Assignment 4: Creative Book Design- Tutor Feedback and Reflection
Research task 1: Exploring artists’ books
You were asked to find two artists’ books and reflect on them in your learning log.
Excellent references to Dieter Roth and it was really encouraging to read you had bought a physical copy — Clementes, mood boards etc. Rigorous interrogation that is thoughtful and rich — Well done
Exercise 1: Paper/ephemera
You were asked to collect a wide variety of paper samples and other paper ephemera across a range of weights, textures and surface finishes and creatively document them in your learning log. Excellent use of collected/discarded poster s to generate abstract expressionism that clearly demonstrates informed visual literacy.
The printed ephemera from the collection at the University of Reading is very interesting. These 2 examples are amongst my favourites. The first being a floor plan and the second a zine.
Exercise 2: Concrete poetry
This two-part exercise asked you to write a short critique and then choose a typeface to create a design for Tango with Cows. — Good analysis of the content. Explore the work of John Furnival and Sam Winston (Below). Rationale behind the choice of Univers is sound and indeed democratic but despite texture the poem as words remains flat.
These examples of poetry are very interesting. I particularly like John Furnival’s ‘The fall of the tower of babel’ and will be looking into more of his work.
Exercise 3: Sequencing images
This exercise asked you to create images which you’ll then print onto the papers you collected in Exercise 1. You correctly identify that use of orange thread would add an additional level of meaning to the binding, however, despite this the body of work and experimentation is thorough, deep and demonstrates an excellent understanding of book creation. We can pick this up in meeting.
After discussion in the meeting, I will be testing with another print out of the book including the orange binding, including this at the bottom of the page of Exercise 3.
Exercise 4: Collating and binding
This exercise asked you to reflect on and rework your images, select up to 16 pages, and bind them into a small book. Solid research into binding backed up with good experimentation of binding tutorials evident. Consider your choice of format? Does this add a further level of meaning? Try using hard covers and French fold?
I enjoyed our discussion of how form can develop/present meaning and look forward to considering form further with future tasks.
Assignment Four: ‘Altered book’
Assignment four asked you to extend your exploration of materials and text by creatively developing your own altered or artists’ book based on a found book. This was an opportunity to use elements of your research as inspiration and to inform your book-altering practice. ‘Brief Answers to the Big Questions’ As mentioned earlier, research has underpinned a comprehensive body of work which showcases a refined and confident aesthetic. Use of texture, collage, found imagery and handwritten text contributed to a successful outcome. Well done.
