So much planning takes place before pen is put to paper. In the altered book project, there's a lot of testing of materials. How badly will wet media warp and curl the pages? How many coats of gesso (like a primer) will be needed to give the book pages some strength, but not totally obscure the print? I decided I rather liked the look of the old book pages so after the gesso dried, I dyed the pages with tea. Old books sometimes had gilt edges. Could I paint the edges of the book to "gild" it without the paint seeping onto the pages? What would work best gold watercolor or gold mica powder mixed with gum arabic? How many book pages would be needed for the text?
I have always wanted to do an altered book, but it just looks like way too much work for me. Do you gesso every single page? Do you leave all the pages in the book? How long do you think it will take you to finish filling up the book?
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see your progress!!!
Since this book will only have only one poem for the text, very few pages of the book have been removed. Because of the broken spine, the book fell open to a page toward the middle of the book. Recto and verso (right and left) pages were glued together., enough for the text. An embellishment will be made from one of the pages torn from the book. The plan is to have the book open to the text. Pages underneath the text on both sides will be glued. Only the text pages will be free to move.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I hope to have this project completed by the 1. April so it may be on display for National Poetry Month.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see the finished project!
ReplyDelete