Key to terms used in physical descriptions
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The project is contained in a smooth shiny, plastic A4 ringbinder, with a colourful geometric design printed on the outside cover (and on inside covers, a calendar at front, and conversion tables, at back) The ringbinder is in good condition and looks new (a 99p price tag is still stuck on the spine). The 42 pages are contained in transparent plastic sleeves, usually two sheets per sleeve.
The work has been done mainly on lined A4 filepaper, in three different colours: yellow, blue and pink (this can be assumed unless otherwise indicated in the page notes) but other materials are also used: plain cream card, plain white typing paper, and some white scrap paper (– with word processed text on the back). Most pages contain handproduced writing and drawings. There is also some imported material: on a few pages, feathers and broken eggshell are attached with sellotape; one page contains a newspaper cutting, loosely inserted in the sleeve, and carefully positioned against a white sheet.
The handwriting appears to be mostly in blue fountain or cartridge pen, or fine felt tip (this can be assumed unless indicated in page notes); it is small, joined up and gives the impression of fluency. Different styles and substances are used for different parts of the text: a thicker purple stroke (cartridge /fountain pen or felt tip) is often used for titles, initial letters and some framing; initial letters are often ‘decorated’ rather like those in medieval illuminated manuscripts. Important warnings and instructions are written, and sometimes framed, in red felt tip. Some titles and labels are written in pencil.
There are lots of drawings; many are outlined in pencil (this can be asumed unless indicated in the page notes); they are shaded with either pencil, or coloured pencil crayons, carefully overlayed and blended; some of these drawings are extremely detailed, in both a ‘realistic’ and a ‘decorative’ sense, with care taken to show the distinctive shape and features (in particular the feather patterns) of each bird; others are more sketchy, and some more diagramatic.
cover page [ next page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (Cover page)
Title and author’s name have been written on a strip of white paper (it looks like the top of an A4 sheet, cut, roughly, widthways across); this has been attached to the binder, using 6 small round sticky labels; the author’s name has been written in blue ink, in very small, lower case, joined up writing, the title is in purple felt tip.
page 1 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ]
The work has been done on a piece of cream, A4 ‘scrap’ card (the wordprocessed Christmas card design on the reverse side indicates that it was left over from making greetings cards). The child’s name is written in pencil in small, lower case, joined up writing. The broken, 4 piece frame has been created by cutting out strips of paper which has already been ‘marbled’ using green paint. The words and drawings in the centre has been done on white paper. These have been stuck firmly, with glue, onto the cream card surface. The work is in very soft pencil, and crayon. Erased smudgy marks indicate alterations to some of the words (‘Dove’ was ‘doves’; ‘AND’ was ‘&’; and end of word ‘woodpigeon’ has been rewritten -earlier version not clear), and to the shape of two of the doves. The butterfly and large birds are shaded very carefully, and quite heavily in parts, creating strong tonal variation, and a solid, static sculptural impression; in comparison, the small birds sitting on the letters are much more sketchy.
page 2 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 1)
Paper is pale blue. Title and initial letter of first line appear to have been written using a cartridge or fountain pen, and purple ink. Fine red felt tip is used for frames message and title above picture. The drawing has been done on white paper, cut out and stuck on with glue.
page 3 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 2)
The paper is pale pink. Title and initial letters appear to have been written using a cartridge or fountain pen, and purple ink.
page 4 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 3)
The drawing is on a piece of scrap paper (old draft of word processed ‘academic’ text on reverse side, with scribbled comments in green biro -left over from mother’s work?) A strip has been cut off along the top of the A4 sheet, and it has been inserted loosely in the transparent sleeve, against the previous page. In the drawing, the stroke used for the beak is much heavier than that used for the rest of the bird; also notice the difference between the stroke used to outline the head (very short, controlled lines) and that used for the line around the neck (loose, continuous and wriggly).
page 5 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 4)
The paper is yellow. The writing looks like fountain pen here. Title and initial letter of first line appear to have been written using purple ink. The reference to ‘page 7’ looks as if it is in a darker ink, suggesting that it may have been added later; the light purple vertical mark next to this suggests a slip of the felt tip pen, when framing the labels. The triangular frame used to enclose the title of the diagram; is written in two layers of fine blue and purple felt tip; the purple felt tip looks as if it has smudged when being ruled. There are a few pencil smudges and erased marks in the drawing, indicating slight alteration to initial draft. Notice the carefully ruled lines, with round pin head dots at the end, linking each of the words with a specific part of the diagram, and the way in which each of these labels has been framed. Pencil lines are visible under the word ‘LARGER’, indicating earlier drafting. The writing is very carefully positioned around the diagram.
page 6 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 5)
The paper is yellow. The writing looks like fountain pen here. Erased pencil and crayon marks indicate alteration to earlier drafts of the two colour drawings in the top half of the page. Lines are in purple felt tip; the ink has run in the line below the first drawing –it looks as if it was caused when the ruler was removed (interestingly, the other lines have not been ruled –perhaps because it was proving too messy). The contents of the key are framed with a fine yellow line -it looks like either a fairly dry felt tip or pencil crayon. Pencil lines are visible under the word ‘ARM’, bottom right, indicating earlier drafting.
