Book Art Project

 For this project i had to make a piece of book art using an old book/books. I looked at various artists for inspiration, and also researched the history of books and how they are changing over time. This influenced me to create a book that had a Russian doll effect, so that i could portray the infinite life of stories and also show how books have changed through each generation. I also wanted to portray how each individual book holds different stories and connotations within it, including influences from other books/stories.

To start my final piece i collected books from family members of different generations, as these books would hold memories and have a special significance to each generation.
I then glued down the sides of the book, sticking the pages together. 
 I could then measure out the section i wanted to cut, and begin cutting it with a craft knife.











Once i had finished cutting i glued the inside for strength and aesthetic reasons. I followed this process with each individual book











The finished product...

Book belonging to an OAP opening up to a book belonging to and adult...

 opening up to a book belonging to a teen...

 a book belonging to a child/toddler...

And finally a memory card...












The memory card represents how books may be stored in the future (by the next generation), which could eliminate the need for paper books and libraries. Therefore i decided to cut the shape of a coffin around this, as it signifies the end of an era, the death of paper books. I feel it is also very thought provoking, and the positioning of the coffin (cut out from an innocent child's book where a mouse once was) is open to interpretation by the viewers.

I am pleased with the outcome of this project as it captures the book related subjects i wanted to explore. I wanted to it appear enigmatic and interesting like a Russian doll, and i feel this has been achieved by the serious of books. However if i had had more time to spend on this project i would've added more books to the series to make it feel more exciting and never ending like a Russian doll. This would have made it more of an experience for the viewer, having to go through each book wondering when the end will be reached, and what will be awaiting them. I may have also focused on the aesthetic of the books a little more, ensuring the cutting was neat and perhaps making the first book appear more aged, and the last one newer, however i didn't feel this was an important aspect of the final outcome.