Pictures have long been used in books to either add information or to make the text more attractive. Thus, it's not surprising that artists have been involved with book-making for centuries. While some artists work as book illustrators, other artists are more interested in making us look at "the book" in new ways. These artists create special books which are often thought of as works of art in themselves. In this project, you will get to make your own "artist book" and look at some special books by other artists.

Materials You Need: A grocery bag, scissors, glue stick, stickers, ink stamps, old postage stamps, felt-tip markers, colored papers, and magazines with lots of pictures.

Getting Started: To begin you need to make the pages of your book. There are many ways to construct an one-of-a-kind book. Here are instructions for making a book out of a paper bag. Elsewhere on the web, you can find instructions for making a concertina book or a book using a Japanese binding technique.

The Project: Books are special places for telling stories, expressing feelings and sharing ideas. You can write and draw in your book. You can cut shapes from colored paper or pictures from old magazines and glue them in your book. You can cut and fold the pages of your book. You can also paste stickers and stamp shapes in your book. Whatever you choose to do, you need to first have an idea or story you want to share with others.

Once you've made the pages of your book, try one of these ideas for making your book unique:

  • Tell others about an adventure you've had.
  • Make an "I am Book" that shows others special things about you.
  • Describe, in pictures and words, a recent trip you've taken with your family.
  • Illustrate a story about your favorite hero.
  • Make up a story about something that might have happened many years ago.
  • Share your ideas about how to make the world a better place.
  • Imagine that aliens land in your back yard one night. Tell the story of your "close encounter."
  • Make up your own story to share with others.

Remember that, as a "book artist," each page of your book should be interesting to look at as well as interesting to read. Think about how you can make your book special by arranging the pictures and text on each page.

Once you have finished your book, share it with others.

Want to Do More? Check out the work of these two artists who will make you think about books in new ways: Meg Belichick uses materials like wire, glass, mudflaps and brake shoes to make an unique sculptural book; while Susan Rotolo uses a wooden box, various papers, ink, rayon, and linen to create her book. See if there are any book artists who work in your community. Perhaps you can visit their studios or invite them to your classroom.

Other Web sites worth visiting include Book and Paper Arts for Kids which has listings of related book arts resources for kids and Susan Kapuscinski's Bookmaking Projects. Also, visit the @rt library for books on book-making.

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