I’m teaching a book arts, altered books & zine-making workshop at the Whitstable Biennale in June this year, and in the run up to it I’ve been getting so enthused about art book making and book binding that I can’t stop trawling the internet for more interesting finds.
Apparently springing from the rather terrifying loins of poet and artist William Blake, book arts, or artist’s books, encompass a rather broad spectrum of physical artwork and now digital artwork. Artists’ books take many shapes, including scrolls, fold-outs, concertinas or loose items contained in a box as well as printed text blocks that are perfect bound just like the books you find in a shop. Artists have been active in printing and book production for centuries, but the artist’s book is primarily a late 20th-century form.
I got into book arts after taking a seminar at the National Print Museum of Ireland in artist book making.
“Artists’ books are books or book-like objects over the final appearance of which an artist has had a high degree of control; where the book is intended as a work of art in itself.” – Stephen Bury
Where to find fantastic book arts stuff online
- Fuck Yeah, Book Arts!
- Flickr – the art journaler group
- The Artist’s Book Gallery
- Artists Book collection at the Victoria & Albert museum in London
- Hand Bookbindings in Princeton University
And of course, ESC zine’s print inspiration Pinterest board:
Follow ESC zine’s board Art Journals & Book Arts! on Pinterest.
DRINK TEA WRITE WORDS 