Book sculpting can be as complicated or as simplistic as the artist would like. There is a lot of freedom with this type of book art, which is part of its appeal to many. If you are the type of artist who likes more intricate sculptures, this tutorial can easily be customized once finished. Follow these simple instructions to get started.
Materials:
- Hardcover books (between one and three to start)
- Plate hangers (one expandable hanger for each finished sculpture)
Instructions:
- Find the center of your book and open the book so it lies flat.
- Experiment with different page folds, page curls, and repeating patterns. For example, gather three pages and curl them into the center of the book. Repeating this pattern will create a floral type presentation when viewed from the top or bottom of the book. Another example is to fold different sets of pages one way, and then fold another in the opposite direction. For these sets, it is best to fold single pages and repeat the same fold for at least 25 pages before switching to the opposite direction.
- Continue folding, or curling and experimenting with other techniques you feel inspired to try until there’s about 10 or 15 pages left on each side of the book.
Remember, you are not working on the finished sculpture this time around. So, if you are folding or curling and you do not like how it is coming apart, simply take it apart. This is a book art project that requires no glue, so it is easy to start over again as often as needed. Smooth the pages out as best as you can and start with a new experiment. You will be surprised how the mistakes and other creases are not noticeable anymore.
When you are ready to work on a finished piece, hang it from your wall using an expandable plate hanger.
Variations:
- Rub distress ink along the edges of the pages.
- Tear along the edges (the top or bottom) of the pages, and then rub on some distress ink.
- Use a craft knife to cute out niches from different folded or curled areas of the sculpture.
- Layer in paper elements, either pressed into the crease of the book or glued to the pages.
- Hang beads from small hole-punches along the bottom of pages so, when hanging from the wall, it will add an extra element of interest and sparkle.
- Paint the cover of the book (the parts that will show when hanging from the wall) a color that matches or creates a contrast with the wall color.
