Have you heard of BOOK ART? - Painting & Drawing Tips

Do you love Art Books? I do. 

I have stacks of books on painting and drawing.  I love to go through them. They fill me with excitement and inspiration.  I love to crack open a new Art Book and just study the pictures.  And dream of how I would do it.   

Opening Page of my new Book Art - Young Barred Owls in the Forest - Mixed Media 

 Book Art is NOT Art Books.  It is a Fine Art Genre of its own. . .

 Surprised!!

 Not only is it a Fine Art Genre but there are many different types of Book Art!!!

Handmade books with special paper, bindings and covers probably comes to your mind. It is one that fascinates me.  I enjoy studying the process of making a book. I have recently started to make a few of my sketchbooks to work in.

Sculptures made from recycled books is another very advanced form of Book Art.  I invite you to google images of Book Art.  You will see sculptures that are absolutely fascinating.  It is hard to image how someone could visualize and construct such things out of an old book. 

However, the form of Book Art that intrigues me is where the book and its contents are the Art Form.  I find the idea very intriguing.  To me it is a natural extension from working in my sketchbook.  My books often become theme based, devoted to a single topic. My pages are hodgepodged together on the theme with a variety of techniques and mediums.  This is not quite I mean by Book Art. 

Ducks on the Water: Book Art, Ink, Watercolour, Acrylic  $300

See a full view of DUCKS ON THE WATER on Youtube here.   (Be sure to like and comment while your are there. 🤗)

Book Art is a one-of-a-kind piece of art that uses the form of a book as its finished structure.  One of my first pieces of Book Art is Ducks on the Water.  This is an accordion style book, specifically designed to portray my story of the ducks on the water.  It is complete with a front and back cover.

Front Cover - Ducks on the Water - Book Art

Yes, designing a complete book that is a painting is a captivating experience.  It is like working in a series but not.  Everything builds to make one complete image.  My newest Book Art project is centered around three young Barred Owls.

 Max and I were out walking in our favourite forested park and happened upon the three Owls.  It was an unbelievable experience. To come down the trail and see 3 owls just sitting together on an old mossy stump.  There was 4 of us shocked and amazed, standing on the trail. They wondered about and eventually flew off to their parents that we could hear calling to them.  I decided I needed to capture this special moment in my Book.  

Full Sheet which has marks on it from the acrylic monotypes process 

Steps in my Project

1.  I took a 13.5 x 17.5 piece of watercolour paper and did some mark making with acrylics paint using a monotype process.  See post on this here.  Why this treatment you ask.  I like the randomness of the marks and I like to mix them with my more realist drawings.  

Page 1 before I started drawing on it. See Owl at the top for the finished page. 

2.  I cut the paper into 6 pieces: 6.75 x 5.5 inches.  

3.  I arranged them horizontally and put them into an order.  At this point I was looking at the shapes and colours on each page and just looking for a pleasing combination.  

4.  I began my drawings.  I am using a .08 Micron permenant ink pen for the drawing, ink washes for the shadows, white charcoal pencil to tone any acrylic paint that is too dark for an area and a bit of watercolour for added colour.  ie.  Beak on my owls page 1.  (See owl picture at the top of the page.)  

 

5.  Study vegetation and my owl pictures to decide how my setting will develop across the 38 inches of the picture and how my owls will fit into it.  This will be one of my summer projects so it will be a few weeks before I can show you the finished results. 

If you haven't tried Book Art before, take a new look at it.  Whether you sell your book at the end is immaterial.  I guaranteed you will enjoy the challenge of designing your book.  And you will enjoy studying it later when you are done.  Totally an awe-inspiring project.  

Do you have big/small projects on the go?  
Looking for a sounding board, help, suggestions, techniques. You and your Inner Critic looking to expand your discussions.  I am available for Online Coaching/Teaching  (3 sessions 30 minutes each $75). more info here.   

  
Many find this post helpful: Turn your Inner Critic into your BFF

If you are looking for Live Outdoor Sketching Classes they are now underway.  See info below.  Contact me to set something up. 

Outdoor Sketching Classes !! 

Ready to go out and do some sketching?  Have fun painting and sketching while learning new tips and techniques. Capture a moment in time without worrying about the World and the crazy problems of today.  Come Join me for a session or two.  

Class Size: 3  Rescheduling for Bad weather.  Covid  Rules and Social Distancing will be followed.  

Sessions 2.5 hours, in local North Surrey Parks, Tuesdays 10-12:30 or Saturdays 10-12:30.  

