Class Description
Mini Artist Books
Instructor: Michèle Landsaat
Class Dates: July 9-19, 2024
In this class we will make three mini artist books. These precious little books can be about anything but they don’t have to be a literal story. For me they spring from the ideas, thoughts and notes that come out of my daily sketchbook routine. If you don’t do this already, I encourage you to establish some sort of regular writing and sketching practice. Even if it’s just 5 minutes a day! I’m always amazed what I can do in very little time. We will draw inspiration from this daily practice to make lots of material for our books.
We’ll be paying attention to what feels energized, working spontaneously to weave together your images with short phrases to create a narrative. I’ll demonstrate how to bring together text and images that support one another in an additive way, rather than illustrating the text literally.
We’ll work with India ink, printmaking techniques like pochoir and draw through (also called trace monotype), collage, pamphlet stitch and more.
Throughout this process we make pages and pages of illustrations, writing in the margins as ideas arise, always looking for energized threads that are waiting to become books.
I hope you’ll join me!
Michèle
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Gallery of Michèle’s Work
Some etchings:
Here are some details of some of Michèle’s delicate and imaginative artist books:
And in this class you will make three books like the following:
1. A small accordian book with the theme of repetition and variation (shown here is a collaged version, but you will use the media of your choice).
2. A folded-card book with sewn-in flap, this time adding words with your pictures (using draw-through and pochoir techniques).
3. Finally you will work on a longer narrative book, making lots and lots of ink drawings to use in your final project.
Michèle is a very creative, imaginative storyteller, and this is a great class if you love to draw, make books, write stories and spend time in your imaginary worlds!
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Class Itinerary
Lessons are pre-recorded and will be available on the following schedule:
Lesson “0” – Immediately Upon Signup
Lesson 1 – Tuesday, July 9
Lesson 2 – Wednesday, July 10
Lesson 3 – Friday, July 12
Lesson 4 – Tuesday, July 16
Lesson 5 – Wednesday, July 17
Lesson 6 – Friday, July 19
Lesson “0” – Get Started Right Away!
Start a daily writing and sketching practice if you don’t already have one – even if it’s just 5-10 minutes a day. You’ll draw from these for your books.
Lesson 1 – Repetition & Variation Accordion Book
Let’s draw! We’ll warm up by exploring a subject spontaneously and from a variety of angles, including varying the size and feeling tone. You’ll create a simple accordion book with your drawings.
Lesson 2 – Card Book with a Flap (Part 1)
Today you will learn a printmaking technique called draw through or trace monotype. You’ll look through your sketchbook and pick two words writing about them and drawing imagery spontaneously, creating lots and lots of images!
Lesson 3 – Card Book with a Flap (Part 2)
Build your book with a flap pulling from images and text you’ve created, thoughtfully weaving them together.
Lesson 4 – Trifold Book (Part 1)
You’ll pick a topic from your journal or sketchbook and generate content for a longer format story. I’ll work with India ink, micron pens and oil paints, but any media you love will work. Again you’ll make lots of imagery creating 20+ pages in preparation for the next lesson.
Lesson 5 – Trifold Book (Part 2)
We’ll finish all of the pages for the book, laying your images and text out and moving them around to find the flow of your story and filling in any gaps with new material as needed.
Lesson 6 – Trifold Book (Part 3)
It’s time to finish your book! You’ll make your case, cut a window and stitch everything together.
