Today's Class- Today we started a new graded project in a new medium- book arts. A book is a three dimensional object with a size and shape that can vary in its normal use, such as opening the cover and turning the pages. The standard codex binding attaches pages to the binding on one side, and allowing the rest of the page to be moved around. The pages can be turned in any order, and in any part of the book, each time with the potential to create a new object. Traditionally artist books were a collection of bound two dimensional images, but starting in the 20th century some artists started realizing the three dimensional potentials of these portable, common, and easily manipulated materials.
How to make this up- Find an old book that you don't mind cutting up. Hard cover is more stable than soft cover, and you want at least 250 to 300 pages. Sharp blades (x-acto or other utility knife) work better than dull ones, which are more likely to tear the paper than cleanly cut it. You have two options for this project- either a continuously changing design, or a single deep sculpture.
A. Changing Design-
The concept is to create a design that changes as a viewer turns the pages. In this student example from a previous semester, above is the view upon opening the front cover, with various negative spaces created in the block of pages. Below, we see a later phase, in which some of the initial negative shapes are ended, while others continue through to later pages. And new negative shapes are forming where they hadn't been seen before. So some of the initial shapes should continue from one section to the next (try to have at least four distinct sections, but more are fine), while others end after the first section, but new shapes start forming elsewhere in the composition. These negative shapes can vary as they move deeper into the pages, not requiring the same footprint from beginning to end, but still being part of a continuous void. In this example the shapes are abstract geometric shapes, but you may do this with recognizable forms as well. As viewers move through the pages, they see a continuously changing and evolving sculpture.
B. Single three dimensional view-
In this option, when the viewer opens the book to the starting point, the whole sculpture is revealed, no further turning of pages. It can be a single object seen in deep relief, as in the portrait piece above, or a scene with at least four layers of objects creating depth, as in the scene immediately below, with the grass, trees and limbs, and hanging swing.
Abstract/geometric design can be used with this option as well, as in the above student example, which took advantage of color reproductions on the pages to emphasize the different layers of shapes created.
General rules-
The book must be able to open and close. Glue may be used to repair torn paper, or to reinforce delicate areas, but too thick an area glued together may restrict the pages ability to slide over each other as normally happens when a book is opened and closed.
You may not draw or paint on the pages (the dark marks on the portrait piece that look like ink or paint are just shadows in deeply carved pages), but you may take advantage in your design of any images or colors printed on the pages.
This project is more time consuming than it may seem if you haven't done something like this before, so we will be continuing it next week in class and the final finished book will be due some time after that.
Homework- The proportional figure/classroom installation style piece is due at the beginning of class on April 21, 2015. We will take some time away from the ongoing book sculpture to review the finished pieces.
The museum papers are due on April 28, 2015.
For next class 4/21/15- We will continue work on the book sculpting projects that were started today. Bring your book in progress, or a new book if you haven't started yours yet or have changed your mind on what you want to do, x-acto knife or equivalent with spare blades, and white glue.
