Book Arts

I have been so intrigued with book arts lately. Also known as Artists Books. Or Artist's Books. Or even Artists' Books. (Apostrophe Controversy.) I've even been drawn away from fabric in my explorations. (Horrors!) I'm not sure where it all started, but I did order this book from Amazon.

It's quite good. Very basic, but creative and rather edgy. I learned lots of basics from the book including using alligator clips to hold signatures together while you bind them. And to use a piece of scrap paper to protect the signature from the clip so it doesn't dent or scratch the pages.

I can hardly wait for this book to come out. It's totally on my wish list.

I had a wonderful creating day with some other fiber artists a couple of weeks ago. Flo had an amazing stash of paper samples and other goodies. We all made books!

 

Here is a simple little "journal" I made. I cut pieces from a sample catalog, bound them, then added some cream paper squares and rectangles onto several pages. The pages are full of beautiful images, cut-outs and interesting edges, so the cream paper provides a space to actually write thoughts.

Then I made an accordion book from one page printed with interesting bugs and animals. I followed directions from the book to make several cuts and folds and turn the one page into a long strip. I added "covers" cut from paint chips. 

Still obsessed with books... when we were at the Center for Creative Connections at the Dallas Museum of Arts, I made another accordion book at the open studio table.

  

I used various sizes of cardboard for the pages. I connected them with orange masking tape. Then I decided to edge the whole thing with the orange masking tape. There were no scissors at the table, so that encouraged some creative problem solving.

Then I used green masking tape to add an element to each "page."

The kids helped me add a verb to each page. Something that you might "do" with the element on the page. Tie with a string. Fly with a feather. Connect with a twist tie. Write with a pencil.

Find with a piece of a map.

Attach with rubber bands (and stretch with rubber bands on the other side of the page). Feel with a piece of velvet. Wrap with a piece of plastic.

Totally fun project to just sit and build. There is something freeing about using only the materials you have in front of you and having so pressure for the results.

But wait... there are still more books. At the last meeting of the Dallas Area Fiber Artists, Deanna Woods did a program about artists books and taught a mini-workshop. We made blank accordion books.

She taught us some excellent techniques using real book making materials. Very clean and straight and smooth. These are not generally terms used to describe my artwork. So it was a good exercise for me.

I also discovered an excellent entry in Wikipedia about books arts, which lead me to an amazing e-journal called The Bonefolder all about book arts. (I even bought a bone folder recently, since apparently this book interest isn't fading.) The Bonefolder is a free download! Check it out.

I've got more book ideas and projects brewing...