{"id":23,"date":"2025-09-26T16:42:25","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T16:42:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~JaxenL\/?page_id=23"},"modified":"2026-06-03T00:19:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T00:19:58","slug":"explorations","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~JaxenL\/explorations\/","title":{"rendered":"Explorations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This project is made to try new things and expand your horizons with a project of your choice. I went through quite a few different stages to figure out what I wanted to do for this project, experimenting first before making my decision. I decided to try a new method, called Linocut Printing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My 21st century skills that I can link this to are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Self direction: I want to do better when it comes to planning & time-management. A project with many moving parts & processes seems like the right way to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Risk taking: This is not a forgiving process. I want to learn how to deal with failure. The margin for error in this process is high, so I need to figure out how to deal with mistakes without beating myself up, and instead finding a way forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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These are tests for my project. This project is mostly playing around with negative space, so your design really matters. Words and lettering are especially hard as they have to be reversed before they are carved. I learned this the hard way and messed up several whole stamps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I chose all my photos that I wanted to re-create with stamps, then made digital tracings\/concepts for them that I could more easily translate and transfer to the stamps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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My chosen images & digital tracings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I then transferred the design to the rubber. I tried many different methods, but landed on tracing them with pencil on baking paper, then transfering them with a penny\/coin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Then all that was left was to carve the negative space. Here is what my final stamps looked like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The printing process was messy and difficult, but I finally figured out the trick. Using speedball ink, I transferred the design onto paper, and then onto a sweatshirt, as I enjoy wearing my designs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is my final design:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Poetry Production:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I also produced a poem during this unit. This also included reading the poem out loud, as well as recording it to turn into an animation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wrote a poem about La\u00efka, a dog who was sent into space during Russian space testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Canis Lupus Familiaris<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Princess of the stars,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lost, and never found,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your soul is in the cosmos,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never to be homebound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under Saturn\u2019s rings you nap,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And meteors you fetch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At nebulae your tail wags and swipes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And in the void of space you stretch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all miss you dearly,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patron saint – of one-way trips,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And every day you guide us,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though the cold of space, it nips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, your days are endless,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mongrel of Moscow\u2019s streets,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conqueror of space, you died,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And in my heart yours beats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So thank you for your sacrifice,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To know the final frontier<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you see us from your window?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earth, the perfect blue sphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We miss you, Little bug,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And we\u2019re terribly sorry,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That we\u2019ve left you \u2018tween Orion\u2019s belt<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Alpha Centauri<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And long live your sacrifice,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lovely space dog, La\u00efka,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We hope that you forgive us, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canis Lupus Liberta.  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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