Mini Matchbooks

To be honest, I was always a bit intimidated by creating tiny artwork. Then I realized that I can adapt my loose, abstract, collage style to fit in a small space. I created these Mini Matchbooks.

"Mini Pink Matchbook" and "Mini Green Matchbook"

Deciding what to use as the substrate took some experimenting. I found that this style of matchbooks had strong enough cardboard and shape to work as the substrate. I deconstructed each matchbook so I had a piece for the cover and a piece for the box to hold the pages. There are many artist who use matchbooks so I can't say that I discovered this medium.

The accordion style book works well with a matchbook. I used Blick's White Sulphite Drawing Paper for the base of the accordion pages. Leftover scraps of altered bleeding tissue paper was used to decorate the covers of each book. Each page has a different artwork that was created using paper scraps, acrylic paint and markers.

"Mini Green Matchbook" front view - 1.5"x2"x7"

"Mini Green Matchbook" back view - 1.5"x2"x7"

"Mini Pink Matchbook" front view - 1.5"x2"x9"

"Mini Pink Matchbook" back view - 1.5"x2"x9"

 These two books are on display in eXtreme Fiber Art exhibit at ideaXfactory.

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Girl Scout Cookies books

Similar to the books I made using Dove Soap boxes, these books were made with inexpensive materials. This time I used Girl Scout Cookies boxes as the substrates then glued monoprinted paper to the outside and inside covers. The paper used for the signatures is Blick White Sulphite Drawing Paper.
 

3 Girl Scout Cookies books

4"x7" book - Gathered Long Stitch with Link Stitch

4"x6.5" book - Long Stitch with Link Stitch

4.5"x6" book - Coptic Stitch

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Dove Soap books

In between working in my sketchbook journals, I have been practicing book binding. As I mentioned in this post, I'm using inexpensive materials while practicing. These 3 mini (3.5" x 2.5" x 1/5") books are made with Dove Soap boxes. I cut away the excess cardboard and left the part that made the 2 covers attached to the spine. I glued monoprinted papers to the outside and inside covers. Also, used these papers for the signatures along with scrapes of book and magazine pages.

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3 mini books

 "Practice, practice, practice"

In between creating in my sketchbook journals, I have been practicing book binding. When I practice I usually don't use expensive materials. The covers of these 3 books were made using boxes that contained a bar of soap, moisturizer and scraps of mat board. Then magazine scraps were collaged on top and inside. Inexpensive drawing paper was used for the signatures (book pages). Waxed craft thread was used to stitch the covers and signatures.

3 mini books

garden book - 5" x 2.5"

ground book - 4" x 3"

old building book - 3.5" x 2"

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"Language" - sketches 1 - 4

This week I decided to start creating in my "Language" sketchbook journal. I first blogged about it here. It's an altered book that has monoprinted watercolor papers attached using the long stitch. It was my first attempt at the long stitch using pre-waxed linen thread. Hence the washi tape covering the spine.

The monoprinted papers are various sizes - 8" x 5", 7" x 5" and 4" x 4.5". Having paper that has color on it already can help when starting a new sketch. A white page can be intimidating. 

Each page will have a word or phase or group of words to use as a prompt.
 

"Language" altered book

"Language" - sketch #1

"Language" - sketch #2

"Language" - sketch #3

"Language" - sketch #4

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little red book

little red book - 4" square

little red book - spine showing Coptic stitch

This little red book is an example of making lemonade from lemons. 

I wanted to try eco-printing so one Saturday I cut up some heavy drawing paper, picked leaves and flowers then got to work. After 1/2 a day, I realized that it wasn't working. The images of the leaves and flowers were not being transferred to the paper. I found that I was using the wrong mordant. Instead of throwing the bundle out, I decided to dye it. I placed one end into a vat of red dye and let it sit for 3 hours then placed the other end in dark green dye for the same amount of time. The leaves and flowers acted as a resist. I very happy with the results and will use this technique again.

little red book - front cover

little red book - inside front cover + first signature

little red book - end of first and beginning of second signature

little red book - second signature

little red book - end of third and beginning of fourth signature

little red book - fourth signature

little red book - back cover

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Time For Tea - mini sketchbook journal final sketches

My Time For Tea mini (4.5" x 5.5") sketchbook journal is completely filled with sketches. The final four sketches are pictured below. This book was one of the first books I made while teaching myself to book bind. I should mention that I'm continuing to practice book binding. It's an ongoing and inspiring new practice for me. To read about the start of my book binding journey, please click here. To see the sketches from my previous blog posts, please click here.

