when I carved the cover I kept the small piece of cardboard and made the booklet out of it...
once more I use a photo of an old creation...
I loved making Wylde woman...the photo of an old woman from Tibet is glued on a cardboard...then I took a very old floor cloth falling into pieces ...dyed it with a mixture made of coffee, chocolate and sugar...when very dry and stiff I sticked it and decorated with bits and pieces, dried seeds, weeds, pieces of paper...pearls...
the photo of a spider's web ...printed on a transparency and glued on the page...difficult to take the photo...
Use all your bits and pieces...the page on the left is a photo made out of an old creation, I made it long ago and it's a bit spoiled...so I use the photos and work on them...I draw the tree, use a foam stamp for the silhouette...paper for the moons...small pimientos , dried seeds...were sticked on the first page...the fabric was dyed with spices : turmeric and paprika...
It had to be different from what I usually make...This altered-book is supposed to be made by Eugène when he was all alone in his office, with nothing else to do...
a strange book that is...very strict and severe...full of ancient laws...some from the 17th century...I found it in a second-hand bookshop...it was published in 1909...
Here is what I found...this book's owner was called Eugène...He worked as a solicitot's clerk and as a farmer...He was very proud of his two jobs and put them on his own stamp...
That was just great !!! who was Eugene ? I had to give him a second life...
I always keep the white silky paper wrapping things when you buy them, shoes, flowers...
Last Autumn I collected nice leaves, ironed them and kept them between the pages of an old dictionnary...
Choose a book you like...an old one of course, not a precious, expensive one...I get mine in a second-hand bookshop...When books are very old , torn, burnt, if pages are missing, the books are distroyed, so I buy them and give them a second life...
Take your time...look carefully, smell the pages...that's a very sensual job...you'll undress the book...
the side of the pages is sometimes beautiful, so be careful not to spoil it when using them
some pictures may inspired you as well, keep them carefully, you may use them in this book or in another one...
now carefully begin the undressin, keep all little pieces in a box, and take time to admire, to take photos...as a souvenir...and to get further inspiration...
fascinating, isn't it...
time to start dreaming...don't hurry...let the story come in your heart and fingers...
after you have taken the book cover, you find a block of pages...
in some books, they are sewn, so you just have to cut the thread...and work on a double page...
sometimes they are glued so you work on a single page...to get a strong one you may glue several together...or use some gesso to get a good base...
if you have double pages, let them dry a long time, then glue them together and glue the block of pages on the cover...let it open some days to get it perfectly dry...
you may also make holes on all the pages , including the cover and tied them together...not to tight, you must be abble to turn the pages..
you must first find a theme...then an old book, whose cover gives you inspiration...
mind your fingers...
and here are mine..
