Friday 31 May 2013

ARC May

Welcome to the May meeting of Arc, I hope you have all had a great month. It has been an exciting week for me as I have been a guest blogger over on the PaperArtsy blog. See my previous posts from Sun thru to yesterday to find out what projects I made for them. 

So onto the review..


One Day by David Nicholls

I bought this book a couple of years ago, after it was recommended. I saw on the cover it had won a literary prize, and it was half price. I had no clue what it was about, and did not even read the blurb on the back...until this month.

The general story is this...

Chapter one. boy meets girl on a specific date, they spend a day together.
Chapter two. We find out what they are both doing on that same date, one year later.
Chapter three. The same date another year later...

and so it goes on, each chapter is a year later in the story, and each chapter only focusses on that one specific date.

The idea is quite intriguing, can you glean enough interest in just one day, does it leave you wanting to know more about the days in-between, the days you never find out about...is this going to be a good thing or annoying?

It was dull. No actually it was really DULL.

You know when you go to watch a film and you find out that it is based on a true story and your heart sinks because you know that is is going to be boring....well that’s because real life is boring. Real life is not a wild action movie, or a Hollywood glamour location. For the most part life is routine. Not that life isn't enjoyable, but how interesting is it for other people to watch?

This book is not based on a true story, but it could have been. These 2 characters are dull, and their lives are dull. I read a third of the book and then put it down. I had to force myself to sit 'one day' ... see what I did there lol... and on that one day I read the remaining 297 pages. Not because it was thrilling and I couldn't put it down, but that I had to get it done and I knew if I stopped I would never ever pick this book up again.

It really is such a shame, because the idea is so simple and it could have been amazing.

So onto my journal page. This page in my journal already had a bit of texture on it, just some old scrapings of wall filler. I sprayed over this with some Dylusions inks.


I then marked on a calendar, as this book centres around dates. I also add some left over tissue tape, for no reason other than to add texture and background interest. I was really pleased with it at this point. 


Then I got stuck, I just had no motivation or inspiration from the book, and I was really clutching at straws when it came to adding focal images. 

One of the characters rides a bike, so i added that using a black promarker. 


The characters first meet in Edinburgh, so I added a gel transfer of the castle in Edinburgh. This was done using a photo that I took last time I was there. 


Again I was stuck, and tried several things on the left page, hated each of them and peeled them back off. 

Finally I went with the romance theme, which is never really much of a romance.. but anyway I stamped a heart on black paper and coloured it with Mega Flakes. 

Both stamp and flakes are from INDIGO BLU...



Only the lower part and edges of the heart are stuck down, so my printed review could slip inside at the top. 


So here is the finished page, complete with title, which is a phrase from the book. 




Now over to you, if you are playing along with the book review then link up. Please link the specific blog post so that it is easier to find. Then go visiting and leave some love. 







24 comments:

  1. It's too bad your book was so boring. Yes, life is boring, isn't it. The only true story I ever enjoyed was the one of the Apollo 13 astronauts who almost didn't make it back from space. Now that story wasn't boring. But one day each year in a life can often be boring, even if it's some type of anniversary.

    I enjoyed the art, at least. It was fantastic and that bike is incredible.

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  2. What a great page! Was fun to see the process! Couldn't see the ending from where it started so was neat to see it as it developed. Tfs! *hugs* =0)

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  3. What a shame you didn't enjoy it. I loved the book but hated the film. Anne Hathaway and her dodgy Yorkshire accent did my head in xxx

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  4. It turned out beautifully Darcy....great colours!!

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  5. Oh what a shame you didn't enjoy the book, I listened to it rather than read it but I will never see the film. Love your artwork. A xx

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  6. I looked at the book on and off for months when it came out and again after the film but was never intrigued enough to buy it and read it - sounds like I saved a good deal of time! Love the journal page though, however hard you found it to be inspired by the "story".

