Look at books with new potential

altered books / /

Let’s take another look at the book. Sure books are filled with stories and information, but I like to play with the physical bits of books. Getting ready Books as ART Materials, online class.

WORDS

I  like to cut them out and make new poems and messages.

found word poem

Pages

Can be used for:

  • collage
  • printmaking
  • painting
  • origami
  • shredding

collage of book parts

collage of book pages

BOOK CLOTH

I love this stuff! It is easy to pull off the book board and has wonderful texture and stability.

book cloth for art making

I like to use the ragged thready edges in collage.

Collage with book parts

Book Board

I use book board to make new journals and sketchbooks. I tear off the cloth and then cut the board to a new size. Cover the board with gelatin prints or other media. It is nice and strong and a inexpensive alternative to buying new.

gelatin prints drum leaf book

Spines and Mull

This stuff is my favorite part of the book.

spines and mull for art making

This is the mixture of glue and mesh and paper and cloth that make the spine of a sewn book strong but still flexible.

I use these bits and pieces in collage.

collage book parts to make mixed media art

I hope I have stimulated the way you look at books. I know many folks see books as precious and would not dream of tearing them apart. That is ok. The books that I use are destined for the recycling bin anyway.

There is a great website that lists book sales around the US https://booksalefinder.com . Many sales have been cancelled but hopefully that will change.

In the mean time, ask family and friends for unwanted books. You may be doing them a favor.

If you would like some guidance in using Books as ART Materials, then join us in the online class. Read the details on the workshop page.

 

Look at books with new potential Read More »

Collecting books – as art materials

mixed media printmaking / /

I love to recycle and reuse stuff as art supplies. This is pretty easy to do as a paper based artist.

books as art supplies

Books as ART Materials is an online class that starts soon. I am getting ready for class and realized that I have 5 big boxes of books, book parts and sample pieces. Hmmm?

collect books make art

Most books will have some positive quality:

  • great cover cloth
  • strong book board
  • wonderfully aged pages
  • spine bits and aparts

If you are thinking about joining us in Books as ART Materials, then now is a good time to start collecting old books.

Qualities and features to look for in old books:

  • Old but not precious
  • music book
  • big kids book
  • cloth covers
  • foreign language
  • dictionary
  • any book that inspires you

book pages as collage material

I hope you have the time to join us in this online class. You could start re-purposing a book today and create some found word poems. This can be very meditative is you approach it with a playful sense of discovery.

found poems

Enjoy!

READ the details about the online class – Books as ART Materials

 

Collecting books – as art materials Read More »

3 Uses for Glycerin – printmaking

monotype print / /

Whenever I am at my local big box store, I always check to see if they have glycerin in stock. And if they do I buy a couple of bottles.

supplies to make the gelatin and glycerin plate

With pandemic many folks are using glycerin to make hand sanitizer, so it can be challenging to find.

1 – Make a long lasting gelatin plate

I use 2 bottles of glycerin to make the homemade gelatin plate. This is a malleable printing plate that is great for making monotypes with out a printing press.pour the gelatin plate

You can get the FREE recipe and make your own printing plate here. With some time and playful practice you will be making your own beautiful monotype prints.

delicate gelatin plate monotype print by linda germain

2 – Use glycerin to preserve botanicals

I use a lot of leaves and ferns as masking stencils. Some of these materials I have had for years because I preserved them in a glycerin and water bath.

glycerin and water to preserve leaves

Leaves and ferns can last for years and be used to make lovely monotype impressions. Try it! Get some instructions here.

gelatin plate monotype print by linda germain

3 – Use glycerin as a retarder with Speedball Water based block printing ink

For some reason retarder is a little bit expensive and only sold in smaller tubes. But luckily one of my students told me that a few drops of glycerin can be used to slow the drying time of the Speedball water based inks.

glycerin as a retarder

I use it for this purpose when I make trace monotype prints. I works nicely to keep the ink alive and workable.

gestural trace monotype

If you are interested in learning more about printmaking without a press, then check out the current online classes.

3 Uses for Glycerin – printmaking Read More »

Let the wilderness support your art practice

monotype print / /

Most recently I have been giving myself permission to sit by the lake in the woods. There is a tiny conflicting voice that is telling me to get to “work”.

sit by the lake for ideas

But I am finding that the gift of that time by the lake makes it easier to get to work later. Hmmm?

So I offer you this challenge:

  • Find some wilderness nearby, woods, lake, ocean, park
  • Go there walk, sit and breathe it in
  • See if this gift of time in nature improves your “work” time

gelatin prints on tea bags

I get many ideas and inspiration from the woods:

Hope I have encouraged you to walk in the woods today.

shadows make good stencil images

Let the wilderness support your art practice Read More »

Boundaries create Space – art approach

inspiration / /

Boundaries give you limited choices and then you figure out how to make things work.

gelatin prints on tea bags

What would be a boundary in gelatin printmaking?

  • Limit your stencils to 3 – 5
  • Work with only 2 colors
  • Print 3 layers or less

So often we are so excited to play with lots of stencils and mark making tools. And as a result our prints can be confusing and chaotic.

art fuel your local center

So as the physical excitement to use all your tools at once mellows, I challenge you to create a boundary for your next printmaking session. Pick something that supports your style. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but that when the magic starts to happen.

delicate gelatin monotype print by linda germain

One way to impose boundaries is to join a class, then the teacher gives you exercises and assignments.

The 100 Print Project starts soon and is structured to guide you to take many small steps to create a 100 print installation. READ the details on the printmaking workshop page.

installation of gelatin prints

Boundaries create Space – art approach Read More »