Book Arts and Photography

Soda Ash

Using Soda Ash – Use eye protection and rubber gloves.
USE: Cooking raw fiber to prepare for papermaking.
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS: For fibers such as Kozo, use 4 to 5 ounces per pound of dry fiber. Cook in a stainless steel or enameled steel pot NOT IN an aluminum pot, .
PRECAUTIONS: Soda Ash is considered mild, but it a caustic and requires careful handling. All alkali chemicals should be added to water, never add water to an alkali as spattering can occur; wear eye protection. It rarely irritates the skin, but can cause drying and cracking; wear rubber gloves.

Making large sheets of paper

Megan Page is showing the full frame for the sheet of paper. This frame is made out of 2×4 wood with silkscreen material.

Place the frame off the floor.

Megan is illustrating the slimy nature of formation agent.

This bucket hold several gallons of abaca pulp.

Abaca pulp is added to the 5 gallon pail of formation agent.

Water is added to fill the pail and mix the pulp.

Add water until the pail is full.

A spray hose is used to dampen the screen.

Megan secures the screen while Jim pours the pulp and formation agent onto the screen. Pour the solution as quickly as possible, without spilling it over the edge of the frame.

Quickly pick up the frame and rock the pulp slurry from side to side so that the pulp is distributed evenly over the frame.

The rocking may take a few minutes to allow the water to drain from the frame.

Once all of the water has drained, the wet frame can be set on supports.

In this case, we placed the wet sheet and frame on two large trash cans.

Take the shop vac and begin to suck water from the under side of the frame. The attachment is placed on the silk screen material.

The shop vac attachment must be moved all over the sheet to remove as much water as possible.

Continue moving the attachment all over.

The sheet should be left to dry for a day or two.

Once the sheet is dry, it must be carefully removed from the screen.

Carefully remove the entire sheet from the screen.

Students inspect a dry sheet

Setting up your web space

These photos illustrate how to set up your web space at the School of Education web space. Check your email for the url, user name and password.

Step one – Load Dreamweaver and go to the Site menu and scroll down to the new site selection.

Step two – You can title your site any name that you like. This is simply the file name, it is not the web site name. Type in the web address that is in your email where it says “What is the HTTP address of your site?” Select “Next”

Step three – Select no for using server technology and then Select “Next” at the bottom of the window. Select “Next” at the bottom of the window.

Step four – Select “Edit Local copies on my machine” for this step. The second window is asking you for a location on your computer to store your files. Click on the folder icon that is located on the right side of the window and navigate to a location of your choice. Select “Next” at the bottom of the window.

Step five – Fill in these sections with your information. In the top window select FTP as your choice. Use the user name and pass word that was given to you, not your UW net id. You can hit the “Test connection” button to see if it connects with the server. Then Select “Next” at the bottom of the window.

Step six – Selected “No, do not enable check in and check out”. Select “Next” at the bottom of the window.

Step seven – Select done.

Art 466 Papermaking course description

Course description: Investigation and explanation of papermaking by hand as it relates to printmaking, drawing, and sculpture. History of papermaking stressing the last hundred years. Techniques of the craft, traditional sheet forming and use of paper pulp as pure plastic material with same educational goals as metal, ceramics, and wood.

Objective: To introduce fundamental processes of hand papermaking and its disciplined structure.To involve the student in various working process, providing an opportunity for experimentation with the various materials and available equipment used in creative papermaking.

Course structure: Students enrolled in Art 466 are encouraged and expected to work individually and to pursue personal investigation into areas of creative interest which reflect a growth in knowledge and understanding of papermaking and its creative application. You are encouraged to utilize papermaking to expand other areas of your expertise and not limit class activity to sheet forming without a specific project in mind. Specific topics to be discussed will include: Fiber selection, pulp formation, sheet formation, watermarks, pulp coloration, casting and mold making. It goes with out saying that you will not be able to complete all the work for this class during the class time. The mill will be available for use 24 hours. You will be responsible for planning and budgeting your time in order to get all of your work done by the due date. Incompletes will only be given in extreme circumstances. It may be possible to take a field trip or visit the rare book rooms around campus and in order to have a better learning opportunity we may need to plan an activity on a Saturday.

Requirements: Your final grade will be determined from the work displayed in critiques and at the end of the semester. No grades will be given for work not discussed or displayed during the critiques. Dates for critiques and final showing will be discussed during class and will be posted in the papermill. We will have three critiques during the semester. Dates will be posted in the mill on the lab calendar.Class attendance is important if you expect to learn how to work and properly care for the papermill’s equipment. Some of the equipment is dangerous and some can be damaged if not used properly. Therefore students may not use any of the equipment until they have been given proper training. This is for your safety and for the benefit of the equipment. Studio clean-up must be on-going and the responsibility of every member of the class. Please read all posted guidelines before using the mill.

Lab Fee: No course lab fee is required.

