Back to the Horizon

Do you remember the Horizon?

I told you all about it here.

These designs got some very supportive comments, but despite considerable effort on my part I could not fine anyone who could scan the size that I had created (foolscap X 2).

So, I've given up!

Not with Horizon altogether - no, just with this technique (I was going to scan it and have it digitally printed onto fabric).

I have been working on Horizons re-worked.

And here we are so far.

Now, as you can see, the scale has changed. I'm not sure if it quite works but it is 1.5m X 0.5m.

And this is tissue paper 'backed' onto calico with pva glue and coloured with brusho inks.

The bottom section is printed.

This is using acrylic paint and a trusty print block (made with foam sheet glued onto card) which I have used time and again.  Plus a new print block with which I added gold ink (made with the same foam sheet).

The front arches are cut from this.

This is inked rag paper, scrunched and ironed to 'age' it and then rubbed with a brown ink pad.

And I'm playing with the following text:-

Madinat Al-Zahra - The "Shining City"

Abd ar-Rhaman III surveyed the rich, fertile land of the Guadalquivir valley.  He had just left the Great Mosque founded by his ancestor, Abd ar-Rahman I, having given thanks to God for blessing him and his subjects with this land and what they had achieved here.  Here, they had founded the Mosque, which he was even now extending further, they had established the University - a seat of great learning - and built beautiful houses and palaces with shady patios against the summer heat.Even so, he was not satisfied.  This is a great city, he thought, and it suited my ancestors well as Emirs of al-Andalus but now I have made myself Caliph of all Islam I need something finer still.  As he gazed across the valley, his eyes strayed to the hills opposite. There would be the place, in the foothills, protected from the north by the hills and giving fine views over the river and valley back towards Córdoba, which would give an early warning of any enemy attack.

 Now, I did consider trying to translate this into Arabic.

But I used Google Translate, and frankly I am not sure how accurate it it, especially as it could not deal with Ar - Rhaman.  And I am not certain that that 1000 years ago the Moors of al- Andalus were using modern day Arabic.  So, lovely as it looks, I knocked that on the head and decided to use English.

Then, how to transfer the words?

I painted them onto sheer fabric.  It took all afternoon - a very relaxing past time, but very time consuming. 

I'm not sure how successful this will be, so come back soon to see how this develops.