Spiral Play

The more spirals I make the more ideas I have for modifying Tomoko Fuse's original designs. Here are a few samples I recently created and my notes on them.

Enjoy!

-Gina

Lots of sample spirals.

Variation #8 and a dress idea.

Variation #9. I really like this one.

I haven't made #10 yet, just described it. #11 has two forms shown here. One is flat (11b) and one pops up (11a) depending on how I treat the center of the spiral.

Cut and Fold in Black

I have wanted to try cutting a design in paper before folding it into a spiral and today I finally had the time to sit down and do it. I will let the pictures speak for themselves, except to say thank you Bhavna for teaching me to think about cutting as positive and negative space. Your teaching made this what it is!

Enjoy.

-Gina

The finished spiral.

Cutting the first panel with the tools of the trade.

All the cutting is done.

Partly folded spiral

Finished spiral. The paper is black on one side and silver on the other. It makes a nice contrast.

Playing with Spirals

I enjoyed making Vector Analysis so much that I decided to play with the basic spiral from Tomoko Fuse's book and see what kinds of variations I could create. I also wanted to make some spirals from large sheets of paper. Here are some of the results.

Enjoy!

-Gina

Many spirals folded on graph paper. The straight lines make folding easier and the paper is inexpensive as a test surface.

Notes on variations of the trapezoid spiral.

Good quality, thin Japanese paper ~ 24 x 36 inches being forded.

The paper was so large and thin that I had to fold differently than for the small 8 x 12 samples.

The finished spiral. I invented the turn in that gives it a leaf shape at the top of the picture. It was a happy accident. The finished spiral is 11 x 12 inches.

"Vector Analysis" Altered Book: part 2

After consulting with a couple of artist friends (Thanks Mom and Bhavna for the advice.) I decided the altered book I blogged about two weeks ago needed something more to make it complete. First, I added paper from one of the original book pages to the spine area to cover up the dark brown. Then I had an epiphany one night and realized I could make a spiral to fit into the spine. I worked on a prototype and it fit! So I made a few more using strips from the book's pages. In the end I needed 7 pages or 56 inches of length to make a spiral that measured 9 inches long. Below are pictures of the strips being folded with before and after pictures of the altered book.

Enjoy!

-Gina

The strip on the left was the prototype. I unfolded it so I could repeat all the measurements and scoring in the correct orientation.

Here are the first 5 strips creased.

Before the spine was decorated.

How the spine looks now. The center spiral is really 7 small spirals joined together.

Before the spiral.

After the spiral was added.

More views showing how all the spirals interact.

Before the spiral.

After the spiral was added.

Piano Hinge Book Workshop

I am excited to be teaching another Basic Book Arts workshop through San Diego Book Arts in May. It isn't up on the website yet, but I have been making samples this week and want to give you a sneak peek. I will be teaching two books; Moon Phases and Blue Kingfisher. The kingfisher book took a bit of work to get just right, but I love the colors and think it works well with the binding structure. I hope some of you can attend the class.

Enjoy!

-Gina

Blue Kingfisher

Moon Phases - closed.

Moon Phases - open.

Scraps from cutting the pages of the kingfisher book.

Templates for the kingfisher book.

Crane Card Origami

Just when I think all the ways to use the half-crane origami structure are explored, a new idea strikes. Here it is; a one sheet card with interlocking cranes. It works best with paper that is different colors on each side so that there is nice contrast. I have this lovely

origami paper

in gold/silver on one side and colored paper on the other. Below are step by step images as well as a folding guide. I hope you will try it.

Enjoy!

-Gina

Fold paper in half and cut a slit in one side to make two square areas. Cut out edges on the right to leave a square behind as shown. For this 3 x 5.5 inch paper I cut a slit 1.5 inches long and 1.5 inches down from the top. I cut out rectangles on the right that measured 1.5 x .75.

Fold the single crane as with the paper oriented as shown.

Turn the paper over and fold the two cranes as shown. 

Fold the card down the middle fold and place the center crane's wing over the top crane to lock it in place.