Cost: $45  

June Dates: Tuesday, June 30  FULL.   Saturdays June  27, 10-12:30 pm  - 2 spots

July Dates: Tuesday, July 28, 10-12:30pm

August Dates: Tuesday August 4. 11, 18, 25: 10-12:30:pm

Save a Spot Now. Contact Wendy    More information: artbywendy.com 

 

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Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy  

Is there a bit of HOCUSPOCUS happening in YOUR Work? - Painting & Drawing Tips

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

Do you think of yourself as a Magician?

Are you Making Magic when you paint or draw?

CAUGHT IN THE LIGHT - $500 - 12 x 16, Matted to 16 x 20 inches

Many artists, like myself, like to sit and paint or draw. I have a lovely drawing table made by my husband many years ago.  It adjusts easily for different angles and heights.  It works great.

 My favourite thing is to work at my table: Max sleeping/playing beside me, little music going, sun shining in the window, drawing or painting.  Close, detailed, realistic kind of work. This works wonderful when I am working on a bird, a leaf, a flower.  The main subjects of my picture.  But when it comes to the foreground/background, it just doesn't work.

Backgrounds are this huge area to be filled.  They are not the subject so shouldn't be sharply focused, the eye should slide over them and head for the important stuff.  But don't you find the detailed stuff is your favourite part.  The loose, ambiguous stuff not so much fun. 

The Struggle Point . . 
There is no place in the background for your beloved detailed focused work.  This is Magic Land.  Everything is an Illusion.  Little lines, shadows, darks, lights are all engineered to 'suggest something' rather than 'be something'. Do you struggle here?  I do. I know I need to let go, get loose.  Hard for me to do. Learning to Wave my Wand is my Goal.

Waving Your Wand . . 
CAUGHT IN THE LIGHT is full of conjuring tricks. One night we were driving on a country road and a barn owl swooped down and was caught in the headlights.  It was a breathtaking moment - this big beautiful bird right in front of me.  It totally inspired me.  What if you were out walking in the evening and you suddenly picked out an owl in the light.  Wouldn't that be an amazing thing to see.  That's what I wanted to do with this picture. So what is the trick in that, you ask?

The Illusion . . 

Bushes in the half light - Caught in the Light detail #1

Take another look at the picture.  Yes, the Barn Owl is detailed and realistic but those background pieces - Illusions.  Note the detail #1 above: If you cover up those leaves in the right hand corner, the background is just patterns and shapes. 

Leaves and Branches in the Dark - Caught in the Light detail #2

See Detail #2: When you isolate these blobs they really don't look like anything.  But in context they are one of my favourite parts of this picture.

How does the magic work?

I am continually studying this phenomena.  It happens in different ways and is handled by Realists and Abstract  artists in many different ways: using colour, patterns, and shapes they lead our eye around and make you believe you see a rock, a leaf, a branch.  Often you pause and try to see more. This too is part of the illusion.  (BTW I used salt to make some of those unusual shapes in this picture.  You can see more on that here)

Is this your struggle too?  Are your backgrounds too detailed?  Have you found ways to move forward?

Next Post: 3 Steps to Put Magic in Your Art

AWESOME OPPORTUNITY: 2 Day Workshop with Dene Croft, SFCA - Friday, Feb 23 & Saturday, Feb 24, South Langley.   3 spots left - $160 Contact me to Register.

1 -Day Marketing Workshop for Artist - Let's Get Your Art Out There! with Wendy Mould, AFCA      Sunday, Feb. 25, 2018 10-3pm $84(Tax Incd)

Great Art needs Good Marketing to Move it out the Door

During the day you learn what the main focus of your marketing materials should be, see  effective ways to promote your work and find a path that is right for you.  It is a full day and the synergy generated from the experience will keep you on track for 2018. Turn your Art Making into a Business. Maximum 8 people so register early. 

I look forward to working with you.  

 REGISTER  Contact Wendy               Gift Certificates Available

Good Follow-Up Session to the Marketing Workshop: 

April 9 - Building Your Online Presence 6-8pm. Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC. $20 nonmembers $15 members.


Looking for more Drawing Tips, check out these popular posts from the latest Drawing Series.  

How to Find Your Starting Point in a Drawing - here

4 Ways to Grow the Sketchbook Habit - here

Get Those Values Working for you - here

 Be sure to like and share my posts.
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 Have a great artful day,
Wendy