page 7 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 6)
The paper is yellow. The writing looks like fountain pen here.
page 8 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 7)
The paper is yellow. The writing looks like fountain pen here. The drawing of the two birds has been done on white paper, cut out and stuck on with glue. Notice the different strengths of strokes used in the diagram: the claws are drawn with the same pressure as some of the internal organs, suggesting that the child paid particular attention to the structure of these components. There are diagonal lines across the drawing where the pencil does not appear to have taken, which suggests that it was shaded on a textured surface. There is a slight smudgy mark on the plastic sleeve, possibly caused by pencil.
page 9 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 8)
The paper is yellow. Title and initial letter of first line appear to have been written using a cartridge or fountain pen, and purple ink. This is the only page in which thick pink felt tip has been used for the framing; this has been carefully constructed so that it appears to wind in and out, creating a boundary between the two different sections of text; it was probably drawn after the labels had been completed, and then the rest of the writing fitted around it. Notice the difference in the line created when writing with a quill, compared to a pen; the line suggests a slower, more awkward, less fluent stroke, indicating that the quill was less easy to work with. The feathers have been attached using narrow strips of sellotape, positioned vertically across them.
page 10 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 9)
The paper is yellow. This page has been produced on the reverse surface of page 9; the sleeve contains only the one sheet. Title and initial letter of first line appear to have been written using a cartridge or fountain pen, and purple ink. The drawings of the fish and inkpot are in felt tip, but the quill is in pencil.
page 11 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 10)
The paper is yellow. The writing looks like fountain pen here. The white frames around the feathers have been created by cutting ‘windows’ in the surface paper, so that the reverse side of the next page is visible. A very small blue dot has been drawn on the yellow paper, beneath the feather, carefully positioned so that it is visible through the pattern of the feather, to illustrate its translucent quality. This page is unique in its physical form, and has been very carefully constructed; it is also very delicate and has to be handled carefully!
page 12 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 11)
Plain white paper is used here. The drawing has been outlined in pencil and shaded, very sensitively, using a mixture of very soft pencil and crayon, carefully blended; white crayon appears to have been used over the other colours on the chest. Erased pencil lines are visible, indicating alteration to the shape of the bird’s head and shoulders in an earlier draft.
page 13 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 12)
The paper is pale blue. The writing looks like fountain pen here. Title and initial letter of first line appear to have been written in purple ink. Dense network of criss-cross lines used for crossing out. Ruled lines are broken to fit around the words in the centre.
The words ‘DOVES (LEFT)’ have been written in tiny letters, squashed into the available space; this suggests that they were added later.
page 14 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 13)
The paper is pale blue. A range of coloured felt tips (purple, red, pink, brown, orange, green) have been used for the writing and framing here.
page 15 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 14)
The paper is pale blue. A range of coloured felt tips: purple, black, pink, orange, green and yellow (top right; it may not be visible on the scan) have been used for the writing and framing here. The broken egg shell has been stuck on with a narrow piece of sellotape positioned horizontally across the sheet. Notice the carefully measured, ruled line illustrating the length of the egg, in contrast to the irregular lines of the frames.
page 16 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 15)
Plain white paper is used here. These drawings have been outlined in pencil and shaded in what appears to be pastel crayon, using a variety of strokes.
page 17 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 16)
Plain white paper has been used here. These drawings have all been outlined in pencil, but notice the different materials used for shading: one (top left) has been shaded in felt tip and the others in what appears to be pastel crayon. In the first drawing, varied strokes are used to create the different patterns, and the note below it shows how black and blue strokes are used together to represent a ‘blue-grey’ colour. Tippex has been applied beneath the words ‘Cape Dove’, indicating alteration to an earlier draft; from the reverse side of the page the word ‘Bleeding h’ is visible, indicating that the child started to write the label, then suddenly realised that she needed to change it, so stopped writing and made the correction. This is one of only two pages where tippex has been used to make alterations to the writing (from the reverse it is clear that the word ‘Bleeding’ has been scribbled out, then tippexed over).
page 18 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 17)
Plain white paper has been used here. Erased pencil lines are visible indicating alteration to back of dove at top of page. Beneath the top drawing, lines are also visible through the paper, from a draft on the reverse side of the page; these are the initial pencil lines of a drawing of a pigeon or dove: evidence of a rejected version.
page 19 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 18)
Notice the very light, soft blending of different coloured crayons in these drawings, in particular the one at the bottom.
page 20 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 19)
Title and initial letter of first line appear to have been written in purple ink. Black and red felt tips are also used for the writing here. It is slightly smaller than the writing on most of the other pages, suggesting that the child was making an effort to fit all the information into the available space.
page 21 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 20)
A sheet of cream card has been used here. This is the only page in which all the work has been done in pencil, but the variety in technique is worth noting. There is a small brown spot above the ‘Jacobine’ pigeon, providing evidence of accidental damage through contact with some kind of liquid (possibly tea or coffee?).