Starting paper sizes: 3 x 5.5 (left), 3.5 x 6 (middle), 4 x 7 (right)

An Abundance of Paper Goodness

I have been swamped with paper activities the past few weeks. Today I would like to take some time to write about all the goings on in my studio and at workshops.

1. I am in the middle of an online workshop called

Paper Love

helmed by Rachel Hazell, a feisty british woman who calls herself the traveling bookbinder. It is a 5 week course with lessons 6 days a week. 50+ participants are traveling together on this paper journey communicating via Facebook and Instagram. I have found my tribe and we live everywhere.

Paper tape made with any paper and double sided tape.

Collage employing the Golden Spiral.

Another collage with a cut map and torn papers.

My Alice in Wonderland collaged box to hold paper goodies.

Boxes made from watercolor paper and a map stencil.

2. I took an amazing workshop last weekend with

Helen Hiebert

through

San Diego Book Arts

and made the projects you see below with my fellow participants. What fun to light up paper!

Luminary screen from Helen's class.

Woven paper luminaries before we hinged and wrapped them.

Paper blow up ball.

3. I will be teaching a new class next Friday (November 18) from 1-3 PM at

Art Lounge on 101

. Sign up on the website and I hope to see you there.

Fall colored crane book class at Art Lounge on 101

Sample books for the crane class: Taking Flight.

4. Somehow I have also found time in this flurry of paper goodness to attend two artist's opening receptions this week. The first one is the

San Diego Book Arts annual member show

at Francis Parker School's

Rose Art Gallery

. The second is

Bhavna Mehta

's

cut paper extravaganza "Nightfall" at Bread and Cie on University Ave. in Hillcrest. There is plenty of time to check out both shows and they are worth the drive (also Bread and Cie has wonderful bakery items).

Closeup of Nightfall by Bhavna Mehta.

Part of the 12 panel, 30 foot cut paper and embroidery work by Bhavna at Bread and Cie.

I hope this will inspired you to try some new paper ideas and get out and see some amazing paper/book art in San Diego.

Enjoy!

-Gina

Four Corner Map Fold

I was reviewing my folder of prototypes the other day and came across a structure I created a few months ago and forgot about. I am making some samples for a friend and thought this one would be interesting to share. Instead of just sharing with her I decided to share it with all of you as well.

Below are pictures of the structure being folded as well as the crease pattern for folding it yourself. One piece of advice, fold before making the 8 cuts. It is easier that way.

Enjoy!

Diagonal and linear folds completed.

Collapsed model ready to fold in the corners.

Folding the corners to prepare to inside reverse fold them.

Beginning to collapse the model with all the folds present.

(Outside of model)

Inside of model with all the folds properly creased.

One way of displaying the piece.

 I like the way the four inside corners form the star in the center.

Folding the model closed.

Crease pattern for this structure.

Art Tour of Tacoma

I spent the weekend in rainy, windy Tacoma. My son and I went on the Tacoma Studio Tour and met many wonderful artists. We learned some Sumi painting techniques and made ceramic tiles as well. We met potters and painters, printers and marblers. It was a great way to see the city and meet some of its talented residents. Here are some pictures from the weekend.

Enjoy!

Flying into Seattle Friday, October 14.

Printed at Springtide Press

Sumi Ink painting taught by Lois Yoshida.

Artwork by Fumiko Kimura.

Hand marbled paper by Karen Perrine

Rainbow over Tacoma.

Wooden bone folder by Henry Haneda.

Rainbow over University of Puget Sound

Thoughts on Teaching

I have been a teacher for many years. I was once a science and art teacher at a school for the deaf in Massachusetts. I taught art classes at my kids elementary school and more recently book arts classes in San Diego and Tacoma have been my focus. It is always a learning experience to teach a group of people a new concept. I am looking forward to more of these experiences.

Here are some pictures of my student's hands folding paper in our Road to Spring workshop from Saturday's class at the Art Lounge on 101.  I just love expressive hands folding paper.

Enjoy!

Teaching at Art Lounge on 101

For those of you in the San Diego area, I will be teaching an origami book structure I invented called " The Road to Spring" on September 17 at Art Lounge on 101. Here is the flier for the class and the books that were inspired by this structure.

Enjoy,

Gina

Example made with rectangular sections.

