Focus Book – Workshop at Random Arts in Saluda, NC

FOCUS BOOK – Workshop at Random Arts in Saluda, NC

I’ll be teaching this book I created on July 25th.

6 1/8″ x 7 1/4″

6 1/8″ x 22 1/2″

Story:
I’ve been caught up in the Gouache technique.  Where you paint a picture in acrylic paint, paint over it with white gouache water color, paint over that with india ink and then wash the gouache and ink off under running water.  You’re never quite sure what result you’ll get – it’s pretty cool.

Big, simple, picture drawn with a Sharpie marker and painted with acrylics.

Painted areas covered in white gouache paint.

Picture AFTER india ink had been brushed over the entire picture (after painting on the gouache paint) and washed off – and final doodling was applied.

Delema:  Sooooo,  I’m making all these pictures – all 5 1/2″ x 5″ and I wanted a safe place to put them (safe as in ” so I don’t lose them in my art studio – which is all of my house).

Design thoughts:  
1.  All the pictures are the same size and I’ll continue working in that size.
2.  I have a remnant of a new rubber car mat that I “saved” from the trash.  I LOVE an excuse to repurpose something.
3.  What kind of book could I make that would be flexible so the artwork could be taken out later to be worked on, added to, or given away?

Result:
1.  Origami folded paper creating 4 corner pockets per sheet (no cutting).  Two of these sheets are glued back to back around a hinge (made using duck tape).
2.  A cover made from one piece of rubber car mat.
3.  All held together with two screws and acorn nuts allowing the book to expand if needed.