Mark Making

We had a lot of fun  making cola pens and making marks with inks and a range of materials members brought with them. The cola pens were made from aluminium cans cut into sheets, and the nibs  fashioned from the sheets and some type of holder-bamboo sticks, stirrers, old pencils etc. Everyone was surprised by how much ink the pens hold as they have no reservoir, and they can be made to have a narrow or broad nib, or even a two or three nibbed pen. 

 

 For making information :

https://paperwhitestudio.com/handlettering/folded-soda-can-pen/. 

 

This is the easiest template, but there are  others on the net.

Of the experimental mark makers we tried, the metal scourer, bamboo knife, 5 cotton buds tied together, a finger stall, shaped bamboo and a feather all made really interesting marks. The underside of a plastic pencil sharpener made great rectangular shapes too. Plenty of ideas to take away and try, and all great for making book covers.

 

 

We had a short show and tell, and Jac had made a book for the theme of inked/inky which was very effective and beautifully bound in black and white.

Some of us then went on to the Liverpool Book Fair, where we had a stall. The foot fall was better than expected and we made decent sales, and enjoyed the company of other makers. There were enquiries about the group from several people, so we may see them at future meetings.

Envelope Book

Our September meeting saw us making an envelope book, led by Chris. Small and with a square format this was not a complicated book to make but required patience and time; the former of course all book artists have in abundance!

We did some planning for the months to come, and spent time discussing the upcoming Liverpool Book Arts Fair which takes place on October 5th and 6th, and coincides with our monthly meeting, which will take place as planned. The Fair is almost next door to us at the Bluecoat in Liverpool city centre, so if you are reading this and fancy finding out a bit more about book art, do come along and meet us and lots of other makers. 

 

Further details will be emailed to members in good time later this month.

There is also an opportunity to individually show off our work in Chester.   Please follow the  link below:
https://www.artinliverpool.com/opportunities/calls-archive/call-to-artists-the-grosvenor-museums-15th-open-art-exhibition/

Waterfall Book

This month Frances led us in making a waterfall book, which we all completed successfully. This style lends itself well to photographs and semi-hidden text, and is a very satisfying alternative to a flip book.

We also enjoyed seeing books on the theme of 'poetry' and other completed books or works in progress. 

Our theme for the next two months is ‘inked or inky’.

Marilyn has booked a table for the Liverpool book arts fair in October. We will have our meeting first whilst Alan looks after our table, and we will then take turns to keep things going. Marilyn will stay on for Saturday if needed, and she and Jac will look after things on Sunday. Timings etc to be explained at our September meeting.

Tea Bag Book

The NWBA meeting on Sat. 6 July 2024,  was well attended and members warmly welcomed the return of a former member from 2018.   The members enjoyed the challenge of making a new book structure based on the adaption of a "Teabag" book, delivered by Julie.

The "Show and Tell" moment revealed 3 inspiring pop-up Kirigami mechanical structures  created by Frances.  

Next months  "Waterfall" pop-up card was agreed as the format for the next workshop on Sat 3 August 2024, to be delivered by Francis.

Creating textured Papers

 

 We had a really good session at our June meeting, courtesy of Chris, who was as ever very generous with her time, expertise and materials. We experimented (played!) with tissues papers, oil pastels and waxes for pseudo leather book covers, and used embossed designs which we embellished with various gilding and acrylic waxes to great effect. A fun time, learning new techniques, including uses for those brown sheets that Amazon seem to send out and which none of us can bear to throw away.

We also discussed the 'Makers Market' and our participation in it, although it clashed with our July meeting.  Subsequent conversations with Simon Ryder means that we will no longer participate, although we will of course be part of the Liverpool Book Arts Fair this Autumn. There is an accompanying exhibition, but we have not submitted a piece this year.

 

 
Works completed or in progress included some lovely pen and digital townscapes from Jac, a Telling Tales book about foot binding and an elegy for ash trees from Marilyn. 

Our theme for the next month is Poetry, 

works in theory due in July.