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  7. Shame you didn't enjoy the book. I've read it too, and although I quite liked it, I felt the author could have done more with it, and the bloke character was a prat :) Whatever you do, don't watch the film, you'll be very disappointed! Fab journal page though, love that heart! Thanks for linking me up. x

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  8. People kept telling me to watch the film, but my inner sense said 'no way'. Doubly glad now. You deserve an ARC medal too for finishing the book. It's strange that when a book is bad it's so hard to be creative about it. And even when the pages turn out as well as yours have done I find it difficult to be satisfied with a failure-inspired piece of art.
    I find the ARC the most interesting challenge I do, from all aspects. Thanks Darcy, an inspired idea for a challenge.

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  9. Oh what a shame you didn't enjoy the book ... I loved it! Ho hum! Film however is rubbish!
    I can understand the getting stuck especially as the calendar part is so lovely but I do love the way you finished it off! As always very talented!

    Oh and I adore your PaperArtsy work ... Just so creative!
    Hugs
    C xxx

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  10. Super journal page - you even make the book seem interesting! Such a pity when you get a boring book but 10 out of 10 for artistic license and perseverance. Some of these literary critics want their bumps feeling!

    Janet xx

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  11. Have read this book and did not enjoy it much either, dull is a good description. However you journal page certainly isn't dull. Great idea with the calendar boxes. It turned out so well.
    Jen x

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  12. Lol! Boring book could be based on real life. :)You're good. I usually give up on the book. It's a shame to waste my time reading something I don't like.

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  13. So sorry this book was dull, yet you created an amazing journal page from it - the heart is gorgeous. I agree with you about everyday life; there has to be something magical - not necessarily literally, of course - but something sparkling that impels us to go on reading. I am loving ARC and working on my next project for it (also your PA stuff has been phenomenal!). I love the imagination of all you do. Thank you for all you share; that novel wasn't worthy of your creative response x.

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  14. Love, love the art work.....I have that heart stamp too...
    Sorry you found the book boring...now for my guilty secret...I bought it as a friend recommended it...it sat on my TBR pile for at least 18 months...last week I finally gave in and realised no way was I ever going to read it...it's now in a charity bag...thank you for proving me right. Not much consolation I know but fingers crossed you have a better book in June.
    Second confession...I panicked last week as I thought we were posting on 24th...lol.....hence the "art work"!!

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  15. I would be pulling my hair out wondering what happened in between. I can see why it wasn't all that interesting.

    I love the colors of your art. And the words you selected, particularly the bit about "Illusion."

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  16. I do have to say, you are very brave to pick up and buy a book without even reading the blurb on the back - I wouldn't dare. But I guess it bit you on the bum this time :( (although, then again, the actual premise for the book sounds pretty cocol so maybe you would have bought it anyway)

    Sorry you didn't enjoy it, but I am glad it inspired such a great journal page. Love the metal leaf heart and that bicycle, and the castle transfer, and the background, and all of it really :)

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  17. Wishing you a wonderful book for june, what a bummer... Do have to admit I really do like the Art you created and am very sorry you've been struggling with it! ♥

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  18. They have made a film of this I think. Sounds awful And you have also (I think because you didn't enjoy the book) had a hard time creating. I'm glad you stuck with it love the spread Dxx

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  19. I certainly would never know from your journal pages that the book was boring... inspiration from within, I guess. Hope your next book will be FABULOUS!!!

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  20. I love the process and the final art journal spread you did for your book. Not every book is going to be exciting, but I am delighted you got through it and made phenomenal art from it! Hoping you have a better book to read in June. :) Angi K. Orobko (aka Doc Angi)

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  21. Hahahahaha....SNAP! I wrote my review before reading yours, but it reads very similarly...you have my full sympathy :D XXX

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  22. Aloha Darcy...I can always count on your honest reviews...even when the book is dull or unappealing...the art piece is FABulous! Capturing the mood, colors, textures and lovely layers even when your not inspired by the book...mahalo

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  23. I got to chapter 3 on this book last year and have not picked it up since! I agree with everything you have written. However, a very dull book has given us some lovely artwork to look at. Love the heart.
    X

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  24. I'm sorry my name appears twice, but I had to add my blog link again because a couple of people told me that they tried to read it and it said the post did not exist. Julie Ann Lee

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