When my students finish this little book, they often exclaim, "it's just like a real book!" My response is always, "it IS a real book!" But I know what they mean: this little book is created using traditional bookbinding materials and techniques, and it was deceptively easy. Who knew books could be so fun to make?
So now that you've made a mini book, how are you going to bring it to the next level? Here are some ideas!
These books above (and the one at the top) were made using watercolor paper coated with cyanotype solution. The pages were completed before the book was assembled. These books were made by one of my CSULB students, Christin Ibrahim, who taught this lesson while she was student teaching. Students created negatives and photograms, arranged compositions, and then created the book to showcase their cyanotypes.
The pages above are from mini books created by one of my past students, Roxanne Coble. Roxanne is an amazing artist and when she learned how to make this mini book in our art program, it really got her creative juices flowing. Roxanne is a sketchbook artist (you can see her work here), and she has continued to create these mini books (and sells the completed books, both blanks and completely filled) occasionally in her Etsy shop.
Roxanne also teaches workshops in making and decorating these mini books! Here are some examples of HER students' work:
I sent a kit earlier this spring to a friend of mine in Canada, Peter Scurr, who is a printmaker - here's an article about his ongoing Galiano Island Printmaking projects. Peter sent me process pics along the way as he experimented with recycling old books and making new ones from them. And, he had a genius idea about using a roll of book repair tape for the bookcloth - you could also use duct tape!
And here is a set of process photos, along with his Grandson Eli's first sketchbook!
Supplies - where to get them
Now that you've made a tiny book, you might want to have your students make them. Here are the materials I use to create my mini books:
For the cover papers, I use old music book pages, maps or atlas pages, dictionary pages, wallpaper, paste paper, whatever I have. The size is so small on these that you can use up all kinds of odds and ends. In fact, that was the inspiration for this tiny book to begin with - I had scrap bookbinding chipboard from making larger books, and I used those cut offs to determine the size of this book.
One of the most important parts of this bookbinding project is the bookcloth. Bookcloth is fabric that is treated so that glue does not ooze through. Students often want to use fabrics they have at home, and then are disappointed when the glue leaks through the fabric and leaves unsightly stains. But good news, you can also make your own bookcloth fairly easily! I've made a lot of this with different fabrics - here's a tutorial on how to do that.