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.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Book 126 - Two-Sewn-as-One Touring Journal--with a Twist

Today's hand-made book is an odd little blank book touring journal. The basic structure is a 2-sewn-as-1 book, which I've done here a couple of times before. But I added a pair of half-size signatures at the center, stitched onto the inner extension. Just wanted to make it a little different. I've made this book several times in my head in the last few days, and I have to say it turned out pretty much the same in reality.

After liner paper was glued to the inside of the cover, the two small center signatures were stitched to the inside center line of the cover and creased well with a bone folder. Then the cover was folded again and creased to form the outer spine. The other two signatures were sewn on either side of that line, all at once with the thread going through all the layers, then folded back into place and creased.

I used a piece of special two color card-stock paper for the cover (in this case black and white) so that you get the two-tone effect when you tear it. It can also be sanded to expose the white through the black, but I didn't do that this time. The liner is a piece of  text-weight paper printed with a highway map. I've also torn pieces of the map and glued to the front and back of the journal as a decorative accent.

It's really a pretty nifty little structure and not at all difficult. Just what I needed tonight, because I always seem to get a bit sick when I get home from a vacation! I just want to sleep! So I am still one book behind, but I've started on it and will finish it tomorrow to catch up.

See you then.





No comments:

Post a Comment