The Artist Book
(Digital Photo I & Printmaking I)
An Exquisite Corpse is a Surrealist exercise in which participants contribute to the whole while only being aware of a small part of the previous contributor’s content/image/word, etc... It can be played with words, with images or with a combination of the two and is limited only by the imagination of the participants. For this manifestation of the Exquisite Corpse, you will be paired up with a student from either Digital Photography or Printmaking and will be required to create your own exquisite corpse using words. The resulting sentence will be your inspiration, your jumping off point so to speak for the artwork you will create together. The basic formula for a word-based exquisite corpse is:
example: “the exquisite corpse drinks the new wine”
Adjective Noun Verb Adj Noun
Now, for a little review:
Adjectives: are words that describe something
Nouns: Persons, Places, or Things
Verbs: are action words
Artist Books are works of art that utilize the book as an art form. They often consist of small editions or as a single unique work of art.
The Basics:
You and your partner will create an Exquisite Corpse sentence and use it as a jumping off point to create an idea for your Artist Book. You may use as much or as little of the sentence as you need to. Interpret as you wish! You will choose one of three types of artist book formats to work from and will make a small edition of 9 to turn in as your final project. You and your partner will receive a copy, the instructors and the library will each receive one, and you will make two extra to exchange with your peers.
Assignment Criteria:
• You will make an edition of nine (9) collaborative artist books properly signed and numbered. Your name(s) must be present somewhere on the work.
• The size can be no larger than 8½x11 inches and no smaller than 4¼ x5½ inches (1/4 sheet of paper).
• Printmaking students must use a minimum of 2 colors using 2 separate plates that are correctly registered/ Maximum of 4 colors that are correctly registered.
• Photography students can use either black & white or full color imagery.
Assignment Criteria Continued:
• Your artist book needs to have an equal representation of hand drawn and photographic imagery. Printmaking students are responsible for hand drawn imagery. Photography students are responsible for photographic imagery. You are both required to use your OWN original images.
• Your artist book can have 3-D elements (pop-up, etc…), but it needs to be able to collapse into a flat object.
• The artist book must “read” as a coherent whole. Think of it as one work, rather than a random collection of stuff (not a scrapbook or photo collage). Narrative can be linear or non-linear.
• Consider ALL aspects of your book (paper weight, color, size, format, binding, etc…). Remember that your book will be handled and interacted with by the viewer.
• Text is optional.
• Craftsmanship and clean presentation is part of your assignment grade.
• Each student is responsible for a Self & Peer Assessment Form to be turned in.
• Each student is responsible for a 1 page typed Artist Statement to have at the critique and be turned in. You may choose to write it together or separately.
• Each student will sign a Library Release Form allowing one artist book to be contributed to the PCC Library collection.
• Examples and demonstrations of particular methods and options will be shown, however you will most likely have to do some of your own research as well.
• You and your partner can expect to spend approximately 24 hours or more working on this project collectively (in and out of class).
• You and your partner will be responsible for exchanging ALL contact information the first day and for organizing your work time outside and inside of class.
