Task 4: Manual Scripts and Potato Printing

Part 1: My Journal Entry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I decided to handwrite a journal entry where I reflected on my daily life since the birth of my daughter. I normally type in these situations because my handwriting is messy, and I can type much faster. In comparison, writing by hand feels slower and more cumbersome, especially when I’m trying to capture my thoughts quickly. However, there’s something satisfying about putting pen to paper, as I enjoy the tactile sensation of feeling the pen scrape the paper, particularly with a ‘good’ quality pen. Furthermore, thinking of what to say for this task came relatively easily, as reflecting on how my life has changed since Emma was born was natural since it’s something I think about often. However, revising what I wrote was more challenging. When I type, I can delete and rearrange words effortlessly, but with handwriting, I had to cross off parts I wanted to change. That felt a bit clunky, and at times it disrupted the flow of my writing.

When I made a mistake or wanted to adjust my wording, I had to cross out the part I wanted to revise and write the new version next to it. It wasn’t as clean or seamless as editing on a computer, where quick adjustments can be made. After finishing, I read over what I had written and tried to see if any changes were necessary. For example, I noticed I hadn’t initially clarified that Emma is my daughter, so I squeezed that in the space between the lines. Furthermore, the choice of media influenced how I approached the task. Knowing this was handwritten and informal, I felt less pressure to make it perfect. If I’d been typing, I probably would’ve edited more thoroughly or structured it differently.

Part 2: Potato Stamps

I entered into this task with a little bit of trepidation, as arts and crafts are typically not one of my stronger suits. One of the most challenging aspects was realizing how precise and intentional I needed to be. I was eventually able to carve out what resembled letters in my potatoes through trial and (lots of) error, but when I began stamping, I quickly discovered how tricky it was to get a clean print. The paint often smudged, and I realized that brushing the paint onto the potato instead of dipping it was more effective. This helped, but I also learned (unfortunately, too late) that non-symmetrical letters like “S” needed to be reversed to print correctly. That’s why my “S” ended up backward, which was a frustrating but valuable lesson in planning ahead. Creating the stamps and stamping the word took about an hour in total. While it seemed like a short word, the process was surprisingly time-consuming, especially when I factored in experimenting to get each letter just right, such as trying different colour paints to see which would produce the clearest print. Simpler letters like “T” and “M” came out clearer, while the more intricate shapes of “A” and “R” required careful carving and handling to avoid smudging or uneven prints.

This activity also made me reflect further on the evolution of writing and printing as described by Lamb & McCormic’s podcast episode (2020). The amount of time and effort it took to (re)produce just a five-letter word gave me a newfound appreciation for the convenience of digital tools and mechanized printing. Typing a word on a keyboard or even handwriting feels effortless compared to this manual process. It also reminded me of how revolutionary inventions like the printing press were by making mass communication faster and more efficient. Overall, the experience demonstrated how much we take modern writing tools for granted.

References

Lamb, R., & McCormick, J. (Hosts). (2020, May 26). From the vault: Invention of the book, part 1 Links to an external site. [Audio podcast episode]. In Stuff to blow your mind. iHeart Radio