Book of Oil

Service Description

The online Books classes are proposals to think creatively. We will focus on the contents of the book and the making of the book - the book covers are now supplied separately via The Perfect Brush and in many cases you will be making your own book covers as part of the class - and thinking through the possibilities of how to do this. We’ll incorporate pop-ups and creative page design as well as more unusual things to look out for: if it’s foldable or flat (ish) it can go in a book. Think of it as almost a sculptural or materials-based class where the material, process or idea takes centre stage and everything ultimately ends up in the form of a book. We take each motif as an elemental springboard in itself and Prospero’s books as equal inspirations. They are also loosely based on my research into the motifs of the 1001 Nights. For example, the Book of Sand could see you looking at the futility of life as sand slipping through your fingers or shifting time in an hourglass or simply the fun of making a pop-up sandcastle. The Book of Glass could see you etch in glass to make a fully transparent book or try Chinese reverse-glass painting. We’ll need to source materials and brainstorm these in class together. A contemporary approach to bookmaking, this is to inspire and challenge you to think creatively and find wide solutions. They are a break from traditional taught classes and a refresher for your brain which calls for you to think quickly and imaginatively - which you do naturally in a state of play. Make your own library of inspiration into which you can delve whenever you need creative ideas for future artworks and have effortful fun diving deeply into a single motif and exploring it immersively. Zoom links will be sent a day or so before class.