The Road to Spring, my first book made with this structure.

Companion Star, shown with the "pages" removed.

As Deep Can Be closed.

Sample book with flattened points so it can stand up.

Spiral Atlas, variation on the basic structure.

Time and Place

San Diego Book Arts is holding a member show this fall at a traditional art gallery with lots of wall space and not much room for standing works like traditional artist's books. That means they are asking members to come up with "books" that can hang on the walls. I have been trying out various ideas for this show and here is my latest attempt. I call it Time and Place since it represents the fall night sky constellations imposed onto a folded paper structure.

I hope you like the results. I feel like it still needs something more, but here is the work so far.

-Gina

I printed a map of the northern hemisphere's fall constellations onto graph paper.

Next, I scaled up the map using a bigger sheet of graph paper that had the same divisions. Each square on the smaller sheet represents a 3 x 3 square on the larger paper.

I folded the 18 x 24 sheet of paper into a chevron pattern then flattened it, placed the graph paper drawing over it and punched holes using a Japanese screw punch. I used 5 sizes to represent different star magnitudes (from 1mm to 3mm).

Here's a closeup of the paper with the stars punched.

I like the idea of shaping the piece with this bend in the middle to suggest the curvature of space-time.

Tiny Book Necklaces II

In a previous post I showed you several tiny book necklaces that I made last year before attending FOBA (Focus on Book Arts). I recently made a Hedi Kyle inspired one for my class with her and yesterday I got truly nuts and made one based on my latest structure; the Spiral Atlas. They both required some creative folding (using tools when my fingers were too large) and patience. Below are pictures of both and step outs of the spiral atlas.
Enjoy!

-Gina

Hedi Kyle inspired diagonal pocket folder. 

Made from 1 5/8 x 2.5 inch paper. (3/4 x 1/2 inches closed).

Folder open showing diagonal pockets and golden lining.

Spiral Atlas book necklace. 

The largest section is 1 inch and the smallest is 1/2 inch.

When folded they are half that size!

Spiral atlas: I used tracing paper colored with alcohol ink. It measures 1 x 3 3/4 with each section scored and folded in half. Scores are at 1, 7/8, 3/4, 5/8, and 1/2 inch.

Trim off 1/8 inch from each square from left to right, skipping the 1 inch square.

Diagonal fold each square to form an X.

Cut a notch at the fold between squares equal to 1/4 their length at the top and bottom. This makes it possible to fold in the points after the next step.

Collapse each square into a water bomb base along the X folds and center folds. The structure should look like the one below.

Fold in the points on left and right. Unfold and inside reverse fold them to make the shape below.

The book when folded measures less than 2 inches.

Cut squares the same sizes as above (1, 7/8, 3/4, 5/8, and 1/2 inch). Fold them into Hungarian map folds so they nest inside the base structure.

Carefully place inserts in each section and fold down the center points to "lock" them in place. Use a thin scoring tool to help move paper where it needs to go. To form the spiral shape seen in the necklace, glue together the first and last sections by forming a circle. I attached a wire hook using glue, put on a jump ring and threaded a chain through it.

As Deep Can Be

Last week I shared a new variation on my accordion book; The Road to Spring. Since then I have been working on an artist's book based on the variation. I used beautiful marbled paper from Crepaldi of Brazil and some sea green handmade paper from a local art store. I wanted some kind of subtle visual content so I carved rubber erasers into segments of a river. They can be turned and combined in a number of ways. I stamped them with VersaMark ink which is clear but leaves a watermark effect. To make the lines stand out a bit more, I used a white gel pen to highlight them. Below are pictures of the finished book.

San Diego Book Arts is holding their annual member show this fall at the James Allen Rose Gallery at Francis Parker School. Since the gallery space is set up for wall display,  we were asked to come up with book structures that can hang on the wall. I think this new book will do nicely.

Enjoy.

-Gina

Carved erasers and their stamped images.

As Deep Can Be by Gina Pisello 2016

Closeup showing stamped and inked lines.

Closed book.

Open in a spiral.

