| Turning Research Into Artist's Books

Guided by Tia Blassingame this hybrid online/on-campus workshop helps students explore research and book arts strategies for presenting complex concepts and challenging subject matter in intimate and engaging ways.

Note: This is a hybrid workshop and starts online via Zoom on May 31 from 2-4 pm. Then various group and individual meetings as arranged and culminates on-campus at Maine Media July 24-28, 2023.

Conducting research on your family, neighborhood, or community? Delving into uncomfortable histories, social and environmental justice issues, or race and identity topics? Searching for methods of engaging the reader/viewer in a nuanced conversation of complex subject matter?

In this hybrid online/on-campus workshop, we’ll explore book arts strategies for presenting complex concepts, and at times challenging subject matter. We’ll assist you in reimagining your research to engage the reader/viewer with even difficult content in intimate and interactive ways that incorporate image and text. Starting with virtual meetings, we’ll experiment with book forms and printmaking that can be conducted at home while strengthening your ability to provide and respond to critical feedback.

Each student will arrive at our in-person week on the Maine Media campus with a rough mock-up of one artist’s book. Building upon our virtual meetings consisting of demonstrations, discussions, and troubleshooting, students will deepen their connection to their content, and continue challenging themselves to turn research into meaningful and impactful artwork in print and book forms. At the end of the workshop, each student will leave campus with a unique, printed artist’s book based on their research and a plan for editioning if desired.

This course will entail:

8 virtual Zoom meetings including live and recorded demonstrations (basic book forms, printing strategies that can be done at home), group and individual meetings and feedback, scaffolded exercises to build your ability to create increasingly complex artwork in the print and book forms, and the introduction of students’ topics with group and individual feedback, and of strategies for turning research into an impactful artist’s book/print. One week, of in-person meetings, to become familiar with utilizing the Maine Media letterpress studio to continue practicing the relief print techniques introduced at the start of the workshop and culminating in the completion of a unique artist’s book based on your research and informed by critical feedback received during the workshop.

Supplies for Home use will run about ($50):

An alternative “Blick supply list” can be provided at first class. For example, if you don’t have a baren you could use a wooden spoon, experiment with driving over print with your car or bike, etc.

• linocut tool
• linoleum blocks
• bench hook
• cardboard,
• glue, scissors, x-acto
• cutting mat
• ruler
• bonefolder
• tortilla maker
• brayer
• baren
• weights
• upcycled, textured non-metal materials
• upcycled cardboard
• pencil
• trace paper, carbon paper
• newspaper
• paper
• water-based ink

All images by Tia Blassingame.