Painted Pages: An Investigation
Paper, Board, Canvas, Denim, Hemp Cord.
Painting with Acrylics.
Single and Multiple Signature Bindings.
What comes next?
Material World (3)
Material World (3)
One of the pleasures and deep satisfactions of bookmaking is delving into the visual, visceral, and tactile pleasures of materials, and how to employ and combine them. The following shares one step of my journey exploring and investigating the qualities inherent in specific materials. Though many artists do not make the kind of money that allows for indulgence in what might be termed “material pleasures”, we can be seen as materialistic… for materials are the very warp and weft of our trade. We find our way to the ineffable through the use and exploitation of the materials we choose to create from.
The following books are created from basic but sturdy cardboard, the kind that drawing pads are attached to, wrapped with a felt that is made from recycled plastic bottles. That aspect alone would lend these pieces a feel-good quality, but the fact that they become warm, fuzzy and strongly tactile books for some reason is currently irresistible to me. Playing with the single signature bound book form in this way has been pure joy. All the books employ the pamphlet stitch.
WointerSuite: Gray
This is a multi-signature (gathering of folded pages) book structure, even though each signature is composed of a single folded page, stitched separately to a piece of felt that was then glued to the whole inside surface of the book. The pages are high quality drawing paper designed for pastels.
This piece is also a multi-signature structure, each signature composed of a single folded sheet, stitched separately to a strip of felt that was then glued to the spine. Two other cerulean blue sheets of felt were then glued to the inside surfaces of both covers. The pages are also pastel drawing paper, of a different sort. Yes, that is a working zipper on the spine. “Unzipped“? “All Zipped Up“?
WinterSuite: BabyPink
Fascinated by the use of Eco-fi felt, I wanted to see how felt pages would look and feel, and so bound this “BabyPink” book. It’s 6 pages are created from a single signature of 3 folded felt pieces, stitched to a strip of felt that was then glued to the spine. A piece of off-white felt was glued to the inside surface of each covers. The corners that were cut off the felt “wrapper” and other felt fragments were used for embellishment, in an effort to use the felt to its fullest. In this way, such activity becomes piece / peace work.
There is something primal about doing this… primal as regards to materials, and creating the basic form of covers, spine and pages. Even when open, the book remains mysterious and primordial form in feeling. It seems to start at the very beginning…
Material World (2)
Material World (2)
One of the pleasures and deep satisfactions of bookmaking, is delving into the visual, visceral, and tactile pleasures of materials, and how to employ and combine them. The following shares one step of my journey exploring and investigating the qualities inherent in materials. Though many artists do not make the kind of money that allows for indulgence in what might be termed, “material pleasures”, we may be seen as materialistic…for materials are the very warp and weft of our trade. We find our way to the ineffable through the use and exploitation of the materials we choose.
Front view…closed and tied.
Peeking open, ribbons wafting
An open book…
Seen from behind
Single signature binding with wrapped covers, collage, patterned paper from scrapbook pads, drawing paper, recycled shirt-weight cardboard covers, binding sewn with hemp cord, ribbon. Ribbon inserted through book, between cover board and wrapping and over spine.
Artists Books, The Book Arts, Bookbinding, Bookmaking, The Making of Books, however you want to put it, is fertile ground for this exploration/exploitation. In this sense, we are turning even our language on its proverbial head. For what might be seen as negative, such as materialism (being “materialistic”) and exploitation (making use of and benefiting from resources) becomes an act of creativity, imagination and exploration through this transformative process. Which becomes ultimately, an act of expression.
Material World (1)
Material World (1)
One of the pleasures and deep satisfactions of bookmaking, is delving into the visual, visceral, and tactile pleasures of materials, and how to employ and combine them. The following shares one step of my journey exploring and investigating the qualities inherent in materials. Though many artists do not make the kind of money that allows for indulgence in what might be termed, “material pleasures”, we may be seen as materialistic…for materials are the very warp and weft of our trade. We find our way to the ineffable through the use and exploitation of the materials we choose.
Three Books in Bows…all dressed up and ready to go. An exploration of textiles, papers, ribbons, beads, shells, repurposed materials, collage, hemp cord, jute, nylon and bindings. Textures created with tissue and brown wrapping paper and adhesive, layering of transparent material over collaged two-color cover, and stitching. Detail added with recycled and found beads, a treasured shell, and gauzy, glittery, patterned and woven ribbon.
Two Friends…My own version of an “art pauvre”, …a simple structure of humble, repurposed materials existing quietly in the world. Single signature binding of recycled graph paper pages, using jute cord, covers and spine made of recycled cardboard, covered with scraps of recycled cloth. Repurposed ornament stitched to front cover with hemp cord. The pleasures and mysteries of the seemingly mundane and everyday.
Unzipped…so named because there is a zipper stitched to the front cover…(to be depicted at a future time if a good picture can be made of it.) Another example of my expression of “art pauvre”. Single signature book with pages made from recycled paper, covers and spine made of recycled cardboard, covered with repurposed cloth. Jute cord used for binding, and to attach exterior cloth to covers. Interior cloth strips/insets glued on.
