Inspired by books

altered books, inspiration / /

I love the last day of a library book sale. That’s when I can get a big bag of old books for just a few dollars. These are books that nobody wants, so they are perfect for art projects.

books for art projects

So I approach the book sale and hunt with thoughts like these:

  • Do judge a book by its cover
    • cloth or paper
    • color
    • size
    • embossed design
    • plain, words or illustration
  • Inside pages are not about the story but –
    • strength of the page
    • color of the paper
    • how does it “feel”
    • what language, music or illustrations
  • The Spine and the End Pages can be the most exciting parts
    • texture of the materials
    • personal notes and marks that record history

spine of deconstructed book

After you have played with taking a few books apart, then you might come up with a wish list for your next book sale.

My old book wish list:

  1. Large cloth covered children’s book – for the cloth and book board
  2. Hard covered books with yellow, orange or cream colored cloth – for the colors
  3. Any book with embossed designs or text – for the rubbings

collage of book pieces

When I look at old books, I am thinking about design ideas like:

  • color
  • line
  • texture

If you want to play with using old books in your art practice, then join us in the online class, Book as ART Materials. Class starts soon. READ all the detail on the workshop page.

art made with book parts

The lessons include:

  • black out poems
  • large diptych and collage
  • book forms

 

 

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Fun with book pages

book arts / /

You can use book pages for almost any paper project. I think the half hidden text can create interest and draw the viewer in closer to your art work.

gelatin prints on book pages

I often will white wash a stack of old book pages and then gelatin print on them. It creates a freedom, because the paper is not so precious. I white wash with the same ink or paint that I am printing with.

While brainstorming for the upcoming class, Books as ART Materials, I played with book pages for paper mache bowls. It was more challenging than I thought it would be, but fun to explore.

book pages paper mache bowls

I love making little origami boxes with book and magazine pages. It is always a surprise to see how it all folds together. I have quick tutorial here on making origami boxes.

origami boxes with book pages

You could do any origami project with pages. I have folded a few cranes. Choose a thin yet sturdy page for these folded projects.

paper crane from book page

When I start to take a book apart, I love finding pages with different qualities:

  • faded sepia tones
  • scribbles and notes
  • transparent leaves
  • bold or big type
  • blank pages

faded book pages as collage materials

I collect several papers with different qualities and begin a project, like the collage above.

  • How could you use book pages in your work?
  • Would it create freedom to play with paper?
  • Would it give you a way to begin?

If you would like some help using Books as ART Materials, the join us. READ the details on the workshop page. Class starts soon.

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Take Books Apart – Play

book arts / /

There’s more to a book than you might think.

book spines for art making

The obvious parts of the book are:

  • Cover
  • Pages and
  • Words

book as photo subject

If you go a little deeper, you will find:

  • Book cloth
  • Decorative end pages
  • Illustrations
  • Lending and ownership notes
  • Marks of use and wear
  • Spine, mull, glue, headband and mull
  • Book board
  • Maybe even a dust jacket

Use old books as art materials

I love to take old books apart and use those parts to make new pieces of art. That might include:

  • Black out poems
  • Artist journals and
  • Collaged pieces

art made with old books

You want to use books that are older and no longer loved. These types of books usually are recycled as paper products. This website is a good resource for book sales: https://www.booksalefinder.com

Often on the last day of a library book sale you can get a big bag of old books for a few dollars. Hunting for these old treasures is part of the fun. On this page I go into more depth about the qualities I look for in old books as art materials.

unbound book - collage of materials

If you would like to explore using Books as ART Materials, then read the details on the workshop page and join us today. Class starts soon.

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Ways to motivate

inspiration / /

I have to breathe fresh energy into my practice every day. Things that help:

Get Outside

shadows to inspire stencils

Today, I walked my usual woods walk, but I started from a different point and it changed the experience. I also allowed myself to photograph shadow in the path.

I am hoping that these shadow photos inspire:

photograph shadows for making stencils

Take a Class

This always gets my creative juices flowing. Recently, I took the Make It Move class with Kara Kramer and Carla Sonheim Presents. We played with making simple animations. It was fun and got me excited about playing with colorful paper.

This is one of my short animations:

If you can’t take a class, find a YouTube video and try a new skill or technique. Pick something that you would not normally do.

Clear Your Design Wall

Every so often I take all the art work off my studio wall. It is like a fresh start. Then I can pick new inspiration to pin up.

studio wall

Then slowly add bits of inspiration or new work.

MORE ways to energize your practice:

  1. Make a mess
  2. Use old tools in a new way
  3. Purge unloved work
  4. Play new kind of music
  5. Move your workbench

Hope you are happily creating in your studio space!

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Plates as Puzzle pieces

relief prints / /

Working and printing at home or in a small studio is easy when using soft foam plates. I can pile prints in small spaces and spread tools out on a couple of tables.

foam plate prints

I love using recycled produce containers and small consistent sizes to make plates that can fit together some what like a puzzle.

piece many small relief plates

Soft foam plates create muted and changeable impression. They can be layered an overlapped to introduce variety into the piece.

combine plates to make larger prints

If you are looking for a low tech way to print on paper or fabric and create one of a kind impressions, then foam plate printing may be a good option for you.

draw lines in the foam plates

The basic technique is to make recessed lines in the foam and then ink and print the high parts of the plate. Simple pens and pencils can be used to make the marks. But you can get creative with found objects and masking stencils to expand the mark making vocabulary.

relief printed fabric

Join us in the upcoming class, Soft Plate Relief Printing, read all the details on the workshop page.

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