This is a page from my sketchbook where I have experimented with the punching holes to make a text technique that was used in Ma(r)king Time.

It gave me a deeper appreciation of the original piece and the technique they used to create the poster.

I first had to experiment with some different paper types and tools. I tried screwdrivers, pens, and drawing pins to try and make the holes. I found the drawing pin was the easiest to get neat holes but was difficult to hold, so I made up a contraption using a straw to hold it! The ideal paper was drawing paper with a slightly heavier weight to it than regular printing paper. The printing paper was easiest to make the holes but the impact of the texture was much stronger with slightly heavier paper.

As you can see my first attempts were very weak. It was surprisingly difficult to get an impactful outline to the letters, especially with the round letters. I also noticed my hand would fatigue pretty quickly, giving me a new appreciation of the artists working for 40 hours on their piece.

I also experimented with which way I made the letters, doing them in reverse was trickier but it gave the final texture I was looking for.

My final ‘TIME’ I think gives the result I was looking for. The letters are well-formed, easy to read, clear, neat and all the same size. There is a recognisable font and form to them.

I loved the texture this produces and its something I will continue to experiment with and try to incorporate into pieces.