't go
horribly in depth...I say that I cut my glass using a wheel cutter"...not "I cut
my glass using wheel cutter to make straight or curved lines, with multiple
small subcuts around highly curved areas."   Again, I list how closely my
methods are to period methods.    If individual pieces of glass required
particularly difficult work, I even discuss how the individual pieces were
created.  If I believe that something is particularly noteworthy, I mention it.

7.  Optional:  I will often critique my own work, and tell how successful I was
at meeting the goals that I initially laid out for myself.  If something looks
slightly wrong, but this was a problem for even period artisans, I will mention
this.  Many judges have liked this, some may not.

8.  References.  The books/publications you talked about, above.
__________________________________________________________

Ah well...hope this proves a bit useful to a few of you...

Ly. Isobel Hadleigh
Cadet to Don Kazimir


============================================================================
Go to http://lists.ansteorra.org/lists.html to perform mailing list tasks.