Artist Books in England

I am a member of two book arts organizations: San Diego Book Arts (SDBA) and Puget Sound Book Arts (PSBA). They are both very supportive groups that offer different experiences for their members. PSBA, in collaboration with the Centre for Fine Print Research at the University of the West of England, in Bristol is holding an exhibit of PSBA artist's books this summer. I was honored to be asked to contribute to the show. You can see my books below and examples of all the other wonderful books here.

Enjoy.

-Gina

Small Migrations (2015)

Haikube (2015) -open

Haikube -closed

Spiral Atlases: playing with The Road to Spring book structure

I like to play with paper. I also like to invent new structures and then stretch, shrink, or change their folding patterns. Below are pictures showing two variations of my book

The Road to Spring

. The squares that form the base of the structure changed size from 4 inches down to 2 inches instead of staying the same size in the original version. I made a prototype on Wednesday with the squares centered and decreasing by 1/2 inch (see diagram 1). This made a very interesting model and got me thinking about other ways to have a graduated structure (see diagram 2). I hope you like the surprising results as much as I do. Here are my newest creations: Spiral Atlases (thanks Mom for the name).

Enjoy,

-Gina

Diagram of first variation.

Diagram of second variation.

Spiral Atlas #2 showing crease pattern. 

Note the notches cut where the squares meet.

#2 with creases collapsed.

#2 Side view.

Spiral Atlas #2 folded into Turkish map folds in each section.

#1 and #2 with finished Turkish map folded sections.

#1 with Hungarian map fold inserts. 

I used tracing paper hoping the marbling would still show.

#2 with gelatin printed paper inserts.

Spiral Atlas #2 finished.

Spiral Atlas #1 finished.

Oxford Blues: A Cut Paper Project

I have just finished a six week class with Bhavna Mehta called Cuts and Links. There are more ways to cut paper than I realized when I started. Bhavna challenged us to make a final project using the techniques we learned in the class. Here is mine. It is based on a map of Oxford England from 1758. I used elephant hide paper which cuts beautifully and folds well even when most of the paper is removed.
Enjoy.

-Gina

Oxford Blues, four views

Cut Paper Tiles

I am spending six Saturdays taking a paper cutting class with artist Bhavna Mehta. Last week we worked on cutting layers of colored paper to make tiles. We are also learning about negative and positive space as well as other paper cutting traditions like silhouettes. I am really enjoying stretching my experience and learning from a true paper master.

Enjoy.

-Gina

Silhouettes from week 2 class.

Template for my tile.

White layer is cut and grey layer is taped underneath.

White and grey are cut and black is taped under ready to be cut.

Finished tile with the cut black layer and a bottom white layer.

I saved the positive shapes when I was cutting the tile and glued them together to make this tile.

Crossroads

I have been playing around with the twist fold for a few days and came up with this paper sculpture in the process. I call it Crossroads. I hope you like it.

-Gina

Basic twist fold from square paper.

2 strips of vintage Japanese ledger paper are folded.

Stencils made from Japanese and western paper.

Crossroads

Artist's Book Mantra

I want to share my method for creating a new artist's book. I don't always do it this way, but often I do and maybe you do too...

Idea: What if I make a book using the twist fold, but connect four of them together on a single concertina folded sheet of paper?

Inspiration: For content, I remember Hedi Kyle showing us her insect stencils last weekend. I was expecting them to be clear plastic stencils with bugs cut out. On the contrary, they were pieces of blue paper that bugs had eaten into forming irregular and shifting shapes. I have some old Japanese books here in the studio that are riddled with insect trails. I grabbed one and used four

consecutive pages. The stencils change over the pages in interesting and random ways.

Mantra: Keep it simple!

Materials: Choosing materials usually comes down to what I have handy in the studio and today I chose a piece of hand made abaca paper (from Helen Hiebert) and some tracing paper that I colored with alcohol inks a while ago. I used soft wax crayons (by Tim Holtz) on the stencils and here are the results.

Enjoy,

Gina

Pages from old Japanese book with the insect trails I used in this piece.

Inked and stenciled pages before insertion. 

Note how the insect tracks change over the four pages.

Abaca paper with creases.

Starting to fold up the paper.

Twist folds complete.

Folds flattened.

Pages inserted.

Book backlit.