Learn techniques for generating text for artist's books through conceptual approaches to language such as words as image, narrative or lyrical expression. Experiment with text itineraries and Dada and Surrealistic approaches.

There are no available registration dates at this time.

NOTE: This class will be held in a live, online format using the Zoom Platform
Class Meets 3 Tuesdays (Sep 13, 14 & 27) 5-7pm EDT

In this 3-session course, participants will learn techniques for generating text for artists’ books through conceptual approaches to language such as words as image, narrative, or lyrical expression. Participants will experiment with text itineraries and Dada and Surrealistic techniques. Writing exercises will be assigned to be completed before, during, and in between the three workshop sessions. Various methods for getting text onto book pages will be demonstrated through mark-making, transfers, stencils, stamps, and rub-on type in addition to a demonstration of simple accordion structures. This workshop is for artists who wish to incorporate writing into their visual work and for writers who want to expand their practice into a visual genre.

This course is part of a series, participants can also take the 6-week Unfolding Narratives: Expanded Edition of Writing for Artist’s Books (Online). There are no prerequisites and either course can be taken on its own.

Unfolding Narratives Writing for Artist’s Books - example 1

Materials List:

  • This is a content-generating class – participants will not “make” an artist’s book but will come away with a stack of writings and ideas for potential book projects so the materials needed are minimal.
  • 3” x 5” notecards (a dozen)
  • sketchbook or 8.5” x 11” text weight paper (a dozen sheets) can be photocopy paper
  • 11” x 17” or larger text weight paper (2 sheets)
  • notebook and preferred writing tools 
  • Scissors
  • UHU or other brand glue stick
  • Magazines, newspapers and/or other paper ephemera for collage

Unfolding Narratives Writing for Artist’s Books - example 2

Optional Materials:

  • Alphabet rubber stamps or stencils
  • Colored pencils and/or markers
  • Tracing paper (a few sheets)
  • Carbon paper (one sheet)

 

Recommended Books:

  • Text in the Book Format, Keith A. Smith 2nd Edition 1995
  • Understanding the Invisible Art of Comics, Scott McCloud 1993

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Instructor: Ellen Sheffield

Ellen Sheffield is a visual artist, poet and teacher based in Gambier, Ohio and the California Bay Area. Her works on paper and artist’s books play with image and text intersections to create unexpected readings. Collaborations with poets, experiments with found text and working with visual scores are some of the ways she engages with themes of place, memory and language perception.

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