All About ATC's

Today's topic is ATC's or Artist's Trading Cards. ATC's are 3.5 x 2.5 inch cards that artists create with any type of media they like. ATC's can be painted, rubber stamped, covered in collage, mixed media, etc. If it will fit on a 3.5 by 2.5 inch piece of paper then it works. There are groups that meet and trade, there are online trading sites or you can simply trade with your friends. The only catch is that these cards have to be traded, not sold. I have been making them for a few years off and on, but recently I have been making lots of them. I try to make sets of 9 as my album has page protectors with 9 slots. Here are some examples of the ATC's I have created recently. Enjoy and if you want to trade, let me know.

-Gina

"Cameo" set of 4

"Back of Fashion" set of 5

"Advice" set of 4

"Water Nymphs" set of 9

"Beaded Fragments" set of 9

"Beaded Fragments" detail. I made the Greek statue fragment with collaged papers that I tore into the body shape. I then applied glue and clear micro beads to give it some sparkle. I stamped the background with "Greeking" text and Tim Holtz Brushed Corduroy and Antique Linen and used the inks on the edges too.

Detail of "Water Nymphs" using Tim Holtz Brushed Corduroy and Antique Linen again with his marble paper stamp. The image was stamped on a glossy photograph of my family in blue rain ponchos that we wore on the Maid of the Mist in Niagara Falls.

Book Recommendations Take 2

Today I would like to add some books to my recommended list. I keep a well stocked bookcase in my studio. Some are old dictionaries and vintage books that I use in art. Some are how-to books and some are yummy books full of pictures of artist's books. There is quite a variety and when I am stuck for a new project I love to peruse these them for inspiration. My suggested readings for this post are:

1. The Book as Art: Artists' Books from the National Museum of Women in the Arts by Krystyna Wasserman is a feast for the eyes and mind. It is full of wonderful books created by women. It is organized by broad categories like Food and the Body or Travelers and showcases beautiful photographs of each work as well as a description by the artist.

2. 1000 Artists' Books: Exploring the Book as Art by Sandra Salamony with Peter & Donna Thomas is also broadly categorized into sections based on structure and is mainly visual in its presentation of artists' books. There are some very cleaver creations in this book and some that challenge the concept of what it means to be an artist's book.

3. The Penland Book of Handmade Books by Lark Books is both a showcase of amazing artists' books as well as a tutorial on making books. Each section includes an artist, a hands-on tutorial of their work and examples of what other people have made using their techniques as a jumping off point. It is a book I return to again and again for inspiration and instruction.

I hope that you will check out these books (perhaps from your local Library or bookstore) and spend some time immersed in the world of book arts. It is a rewarding journey, even if you aren't a book artist.

-Gina

This wing book I made was inspired by Brenda Watson's Comment attirer les oiseaux? (How to attract birds) on page 54 of The Book as Art.

These simple painted landscapes were inspired by Julie Baugnet books on page 76 of 1000 Artists' Books.

This Hedi Kyle Blizzard book and folded cover are detailed in The Penland Book of Handmade Books. My version has the blizzard pages folded slightly differently so that they pop up to make boxes.

Mixed Media Book Covers

Today's post is a blast from my past. I was recently visiting my mom and she showed me a set of collaged vintage book covers I made her several years ago. I had forgotten about them, but was inspired to make myself a set. Mine are wrapped in a packet and contain poems about birds. Please see pictures below for materials and the finished project that was inspired by an article from Somerset Studio called Poetic Packet Collages.

This post is also inspired by Mixed Media World challenge #3. I used vintage book covers, stamps, maps, and images from old dress patterns to make the covers. Enjoy, I'm off to the studio to make more!

-Gina

Finished Packet

Contents of the packet; front and back covers with collage elements and poems on tracing paper.

Component 1: Vintage dress pattern images.

Component 2: Vintage book covers.

Component 3: Maps, marbled paper, etc.

Component 4: Vintage stamps and samples of marbled paper.

Component 5:Tracing paper with topographic lines in pencil to add depth to the packet wrapper.

Bound and Kyled...

I am very happy to report that I have two books juried into each of the shows I submitted to last month. Bound and Unbound III at the University of South Dakota accepted Stone Mountain, GA and Alternatives for their altered book arts show beginning in August. Hello Hedi at 23 Sandy Gallery accepted Lost River and Three Fold Night my Hedi Kyle inspired creations. Puget Sound Book Arts accepted Tine Language and Small Migrations. I feel like I am floating on a cloud right now and I want to share my good fortune with you all.

