Bookmaking!

I took a workshop last weekend, at the Baird in South Orange, with Miriam Scheuer in basic bookmaking techniques.   It was soooo hot in that 3rd floor room without air conditioning but it was worth the suffering.  The first day we learned lots of book forms, most of which didn't require gluing or sewing.  The second day we made two codexes.  One had exposed spine and the other was cased.  I hope I'm using my new vocabulary correctly.  I used some of my paste paper for the covers--the paper looks so much better in use than it did as a big sheet.  Anyway, it was very exciting and I feel ready to move into making artist books.  

Fun and Games

This is a surprise gift for my son.  I'm so certain that he doesn't read my blog that I think it's safe to post the progress.  The idea came from a crazy idea he thought of for how to frame his diploma because he majored in Ancient History.  He laughingly said it would have Roman gladiators and mythological characters cavorting all over the frame and emerging from it.   He said he didn't want some boring frame like everyone has. 

 So, I felt it was a challenge I might be able to take on.  My husband and I assembled a collection of plastic toys and cut them down so they'd appear to emerge from the frame and glued them down.  Then we gessoed the whole thing and then I mixed up some traditional gesso using rabbit skin glue, marble dust, tissue and linseed oil cooked up and used that to strengthen and smooth the joining areas.  I think we're going to spray it black, but the decision isn't final.