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Art in the Exhibit:
Steve Miller holds the passionate conviction that there is a vital connection between the words of poets and writers and the books in which they are published. Miller describes his handmade books as “books with spirit,” and strives to find the perfect match among the words, the type, the illustrations, the paper, and the binding. His books are an integration of historical tools like iron presses and paper cutters and contemporary technology like Photoshop®.
Statement for Students:
What is a book? The ones we are most familiar with are the ones we find in libraries and classrooms, the mass-produced books we call paperback or hardback books. Paper pages are printed with a combination of words (text) and artwork (illustrations). But today, there are all kinds of books. Many children’s books have pop-up or action pages and even sound. There are recorded books to listen to and e-books that are on the Internet. How did all this begin?
The earliest “books” were clay tablets, followed by papyrus scrolls. By 500 AD, the Chinese were using paper and ink, and by the 7th century papermaking had spread to the Islamic Arab Empire.
In most of Europe, writing was done on parchment, made from sheepskins, or on vellum, made from calfskin. During the Middle Ages, monks would work in the scriptorium of the monastery, patiently creating books by hand on parchment or vellum. Usually one monk was in charge of laying out the guidelines, one did the calligraphy, a third did the illumination, and a fourth did the gilding. The covers were made of leather or carved, inlaid wood.
Printing also had its origins in Asia. By the sixth century, carved wood blocks were being used for printing, and by the 11th century, the Chinese were using moveable type. In Europe, the first moveable type was used by Gutenberg in 1483. With the development of moveable type, the production of books became a booming business.
Artists have always played a role in the creation of books and continue to do so today. From earliest times, artists have created illustrations, beautiful bindings, artistic fonts for alphabets, and page formats. But what we call artist’s books today are different. Contemporary book artists take on the production of books as art objects in the form of books. They may use unusual or familiar materials and formats, but they are especially interested in the way that the text, illustrations, paper, type, page format covers, and book binding all work together to express a visual message.
Would you like to make a book of your own? What would it be about?
What would it look like? What materials would you use?
Guiding Question:
How does the bookmaker in this exhibit combine different technologies of bookmaking to create books that are works of art?
Vocabulary:
mass-produced, illustrations, tablets, papyrus scrolls, parchment, vellum, scriptorium, calligraphy, illumination, gilding, moveable type, binding, font, format, collaborative
Using the PowerPoint:
A good way to introduce papermaking and printmaking activities is to show the PowerPoint™, Steve Miller, Book Artist to your students.
You may choose to then lead your students in a printmaking activity using the technique described by Steve Miller.
Download the presentation
Cross-Curricular Connections:
Miller stresses that the foundation of his art is the interconnections between bookmaking and writing. Have students select a favorite poem. It might be from a published book, a poem they have written themselves, or a poem written by a classmate. Have them create a handmade book that complements the poem. This could be a short activity, using classroom supplies and a simple bookmaking technique, or it could be a longer unit, involving papermaking, illustrating, printmaking and bookmaking. Students could work individually or collaboratively.
Science and History
Lesson plans on the history and technology of bookmaking: 5th-8th
History and Art
Explore the history of bookmaking and lettering with this hands-on activity on illumination. Illumination is the decorating of books or manuscripts with ornate lettering, scrollwork, icons and images. This lesson plan introduces an easy and inexpensive way to apply metal leaf to a single letter, then embellish it using colored pencils.
Science and History: Middle
A virtual tour of the Georgia Tech Robert C. Williams Paper Museum.
Science and Art – High School
In 1995, the Smithsonian Institution Libraries Exhibition Gallery and the Washington Project for the Arts co-sponsored an exhibit of artists’ books related to scientific themes. Selected book artists were invited to create original works of book art inspired by the 200 volume collection of classical scientific texts called the Heralds of Science. The result was a stunning exhibit that illustrates the interconnections between art and science and the creative and problem solving processes of both. The exhibit has been preserved on-line, and your students can explore galleries of book are related to astronomy, physics, biology, etc. After viewing and discussing examples, students could create their own art books based on core content in your science curriculum or on the history of science.
