Anyway, here it is:
2nd spread of Book of Dreams
ingredients: monotype on Rives BFK,image transfers, mica, metallic ink, ink jet prints, map fragments, Derwent watercolor pencils, Caran D'ache crayons, artist pens, feathers, stitching
However, I have encountered a major problem. Leave it me to do things bass-ackwards and try to make altered books without really having much knowledge of bookbinding technique. So, here's what happened.
I think I mentioned in one of my earlier posts that the binding of the book was in bad shape. I also took out a bunch of pages to make room for the paintings. Right now, the first 2-page spread is glued to the front cover.
But here's the real problem (well, one of them): When the book is open flat, the painting fits perfectly. But when you try to close it...
So, what to do? Right now I'm considering gluing the pages together, kind of like a board book, then cutting the spine in half down the middle, and sewing a wider spine from another book onto it to hold the 2 parts together... I dunno.
But it's been one of those days, anyway, if you know what I mean. Have you ever started to shake a bottle of ink, thinking the top is screwed on... but it's not?
Hope your day is going better than mine...
this is just gorgeous despite the issues you are facing Sharmon... been there... doesn't look big enough for three spreads to me, and it looks like a new spine is the way to go... and yes I have done that with paint before.... and I cannot print what I said!!! lol
ReplyDeleteProbably similar to what I said! Thanks for the advise on the spine; I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who's done this!
Deletethanks, Cat! It's good to know I'm not the only one who's done things like this when altering a book... I appreciate the advice, too. I also said a few unrepeatable words in my frustration; what can you do but go buy more paint!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the tan....I am still laughing....I said OH NO outloud...the windows are all open,,,my neighbor probably thinks I am off my rocker,,,again...laughing so loud at 1 in them morning!!! I have done that with a BIG jug of orange juice and held it UPSIDE DOWN TO SHAKE it....so who is laughing now:)
ReplyDeleteoh I see what happened with the book too...the proverbial think it fits and then you close it and oooppps,,guess it doesn´t problem...
a lot of times if the signature is not making contact with the spine,,well you have to fit the sigature in there folded and with the covers not laying open ,,it has to be closed and covers laying on your one hand and you have to really shove the thing into the spine,,then mark it on edge, cut it and then do the same shove move once you are ready to glue and then let the covers fall together and say five hail marys and hope it hit right. Now if that makes ANY sense I will personally come over there and show you. No such luck as we know I live thousands of miles away and can only manage to send magazines and chocolate to make you feel better. How is that ankle by now
anyway??? Now if I could only get that Coppertone bronze look..........
Cynnie, I'm so glad I made you laugh, even if your neighbors do think you're crazy! I'm not quite sure i followed your explanation- except for the hail mary part- so you will just have to come to Kentucky and help me. What fun we would have, and I promise I would get plenty of chocolate for us to snack on! I don't think the spine is wide enough anyway, so I guess I'll try my "add a bigger spine" idea...
ReplyDeleteMy ankle is healing well; only 11 more days and I can start physical therapy. Thanks for asking.
xox Sharmon
When Cynnie makes her trip to Kentucky I would be willing to come the "fix the book binding" event and be the photographer. I even know all the words to Hail Mary's.
DeleteSeriously it is looking great. Once again, I love reading about the process. Xo teri
Absolutely, Teri; it would be a party for real, wouldn't it?
Deleteheya sharmon... i think your idea is a good one! i love, love the pages. i feel they will make your revised binding work!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Hey, Lynne! Thanks so much. I totally agree with your feeling, so it must be true. the revised binding WILL work- (I think I can, I think I can...) :)
Deletej'aime ton travail.. tu me donnes envie de faire un livre...
ReplyDeleteMerci pour les bons mots, Elfi. (I feel sure this doesn't mean what I meant it to; please correct me you don't mind!) You should make a book- it's fun, except for the constant frustration!
