Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Fly Away - Book Sculpture


Here is my second book sculpture creation. I took an old mathematical table book that belonged to my dad when he attended engineering school. I folded each page in half and creased the folded edge with a bone folder to ensure a crisp edge. When the pages are folded, they create a semi-circle pattern. Next I glued marbleized paper to the inside front and back cover to make the background more appealing.

After that was finished, I tore multiple pages out of another old book and hand colored them with watercolors, letting the two or three colors on each piece to flow and mingle together. My first attempts at watercolor were too muted, so I chose to use the brightest colors. The next step was to find and cut out butterfly, dragonfly and bug patterns in workable sizes and interesting shapes. I have to admit I spent two days cutting bugs and butterflies out of my watercolored pages. I found that too many legs or antennas could easily tear and larger bold shapes worked better. In all honesty, I have many unused bugs waiting for my next project.

I attached the butterflies to colored jewelry wire by making holes in the bodies with a small awl and weaving the wire through. Next I attached the wired butterflies to the book so they could "float" or "fly" above the book. Others I just glued to the pages of the book.

I am really enjoying this creative hiatus from my colored pencil drawings. I believe that each and every medium and art project influences another. To work in another form of art and especially in sculpture is a learning and growing experience.

2 comments:

Vicki said...

Again....simply beautiful like your first one!! What talent and imagination!!
I have used "book pages" for a project or two and absolutely love the quality of the paper. I like the idea of using watercolor on it, haven't tried that yet...thank you for the inspiration to try something different. There are just so many ways to make "art" if one uses their imagination!!

Blessings to you dear!!
Vicki

Anne Winthrop Cordin said...

Kendra, these look so amazing hung, and what a tender sweet way to repurpose things that belonged to your parents!You are so creative (overused word maybe but fits what I see happening!) Just wonderful.