Media-Based Activities:
1. Invite a local or regional book artist to visit your class, demonstrate an aspect of book making and/or lead a book-related activity. If you do not know a book artist, consult the website of your state arts agency to find one. You may be able to write a grant to have an artist residency. (See General Arts Education Resources)
2. Divide class into four groups. Each group will research a different aspect of bookmaking (Topic suggestions: Before paper was invented, the history of paper making, the history of printing, printmaking techniques, modern paper making and prepare a presentation (power point or other format) with a description and examples of what they have learned. A good place to begin research is www.princetonol.com. The history of book and paper making with numerous links to lesson plans, activities, galleries and resources.
3. A good way to introduce papermaking and printmaking activities is to show the PowerPoint™, Steve Miller, Book Artist to your students.
4. Lead an activity making paper. The paper that is created may be used to make class or individual books or appreciated as an art form in itself. This activity can be linked to creative writing (see cross curricular connections), science and environmental studies (the chemistry of paper making or the use of recycled materials).
5. Lead a printmaking activity. You might try to use the technique described by Steve Miller on the PowerPoint™ or use these lesson plans
6. Lead a bookmaking activity.
Select a lesson from the list below:
Lesson plan for making an accordion book
Lesson plan for simple side-stitched book
http://www.sdmart.org/education-plans.html#book
Allow students to select their own bookmaking project
from the links at sdmart.org
• Accordion book (40 KB .pdf file)
• Flag book (60 KB .pdf file)
• Flutter book (36 KB .pdf file)
• Japanese stab binding (44 KB .pdf file)
• Pop-up book (48 KB .pdf file)
• Star book (52 KB .pdf file)
• Tunnel book (76 KB .pdf file)
• Paste paper (48 KB .pdf file)
• Screen Printing (56 KB .pdf file)
• Lesson plan credits (15 KB .pdf file)
General Web Resources:
The history of book and paper making with numerous links to lesson plans, activities, galleries and resources
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National Standards Addressed:
5th – 8th grade
Content Standard #1:
Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes
Achievement Standard:
- Students select media, techniques, and processes; analyze what makes them effective or not effective in communicating ideas; and reflect upon the effectiveness of their choices
- Students intentionally take advantage of the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques, and processes to enhance communication of their experiences and ideas
Content Standard # 2
Using knowledge of structures and functions 5-8th grade
Achievement Standard:
- Students generalize about the effects of visual structures and functions and reflect upon these effects in their own work
- Students employ organizational structures and analyze what makes them effective or not effective in the communication of ideas
- Students select and use the qualities of structures and functions of art to improve communication of their ideas
Content Standard # 3
Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas
Achievement Standard:
Students integrate visual, spatial, and temporal concepts with content to communicate intended meaning in their artworks.
Students use subjects, themes, and symbols that demonstrate knowledge of contexts, values, and aesthetics that communicate intended meaning in artworks
Content Standard # 5
Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others
Achievement Standard:
Students compare multiple purposes for creating works of art
Content Standard # 6b
Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines
Achievement Standard:
Students describe ways in which the principles and subject matter of other disciplines taught in the school are interrelated with the visual arts.
9th – 12th grade
Content Standard # 1
Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes
Achievement Standard:
Proficient:
- Students apply media, techniques, and processes with sufficient skill, confidence, and sensitivity that their intentions are carried out in their artworks
- Students conceive and create works of visual art that demonstrate an understanding of how the communication of their ideas relates to the media, techniques, and processes they use
Advanced:
- Students communicate ideas regularly at a high level of effectiveness in at least one visual arts medium
- Students initiate, define, and solve challenging visual arts problems independently using intellectual skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation
Content Standard # 2
Using knowledge of structures and functions
Achievement Standard:
Proficient:
- Students demonstrate the ability to form and defend judgments about the characteristics and structures to accomplish commercial, personal, communal, or other purposes of art
- Students evaluate the effectiveness of artworks in terms of organizational structures and functions
- Students create artworks that use organizational principles and functions to solve specific visual arts problems
Advanced:
- Students demonstrate the ability to compare two or more perspectives about the use of organizational principles and functions in artwork and to defend personal evaluations of these perspectives
- Students create multiple solutions to specific visual arts problems that demonstrate competence in producing effective relationships between structural choices and artistic functions
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