page 22 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 21)
A sheet of cream card has been used here. Different felt tips are used for framing: red, blue, purple, yellow, orange, red, green. Erased pencil lines are visible beneath the title, indicating careful drafting. The reference has been added down the left side, squashed into the available space.
page 23 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 22)
The paper is pink. Title and initial letter of first line appear to have been written in purple ink. Two techniques are used for corrections here: tippex has been used in three places; from the reverse, the earlier draft is visible: ‘is usually’ was ‘was usually’; ‘This is a detail of’ was just ‘Detail of’; and ‘a’ was ‘the’ ; other alterations are made simply by crossing out, or reworking over the original version.
page 24 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 23)
The paper is pink. The writing in the margin, bottom left, and in the very bottom line of the page, appear to have been written in a different pen, and a slightly different style of writing, which suggests that they were added later.
page 25 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 24)
The paper is pink. The copy of the Escher drawing has been done on white scrap paper (wordprocessed print on the reverse side is visible through the paper), then cut out and stuck firmly onto the page with glue. Red felt tip is used for part of the framing.
page 26 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 25)
The paper is pink. Three different blue felt tip pens appear to have been used for the writing on this page, suggesting that the child worked on it at different times. The framed message is in red felt tip (as on p2). In the drawing, erased pencil lines indicate careful attention to the hand, and implements used for inserting lense.
page 27 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 26)
Plain white paper is used here. This page contains the only imported textual material in this project: a newspaper cutting, positioned loosely in the sleeve, against the white background sheet. This is the only sheet in the sleeve; there is no work on the other side, so a blank surface is visible when the page is turned over.
page 28 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 27)
Plain white paper is used here. Erased pencil lines provide evidence of a few alterations to the drawing, but the sweeping lines seem to have been confidently drawn, showing impressive control of the pencil –particularly down the chest and around the eye. The wing and facial colouring is created by mixing light and dark blue pastel crayon. There are smudgy grey/black crayon marks on the plastic sleeve (probably caused by dirty hands).
page 29 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 28)
Plain white paper is used here. These birds have been outlined more lightly and tentatively than the one on the previous page, except for the claws, which are quite heavily worked. Different strokes are used to create the delicate speckled and circular patterns; orange, pink and purple specs and squiggles for the chest of the bird at the top; pencil dots and short blue strokes, over red, in the one below.
page 30 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 29)
The paper is pink. Erased pencil lines are visible beneath some of the pencil work indicating alteration to earlier drafts. The framing is in a range of different coloured felt tips: red, purple, orange, green, blue, pink, brown, yellow, black. There is great variety in techniques used for drawing the frames: straight lines, wriggly lines, zig-zag lines and question marks (bottom left); one frame is ruled.
page 31 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 30)
The paper is pink. Variation in framing materials and methods continues (as for previous page). Very fine felt tip strokes are used in the drawing bottom right.
page 32 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 31)
The paper is pink. Variation in framing materials and methods continues (as for previous page). Speech bubble and word ‘EXAM’ (in top two frames) are in pencil. Notice the alteration to the page number (top left). The purple felt tip underlining is smudged (bottom left); looks as if it was caused by the movement of the ruler. There is only one sheet in this sleeve.
page 33 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 32)
This is the reverse side of the previous page. The drawing is in pencil, with some details in blue, red and black felt tip. It has been produced on white paper, cut out and inserted loosely in the sleeve against the pink sheet.
page 34 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 33)
The paper is yellow. Drawings are in pencil and felt tip. Framing is in a variety of coloure felt tips. The words ‘you can get a good idea of what it is’ are squashed into the space above and beside the diagram, and written in a darker pen, suggesting that they were added later. Notice the alteration to the word ‘EYE’, previously written in lower case letters.
page 35 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 34)
The drawing is in soft pencil; the variation in direction and intensity of the strokes creates a strongly ‘sculptured’ impression. The writing on this page is slightly smaller than on most of the other pages; notice the slight variation in styles of handwriting.
page 36 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 35)
The paper is pale blue. Title appears to have been written in purple ink. The use of different coloured pens for writing is striking, here. Under the heading ‘B’, at point 24, a few words are in a mixture of pink and purple; it seems that the child started to write the information in purple, then realised that this was not consistent (only titles are in purple), and started again, in pink. The note in blue ink top right, appears to be in the same pen as that used for adding additional comments on earlier pages, suggesting that it may have been used during a period of ‘proofing’. There is an alteration to one of the page numbers, at the bottom.
page 37 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 36)
The paper is pale blue.
page 38 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 37)
The paper is pale blue. Notice the alteration to one of the page numbers.
page 39 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 38)
The paper is pale blue.
page 40 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 39)
The paper is pale blue. Notice the careful positioning of the lines (with arrows) indicating an alteration to the sequence of information (re the words ‘structure’ and ‘streamline’).
page 41 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 40)
The paper is pink. The title appears to have been written in purple ink. Notice the alterations to some of the page numbers.
page 42 [ next page ] [ previous page ] [ top ] [ DS53 index ] (child’s page 41)
The paper is yellow. The title appears to have been written in purple ink. This is the only sheet in this sleeve; there is no work on the reverse; when the page is turned the blank side is visible.