monotype print

As I am preparing my new class, Book as ART Materials, I am discovering new sources for old and unwanted books.

Independent Used Book Sellers

These local book sellers often have boxes of books that are too old to sell or otherwise headed for the recycle bin.

I found 2 kind book sellers who were willing to let me take books from there recycle pile.

Never 2 Many books – 58 Pulaski St. Peabody, MA – I found a box full of old books that I can use for book making art projects – Thank YOU!

Well Read Books  – Rte 125, Plaistow, NH – Offered me to look through and take some of the books that were on the way to the book recycling project Rolling Thunder

I know that most of my readers do not live close to these book sellers, but I bet that you have similar types of bookstores in your area.

It makes it a lot easier to cut up a book if you got it for free or very inexpensively.

Some good sources for nearly free old books:

1. Yard Sales
2. Friends garages and basements
3. Small independent used book sellers
4. Local libraries

What to look for in an old book?

• Cool covers
• Interesting End pages
• Old notes
• Fades pages
• Drawings, music, foreign language
• Embossed words or designs

Click here to read more about the Books as ART Materials workshop here on the information page.

I love finding old books at library sales.

I think of old books as fodder for art making. I can use:

• The pages for black out poems
• The covers for journals
• Pages for printing surfaces

BE brave and make something from a book!

I look for covers that talk to me, pages with words that jump out at me and subjects that catch my eye.

I am excited to share that I am working on a new class that will be all about repurposing old books and less than perfect prints into beautiful pieces of art.

Stay on the mailing list to find out about the details of this course that will run in July.

I love my course Make Monotypes because I can help artists from all over the world to explore gelatin printmaking.

But I am happy to share that my students are loving the class just as much as I am. For example:

One student’s experience in Make Monotypes – I wanted to take this class for quite a while, but as I had already experimented a fair bit with a gel plate, I wasn’t sure how much I’d learn.

My friend, a bookbinding instructor took the class a while back, and spoke very highly of it. She really enjoyed it and learned a lot. And I had seen some of her prints that she incorporated into her bookmaking projects.

I’m very glad I took the course – it was exactly what I wanted- it encouraged me to use my own images and experiment with found objects and stencils/masks I created myself.

So many other books, videos and blog posts focused on use of commercial stencils and other products.  I really appreciate that this course focuses on finding or making one’s own tools!

Gerry McG.

This gelatin printmaking course is the foundation of my approach to printmaking without a press. The gelatin plate is unique:

• The malleable plate is able to hold delicate details.
• These details can be transferred to paper with mere hand pressure
• The process is immediate and does not require lots of planning.
• Gelatin printing is low tech and not-toxic
• It is the best of printing without a press

Read more details about the printmaking course and join us today. This is the only time that I will be offering the course this year.

I am happy to share with you that I will be giving a couple of local demonstrations of the gelatin printmaking process.

I will be at

• the Artist’s Playground
• in the Tannery on 50 Water Street, Newburyport
• on May 20th 1 Pm to 2 PM
• demonstation gelatin printmaking with ink on paper
• Reserve your spot call 978-462-5366

And in June I will demonstration Gelatin printing with ink on paper

• ARTs Wayland
• 107 Concord Rd, Wayland MA
• June 15th 3:30 to 5:30
• Reserve your space here

And a little further out on the calendar I will be teaching a full day Gelatin Printmaking class at the Museum of Printing in Haverhill, MA – October 14th. Read the details about this live in person class.

Here is a challenge for you.

• Look around your house and notice the patterns in your wall paper, fabrics, books, pillows and things
• Pick one pattern that speaks to you
• Grab a pen and draw the pattern
• Don’t do an exact copy, BE YOU. Embrace you line quality
• Now you have a drawing that could be used to make prints

You could make a masking stencil like I did and then make some gelatin prints. Or maybe the drawing will become a thermofax screen, or a template for a trace monoprint.

You get to decide.