Some skill and/or assistance may be required. This is a synopsis of what I teach in my bookmaking class.
Ingredients:
1 easy, short recipe
Photocopied images or eatable result of recipe (for object
to draw)
Permanent, no-bleed, fine point pen (Sharpie or Micron).
Pencil (HB or 2B) and eraser
1 sheet of 140# hotpress watercolor paper. Cut to 4.5" x 11.75". One sheet is usually enough for multiple
books.
Watercolor paints
Watercolor brushes
paper towels, plastic cup for water, and scissors
2 pieces mat board cut to 4.5" x 4"
1 piece craft paper (or paper grocery bag) cut to 9.5"
x 9" (or alternate version - see drawing)
Sea sponge
Acrylic craft paint (2-3 colors)
Satin Ribbon
Decorative papers
Spray adhesive and craft glue
Directions:
1. Using sea sponge
with acrylic craft paints, sponge one color onto one side of the 9.5" x
9" craft paper. Mottle the paint
effect. Sponge a different color on top
of the first. Add a third color if
desired. Put paper aside to dry.
2. Create a mini
still life with food created from recipe.
3. Divide the
4.5" x 11.5" piece of watercolor paper into thirds with light pencil
marks. In general, the first third from
the left can be for the illustration and the remaining two thirds can be for
the recipe title and text. However, you
can be as creative as you like in the layout.
4. With pencil sketch
in a border, the food still life.
5. Create guidelines in pencil for the recipe
title and text. Lightly in pencil, write
in the title and recipe. You may need to
redo it a couple times to get it to fit.
Play with the lettering of the title text; add flourishes to or bolden
your handwriting.
6. Once you are
satisfied with your light sketch and text layout go over it with the permanent
pen. Do not pen in the guidelines for
the title and text. Erase all pencil
lines.
7. Paint in your illustration using the watercolors and
watercolor brushes. Let dry.
8. Turn paper
over. In the middle third section,
create a mini illustration first in pencil, then pen it in and erase pencil
lines, then add watercolors. Let dry.
9. Return to the
craft paper with the sponged paint, it should be dry by now. Place on table, face down with 9" edges
to top and bottom and 9.5" edges to side. (Image include alternate template with areas you can cut out if desired.)
10. On the two pieces
of matt board, apply a light coat of spray adhesive to one side only. Holding the mat board with the 4" edge
to top/bottom and 4.5" edge to sides, place the adhesive side down onto
the craft paper in this location:
Approximately ¼" from bottom and sides of craft paper with
approximately ½" in-between the two matt board pieces.
11. Lightly spray
adhesive over unpainted side of craft paper and the two pieces of matt
board. Fold in the bottom two
corners. Fold in the bottom and side
edges. Lightly spray adhesive onto the
newly folded in edges. Fold down the top
portion of the craft paper to cover the mat board. Trim off any excess craft paper. Fold in half.
This is the book cover.
12. Turn the
bookcover over and decorate. You can add
decorative papers to the fold and a ribbon for the tie. Use craft glue to apply papers and ribbon.
13. Return to the
illustrated watercolor page. Fold it
into thirds – first the left side in toward the right and then the right side
in to the left.
14. Apply craft glue
to the blank right third of the page, smooth out the glue to the edge of the
third with your finger. Apply the glued
surface to the inside right side of the bookcover. Make sure that the folded edge of the page
lines up with the outer edge of the cover.
Estimated time: 4+
hours for art project. Does not include
time for gathering supplies, cutting paper & mat board, or for cooking the
recipe.
Have fun!
Susan