This sketch was quickly made one night using acrylic paint and paper from magazines. I've never been comfortable using complementary colors or specifically, split complementary colors - purple, yellow and orange. It seems a bit jarring visually to me but I want to continue to use these types of color combinations to expand my use of different color palettes.

Another quick sketch using split complementary colors. To me, these colors aren't as jarring visually as the sketch above. I'm happy with the use of red color pencil that I scribbled over the second layer of acrylic paint.The acid green elements are torn monoprinted deli papers. Love the transparency effect. The last layer is white acrylic used as a veil.

I used leftover acrylic paint for this sketch. Again using color pencil to add another element. All in all I'm happy with the way this sketch turned out.

I started this sketch by applying a light wash of white acrylic paint over the watercolor that was on the paper. Then I stared at the white page for quite some time. I couldn't think of a sketch idea that used acrylic paint. It was getting late so I grabbed 3 pieces of paper from a magazine and glued them down then used a lavender Sharpie to draw the surrounding dots. This sketch is in my comfort zone of simple, abstract collages.

This collage above is the last sketch in this sketchbook journal. It's been a fantastic learning experience working in one sketchbook journal over 6 weeks. Restricting myself to create in a small (4.5" x 5.5") size was a challenge some days and other times a relief. Also, the watercolor paper limited the amount of layers of paint I could apply. I need to decide if I'm going to start working in one or multiple sketchbook journals next.


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Time For Tea - mini sketchbook journal continued

I'm continuing to sketch in my Time For Tea mini (4.5" x 5.5") sketchbook journal. This book was one of the first books I made while teaching myself to book bind. I should mention that I'm continuing to practice book binding. It's an ongoing and inspiring new practice for me. To read about the start of my book binding journey, please click here. To see the sketches from my previous blog posts, please click here.

One of the good things about collage is that if the design is going in a different direction then you had intended to go then cover it up with paper. This sketch was not developing the way I had envisioned it so I covered up most of it was amber and orange painted deli paper. Much better!

 

This sketch was fun to create. I didn't have any preconceived idea of how I wanted it to look like. I just started adding layers of paint, pen marks and papers. Very improvisational. It's more of mess than a masterpiece and that's okay.

Sometimes it's nice to have a light hand when painting. I wasn't concerned about creating light, medium and dark values.

I thought about the elements that I wanted to add to this sketch before I started. The paint colors - indigo, light indigo (not grey), medium and light turquoise, amber splatter and translucent white paint. Addition of brown craft paper and crimson red pencil.

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Time For Tea - mini sketchbook journal continued

I'm continuing to sketch in my Time For Tea mini (4.5" x 5.5") sketchbook journal. This book was one of the first books I made while teaching myself to book bind. I should mention that I'm continuing to practice book binding. It's an ongoing and inspiring new practice for me. To read about the start of my book binding journey, please click here. To see the sketches from my previous blog posts, please click here.

Black fluid paint drips. Love doing this technique! I have been trying to incorporate it in one of my mini sketches.

The mixed media abstract using layers is the main style that I want to practice in this sketchbook journal. I'm happy with the way this sketch turned out.

This sketch was created in under 10 minutes. I painted medium blue over the original watercolor ground then glued tie dyed paper on top. The green peeping through on the right is a start of another sketch to be finished soon.

Comfort zone. Sometimes I need to create in my comfort zone. Geometric abstract collage.

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Time For Tea - mini sketchbook journal continued

I'm continuing to sketch in my Time For Tea mini (4.5" x 5.5") sketchbook journal. This book was one of the first books I made while teaching myself to book bind. I should mention that I'm continuing to practice book binding. It's an ongoing and inspiring new practice for me. To read about the start of my book binding journey, please click here. To see the sketches from my previous blog posts, please click here and here.

This colorful sketch was created by using the initial watercolor ground as the inspiration. To me it feels calming and energetic at the same time. 

 

  
Another sketch using the watercolor ground painted before I stitched the signatures into the book. Sometimes it helps to have some color on the page instead of starting with blank page. I like the use of indigo as the darkest value instead of black.

I'm doing my best to use other dark colors instead of black as the darkest value. This sketch using dark purple. Incorporating words, quotes or part of sentences adds a nice layer to make a simple collage.

 I pushed myself outside my comfort zone for this sketch. Many layers of paint and paper...and no blue! The good thing about mini sketchbooks is the freedom to play, explore and experiment.

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