DeleteIf you don't have room for all the pages you planned then re-doing the spine is the thing to do. Bookbinding cloth is an idea for that. I wouldn't worry overmuch about wether the pages stick out or not - I quite like that look and have often done it deliberately when making a book. Best of luck.
ReplyDeletethanks, Whitney. I haven't started repairs yet, and am definitely not going to worry about pages sticking out- too late for that, anyway! xo
DeleteHi Sharman, have a look at this way of making a drum leaf book at Alisa Golden's blog-
ReplyDeletehttp://makinghandmadebooks.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/instructions-drum-leaf-binding.html
should resolve everything and yeah take that old spine off it's redundant beautiful handmade paper, bookcloth or bookbinder's mull will all work... gotta go to work will write more later
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThank you! these directions look something like what I had in mind; I think they'll be very helpful.
Deletelove the night crow dreaming and that stitched space with the text... I want to see this in real life to explore all the layers and textures Sharmon (mea culpa on misspelling your name in the previous post!)
ReplyDeleteThanks again, Mo. Don't worry about the spelling- you actually spelled it right; it's my dad who spelled it wrong on my birth certificate!
DeleteAnother good composition and I love that cut-out detail with the words showing through. It's been my experience that the harder the challenge (the more goof-ups and mishaps and wrong steps) a piece has, the better and more satisfying it turns out in the end. Maybe because one has to work that much harder and push that much further to rescue a seemingly bad situation. When there's a steep learning curve ahead it's not time to put on the brakes! (I made that up just now).
ReplyDeleteLynne, you're right about the challenges and mistakes making our work better in the end; sometimes it even leads to something no one ever thought of before. I really like your motivational phrase- quite clever, I think! Can i quote you on that?
DeleteLife is one giant puzzle isn't it.. and you are making the pieces fit. Love all the exploring you are doing... and the depth of images in your painting.
ReplyDelete... sorry about the ink.. don't you hate when that happens.
Hi Gwen- I always say that doing mixed media art is like putting together a puzzle that has no solution... you just make it up as you go along! thanks so much for stopping by, and for the kind words. Don't cry over spilled ink, right?
DeleteOh My Gosh! This is so cool. I love the way you put it together. Its so unique and creative. How I wish I can make a book like that.
ReplyDeleteLocksmith, thanks for the good words. I don't know what you do, but if it's important to you, you'll find a way.
DeleteThis is gorgeous artwork. The process sounds very cool! I'd like to try it!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Katherine. You should try it; let me know if you do. I'm so glad you stopped by!
Deletekind of behind on my blog reading over the past couple of weeks, but wow! I love the stitching as always and the window (?) in the page. I hope by now you have solved your binding puzzle, but if that session at your studio ever happens to fix it I'd love to be a fly on the wall!
ReplyDeleteDeb, I'm glad you like it. I haven't really solved the binding problem, but I'm working on it. I also wish you could be a fly on the wall- so you could tell me what to do! LOL
DeleteHa! This is too funny! Well, I mean, not really, but we have to laugh, right? I had a similar thing go down with a travel journal I was prepping for a trip abroad. The darn book wouldn't close, so I wound up taking apart the page block and making do. Or trying to, anyway. Blogged about it here: http://www.lauratringaliholmes.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html
ReplyDeleteI've done the ink thing, too. But I think my favorite trick is dipping a loaded paintbrush in my coffee cup.
Yes, Laura, you're actually right; it is funny. I read your post, and now feel better that I'm not the only goofball (no offense) that does these things. Dipping the paintbrush in the coffee is a good one, but I have also almost taken a drink of my paint-rinse water! I guess that's why they say not to eat or drink in your studio! ha!
Deletebuku adalah sebuah pelajara, sebuah guru, sebuah tutor dan media pembelajaran yang sejatinya akan memberi pengetahuan yang luas
ReplyDeletewooow, amazing thanks, Cat! It's good to know I'm not the only one who's done things like this when altering a book... I appreciate the advice, too. I also said a few unrepeatable words in my frustration; what can you do but go buy more paint!
ReplyDelete