A Book a Day? What's Up With That?


Hi, and welcome to this year-long project. So what's this all about and how did it happen, you might ask. In mid 2007, artist Noah Scalin decided to make a skull out of anything he could find, every day for a year. It stretched him in ways he never imagined, as an artist, a writer and a person. His experience turned into a blog that went viral, and then a book.

Others have picked up on the idea: 365 Hearts, 365 Masks, 365 Bears drawn on a cellphone, 365 paper napkin mustaches.
I wanted to play, too, and I chose books. I love books, I know a bit about making books (thanks to my talented book-maker sister, Marilyn Worrix), and they're broad enough in definition to give me a lot of creative leeway.

The whole point is not really the books. The idea is to stretch myself in many ways as an artist and a person, to set up a discipline, stick with it and see what that teaches me.

I hope you'll join with me and follow along on the journey chronicled here, and let me know what you think.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Day 74 - A "Desk Book"

This silly thing tells the story of a desk and what happens on it. A good old manila file folder is covered with office "graffiti"--notes and memos and the odd squiggle or two--before it becomes the cover of a book. The pages are sheets torn from a yellow legal pad--ubiquitous in every office on the planet, I imagine--that were then cut in half.

This book has a rubber hand and pencil binding. After the holes were punched in the pages and cover, a wide, heavy rubber band was poked through the top hole from the back and secured with the pencil. The band was then pulled down along the back spine and up through the bottom hole and then around the bottom of the pencil. The pencil holds the stretched rubber band in place. The idea for this book came directly from "Eco Books," by Terry Taylor. It's got a few others I want to try, too.

So that's today. Less than a quarter of the way through my year, I've been getting worried that I'm going to run out of ideas. The books I've done lately don't feel as creative to me as the first few in the challenge. I have been thinking and have come up with a few more out-of-the-box ideas I hope I can make work. But if any of you have any to share... bring 'em on!


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6 comments:

  1. LisaApril 12, 2011 at 6:24 AM

    What a fun book!

    I saw a book made out of a piece of fake fruit a long time ago in some craft book I had. The fruit was cut in half top to bottom to make the cover, then the pages were accordion folded and glued inside. It seemed like the fruit was solid, but if it's hollow you could probably cover the openings with light cardboard to have something to glue the paper to. I'm enjoying following your project, and I wish I had the discipline to do something like that.

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  2. WendyApril 12, 2011 at 7:45 AM

    I just joined the party in progress a week or so ago (can't remember how I found you) and so far this is my favorite book! (I've looked at all the previous posts on this project) So sweet and clever - I admire your discipline and creativity!

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  3. francesj14April 12, 2011 at 10:00 AM

    I loved this one so much, I decided to make one too. I too have checked out all of your books, my fav is alway the coptic bound leather books.

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  4. FiveAcresApril 12, 2011 at 10:33 AM

    Have you made the Australian reverse hinge piano book yet?

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  5. RachelApril 12, 2011 at 4:14 PM

    Elaine seems to be referring to Gwen Diehn's new book, Real Life Journals, which does have lots of nifty ideas. Also, there is much in the Keith smith books, especially the ones on Non-adhesive bindings http://www.keithsmithbooks.com/

    You have been doing great so far, I love the way you make do with what is at hand and get a book made.

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  6. DonnaApril 13, 2011 at 4:38 AM

    Thanks for the reference to the Grace Diehn book. I have not seen it but will check it out. My sister has the Keith Smith books and I've looked through them but need to get my own copies.

    I have something similar to the fake fruit book in mind, just thinking through the technical details. I found a dried gourd on the ground recently that's almost perfectly round and small--they're called coyote melons here--that I want to do something like that with. Any other ideas, please keep 'em coming!

    I feel so privileged to have you all aboard!

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