Accordion Book- new collaborative project
An accordion book in progress for a new collaborative project with local artist Joan Phillips. Her work is really beautiful and I’m excited to work with her. I think our styles are similar in ways but different enough that it’ll be an interesting collaboration. Do check out her site! And her blog, where she has some really interesting musings on creativity and life as an artist.
I really keep meaning to get back into doing sewn book bindings, but I only seem to do collaborative books these days, and I really love the accordion format for collaborations. They are easily expandable and you can do fun things with the images continuing between pages. I also like that you can use both sides of the paper- when you get to the end, you turn the book over and it’s like another whole book! I think I might make some accordions on my own with different contrasting themes to each side of the book, like light/dark, life/death or something.
I’ve already started drawing in this book. It’s an imaginary map, made while sitting in the bathtub, playing with dripping water to make the ink run. I recently saw the Galileo, the Medici, and the Age of Astronomy exhibit at the Franklin Institute, and it was so inspirational! I’m fascinated by that whole era- how human knowledge of the world was expanding at such a rapid rate, but there was still such a sense of the mysterious and wonder at the universe, and art and science were still so entwined. I love the aesthetics of all those old maps and astrological/navigational devices. (Here are a few of my favorite objects from the exhibit).
Hi, your project looks great but can I ask what you used to hinge the papers? I’m having trouble finding how to hinge the paper edges without t looking bent or crumpled and your pages look quite elegant. Thanks in advance!
I make hinges by folding a 1/2 to 1 inch flap at one end of each sheet of paper, and then putting glue on the flap and overlapping it with the next page. It’s a little difficult to explain! You can also just fold a long sheet of paper into an accordion. I use a metal cork-backed ruler and a bone folder to score the paper first so it folds more neatly.
Ah, I think I get what you’re saying. Thanks for the advice Jen!