Zebra Book…Single signature binding with wrapped covers, patterned paper from scrapbook pads, recycled shirt-weigh cardboard covers, folded card stock weight spine, patterned gauze ribbon, embroidery thread used for sewing. Ribbon inserted through book, between cover board and wrapping.
Lace 2… Single signature binding with wrapped covers, collage, patterned paper from scrapbook pads, drawing paper, recycled shirt-weight cardboard covers, binding sewn with hemp cord, ribbon. Ribbon inserted through book, between cover board and wrapping and over spine.
Los Angeles, California, Single signature binding with wrapped covers, collage, maps printed on multipurpose paper, patterned paper from scrapbook pads, drawing paper, recycled shirt-weight cardboard covers, binding sewn with hemp cord, ribbon. Ribbon inserted through book, between cover board and wrapping and over spine.
Artists Books, The Book Arts, Bookbinding, Bookmaking, The Making of Books, however you want to put it, is fertile ground for this exploration/exploitation. In this sense, we are turning even our language on its proverbial head. For what might be seen as negative, such as materialism (being “materialistic”) and exploitation (making use of and benefiting from resources) becomes an act of creativity, imagination and exploration through this transformative process. Which becomes ultimately, an act of expression.
Book Brights: The Moment in Purple and Pink
Book Brights: The Moment in Purple and Pink
Girl gifts…brightness, pinkness, joy, beauty, birthday wishes…in the pink.
She just turned two…
Fan pages.
A theatrical feel…
Purple accordion spine…and pink covers. Purple and pink.
Butterfly. She turned seven. Fly!
Flag book.
Flag pages attached to pink accordion spine.
Back cover. Purple and pink. Bird. Fly!
Material Girl 4: This and That Creates the Whole
Material Girl 4: This and That Creates the Whole
Book Bunch Bower
Fold out Accordion “Pocket” Book
“The Word is Art”, Front Cover
“The Word is Art”, Flag Book
“The Word is Art”, Flag Book, Aerial View
“The Word is Art”, Back Cover
“Interior Dialogue”, Flag Book
“Radical Humanity” Flag Book
“Teapot”, Double Fan Book
“Teapot” Double Fan Book, “Spout”
“Teapot” Double Fan Book, “Handle”
“Beauty is….”
Material Girl 3: Many Parts Create The Whole
Material Girl 3: Many Parts Create The Whole…FLAG BOOKS!
The fun and innovative Flag Book structure can be a powerful form to express thought, feeling and idea through word and image.
Within the flag book…there can be a
We all know that…
Above are Flag Book front and back covers..with a “found writing” title..which employs text, color, the font/typeface, the design, composition, and space between the words for cognitive and emotional impact.
A single word or phrase can pack the proverbial punch, when paired with color and placement.
Putting together “found” words and phrases can yield unexpected poetry…the poetic power of Found Writing.
Found Writing can help us define our vision (or one of them…)
and give us a hitherto unknown directive of sorts. We find that we can advise ourselves…
within the context of numerous ideas.
The layering of words, colors, shapes and text
creates new meanings,
and may tell us something important…
about something we want,
or need
or experience…
You may find that you make a promise…to yourself…
That must be kept.
Something new…has been born.
Wave those flags!!!!
Material Girl 2: Many Parts Create The Whole
Material Girl 2: Many Parts Create The Whole
Preparing for bookmaking programs at the West Hollywood Library, the Diamond Bar Library, the Fairview Library, and the Montana Avenue Library isn’t just a labor of love…it can be pure joy.
The spread of papers of just the right thickness, ready to be folded into the versatile accordion/concertina spine.
Pages are attached to each fold of the spine. More folds = more page possibilities!
A rainbow of front and back covers cut to the same height as the spines.
“Mottled” book pages.
High contrast, and “grey on grey” spine-cover color designs. The effect can be elegant!
The glory of your basic colored construction paper…not just for kids.
Assorted papers…Japanese patterns, parchment, and ‘plain brown wrapper” card stock. Variety is the spice of life…and bookmaking!
Let’s take a closer look at those papers! Now…what can we do with them?
Front cover design…
Use of paper heart found at “Trash for Teaching” in Los Angeles, on inside front cover.
“Fan” page designs! The pages will be attached to each fold of the spine, and will “fan” out when the book is opened by pulling the back and front covers away from each other. The “fan” book can also be opened ‘traditionally”,by turning the cover, and moving through the pages by turning them consecutively.
Putting it all together….a family theme.
“Doors” and Windows” can be cut in pages and covers, to reveal the unexpected beneath and behind!
“Fan” pages are attached to the accordion /concertina spine, seen here in a variety of colors.
“Heart” openings on the “fan” pages (“Windows/Doors”) reveal surprises behind and beneath…which can deepen and expand the theme of the book.
Cardboard shapes, another treasure found at Trash for Teaching, create a slight three-dimensional (“relief“) effect, and can be used to create visual frames for photos or other treasures added to the book.
Don’t we all?!!
Artissima - Blog of ArtiFactory Studio 
