“ Darkness”

Over the past few months I haven,t made nearly enough “artist” books. This month I thought I would start the year of with joining the #areyoubookenough challenge. This months theme is darkness. Here is what I came up with

This is the front and back of the book. The cover is just plain black card. With a colophon on the back stating Author and date and the inspiration for the book. 

There are 5 double spreads in the book each with a quote about darkness.

This is the first page which originally was going to be the quote on the cover and is the only page which hasn’t a pop up or some sort of interaction.

Spread 2. “Better to light a candle that to curse the darkness “.  Chinese Proverb

Spread 3 “Fear grows in the darkness, if you think there’s a bogeyman around turn on the light.”  Dorothy Thompson

Spread 4 “Everyone is a moon and has a dark side which he never shows to anyone.”  Mark Twain

“Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first and is waiting for it”. Terry Pratchett. 

I really enjoyed this challenge and exploring some basic paper engineering crude as my first attempts are. I love being a book artist and I’m very privileged to be able to do this work. 

Watch this space! 

Carry on drawing.......

Doing some sort of art every day always appeals to me but I find it difficult to keep up with. This year will be my 3rd attempt. The first year I lasted until October not too bad but last year totaly lost it early on got to March then did odd days until I finally gave up.

I was using a page a day diary then and found I had to put clear gesso on the pages otherwise got really bad bleed through. Keeping up with guessing the pages ,I think, was the main reason for failing. 

This year I have bought a book with the right number of pages and although they are thin seem to hold up better. I like to add colour and use water colour and watercolour pencil. It doesn’t take alcohol based markers though. Any way I’m hope that it will help me succeed this year. 

Only time will tell! 

Are you taking part in any challenges this year? 

Back to it

I have a few weeks before I have another craft fair and I really need to restock. Concentrating to day on upcycling. 

Chose a couple of drinks cans, some teabags and carrier bags.

Managed to prepare 6 covers. The next step is to make the text blocks.

Books finished. 

Next batch I think will be some leather Journals. Watch this space. 

........ a slow start.

Here we are almost a week into the new year. I hope you all had a good time over the holidays and are now feeling refreshed and ready to go forward into the unknown. 

My holidays were ok on the whole but I now I’m struggling a bit to get back into the swing of things. Not too concerned though as I’m doing little bits and bobs. Started a daily art practise. For this I have bought a small notebook it is I think Japanese, the pages are thin but seem to take a fair bit of battering. So far have used ink, pencil, watercolour pencils (with plenty of water)watercours and Coptic Markers. Took everything well apart from the Coptic markers. The Coptic bleed through. I know it’s only day 6 but managing to to keep things going.

There are no real rules apart from doing something every day and not stressing over it. I intend to spend no longer tha 10 mins a day on it and not worry about the finished image.  

My other goals as far as art practise goes are to be come better at lettering and learn more about paper engineering. Most days I have been either drawing letters or folding and cutting card.

So although not up to full production again yet, I’m getting there and enjoying allowing myself to play and take things how they come. Back to it full time on Monday.

If you would like to follow my progress I’m on Instagram as annieogg, on Facebook as Page Books and Stuff . Or you could subscribe to my email list and receive info on offers as they happen.

Have a great January!