Here are pictures of each book. Enjoy and please leave comments if you wish.

-Gina

Stone Mountain, GA

Alternative

Lost River

Three Fold Night

Tine Language

Small Migrations

Mixed Media Mini Book

Welcome to Wednesday post #16. Today's post serves two functions: first is for a mixed media contest at Mixed Media World;  second, is to share how I made this mixed media book as a sample for an upcoming workshop at Puget Sound Book Arts. We will be making Hedi Kyle's Pocket Book (step by step instructions are here), but I want to show some examples of other kinds of books that are bound using accordion folds. When I started this book I had a spine (another Hedi Kyle invention, the Crown Binding), but no content. I found a strip of paper that I painted a while ago and decided to stencil over the background with a Paris map by Artistcellar. I also made stencils of brown pelicans I photographed at the beach. I printed them out in black and white, cut out the silhouettes and used black ink to stencil them. On two pages I used writing in vertical and horizontal directions repeating a series of paired words.  I like the way the text becomes image when done this way. I folded the long strip of decorated paper into an accordion and inserted it into the Crown Binding spine. Finally, I dug through my folder of marble papers and found a pattern and colors that compliment the interior of the book and used it for the covers. I hope you enjoy the results.

Painted and stenciled page.

Paint and stencil background with writing in two directions. Note the white triangles at the top and bottom of the page. These are tabs that hold the pages together and bind the book.

My handmade marble paper in the Peacock design.

Books are hard to photograph, but here you can see the folded spine as well as glimpses of each page.

Pelican stencils I made from photographs.

How to Make a Tunnel Book

I have tried several times over the years to make tunnel books. They are wonderful, interactive structures that are visually appealing as well. I have not been very successful in my endeavors as my "pages" tend to warp and bend. Last month at a San Diego Book Arts Salon I met a woman who makes beautiful tunnel books and she was working on one invented by Ed Hutchins. She downloaded the directions here and I came home and did the same. Fast forward to yesterday when I finally had the time to make a tunnel book myself. Below are pictures of the results. This version of the structure has lightweight side hinges and doubled pages. In other words, no more warping!

I used a roll of craft paper for the base structure and it worked beautifully. I used three pages from an old calendar to get the images, but you can use anything, or just draw your own images. I hope you will be inspired to try this project.

-Gina

1. Choose images.

2. Cut and fold craft paper (8" x 30") and lay out images.

3. Cut holes in pages so you can see through the tunnel.

4. Pasted first image and cut in an oval around elements you want to keep.

5. Paste down the other images and glue side tabs together.

Finished tunnel book with 4 layers of images.

Top view of tunnel book.

Side view of book with hinges showing.

How To Make Artist's Books: Book Recommendations

My friend Nancy suggested that I do an occasional book recommendation for book artists, origami enthusiasts and paper crafters. Since I was a blogger in need of a post it seemed like a good fit. So here is my first list of books on book arts. These are ones that I return to time and again for structure and content ideas. You can get them at your favorite online bookstore. I hope you find some inspiration or a new treasure here.

My top three recommendations are:

1. Creating Handmade Books by Alisa Golden has clear, concise text and illustrations for making everything from simple one-page structures all the way up to multi-signature sewn structures.

2. Making and Keeping Creative Journals by Suzanne J. E. Tourtillott is a feast for journal lovers. She offers innovative structures to match topics such as gardening, birding and art journaling.

3. Sleight of Binding by Cherryl Moote offers playful structures to lift your books into the third dimension. You will find kinetic and interactive designs in shapes and colors that wake up your creative mind.

Here are some pictures of my work using these books for instruction and inspiration.

 Book/card with tunnel from Creating Handmade Books. (2014)

Jacob's Ladder book (front and back) and content from Creating Handmade Books. (2004)

Jacob's Ladder "Flight" book from Creating Handmade Books. (2009)

Journal with different color and size pages from Making and Keeping Creative Journals.

Inside of journal showing content. (2003)

Dos-a-Dos book from Making and Keeping Creative Journals.

Inside the Dos-a-Dos book. (2003)

 Glove book inspired by one in Making and Keeping Creative Journals. (2007)

Gallery Book from Sleight of Binding. I modified Cherryl's structure by leaving the paper on the front of the "windows" and using it to fold the cranes. (2012)

Cherrly's book Sleight of Binding has many kinds of flexigon structures. Here are three that I made using Graphic 45 papers. (2014)