Supply list: This is the minimum that you will need.
• We have a supply of rags for you to use. If you want to make a specific color, you may need to look for rags or buy pigment.
• Scissors to cut rags
• Plastic bags in which to store rags
• Rubber boots are optional
• 20 or 32 gallon trash can/s with lid/s
• Blotters
You may want to experiment with some of the following.
• Spray or squirt bottles
• PVC board or masonite for templates
• We will spend a good deal of time talking about the most appropriate materials for your work.
Below is a list if you want to make books out of your sheets
• Book binding thread
• Binding needles
• Paper for books
• Binding board
• X-acto knife and blades
• Straight Edge
• Ruler w/pica & point measurements
• Small triangles for use as cutting edge
• Glue brushes
• PVA adhesive (sobo brand is fine)
• Small towel
• Bone Folder
• Scissors

Requried Book: Asunción, Josep, The Complete Book of Papermaking, New York. Lark Books, 2001.
The papermill lab has a small library of books, samples and instruction manuals. Feel free to read them. However, please do not take them from the mill without writing me a note.
See the attached bibliography for a more extensive list of books and references. This link has many suggested books for this course.

Art supply stores in Madison:
University Bookstore, 711 State Street (Library Mall),
Artist & Craftsman Supply, 449 State Street Suite D,
Masco Art Supply, 604 University Ave
Also consider The Bead Bin, 414 Westgate Mall Madison, and Jade Mountain Bead & Jewelry Co., 823 E Johnson St. These two are a good source for thread and other materials. If you plan your work, you can mail order supplies from a long list of out of state vendors. I have links listed on the Art 466 class page here.

Assignments: Suggested assignments will be posted soon.The first 4 weeks of the course will be devoted to learning how to make pulp and form sheets. Once we have mastered the basics you will be asked to work on projects of your own design. Please see me if you have questions. Everyone is expected to keep extensive notes on the paper that they make. One requirement is for you to leave samples and receipes of the paper that you make. Check with me to see the samples that other students have left in the mill.

Grading:
• Attendance is essential in order to learn how to construct your projects and understand the nature and scope of the class. Attendance is required on demonstration days and critique days. If you need time during class to research your individual projects you should let me know before a class when you will not be in class.
• Participation is essential. Be prepared to ask questions. Make suggestions in the demonstrations and during presentations. Bring samples of work that is relevant to the course and discuss the work of other artists working in papermaking and book arts.

Special Needs: Please let me know during the first two weeks of class if you require special accommodations to participate. I wish to fully include everyone in this class. Any personal concerns are strictly confidential. You may also contact the McBurney Disability Center at 263-2741 or by e-mail. This facility is located in 1305 Linden Drive Madison, WI 53706, 608-263-2741 (phone) 263-6393 (tty) 265-2998 (fax). They have a website which can be viewed at http://www.mcburney.wisc.edu/ Continue reading…

Art 356 Print Production Techniques course description

Course description:
Introduction to pre-press procedures for use in preparing design for printing and web design.
Objective:
This course will be an in-depth study of processes to prepare design for reproduction. Students will explore a variety of systems used in printed communication and digital media. Emphasis will be place on standard graphic processes and their influence on experimental and traditional design work.
Course structure:
It will not be possible to complete all the work for this class during the allotted class time. It is your responsibility to plan and budget your time in order to complete all of the assignments by the assigned time. Incompletes will only be given in extreme cases.
Requirements:
Your final grade will be determined from the work displayed in critiques and at the end of the semester. No grades will be given for work which is not complete. Deadlines for critiques will be announced during class time. Class attendance is important if you expect to learn how to work and properly prepare files for your portfolio.
Supply list:
Method to archiving files
Sketch notebook11 x 17 inch binder portfolio.The links page has suggested suppliers.
Photo quality ink jet printing paper (optional)
These materials are required for the successful completion of assigned projects.
Other materials will be assigned as needed
Art supply stores in Madison:
University Bookstore, 711 State Street (Library Mall)
Artist & Craftsman Supply, 449 State Street Suite D
MASCO Art Supply, 604 University Ave.
I have a page of links for suppliers here.
Required book:
Pipes, Alan, Production for Graphic Designers, 4th edition. Lance King Publishing, London 2005.
Suggested books:
Official Adobe Print Publishing Guide: The Essential Resource for Design, Production, and Prepress 2nd Edition.Adobe Press, California.
McCue, Claudia. Real World Print Production (Real World).
Kenly, Eric and Beach, Mark, Getting It Printed: How to Work With Printers and Graphic Imaging Services to Assure Quality, Stay on Schedule and Control Cost.
The classroom has a small library of books, samples and instruction manuals. Feel free to read them. However, please do not take them from the 6441 Humanities without writing me a note.
See attached bibliography for a more extensive list of books and references.
Assignments:
Suggested assignments will be posted soon.
Grading:
• Attendance is essential in order to learn how to complete your projects and understand the nature and scope of the class. Attendance is required on demonstration days and critique days. If you need time during class to research your individual projects you should let me know before a class when you will not be in class.
• Participation is essential. Be prepared to ask questions. Make suggestions in the demonstrations and during presentations. Bring samples of work that is relevant to the course and discuss the work of other artists and designers working in design.
Special Needs:
I wish to fully include everyone in this class. Please let me know during the first two weeks of class if you require special accommodations to participate. Any personal concerns are strictly confidential. You may also contact the McBurney Disability Center at 263-2741 or by e-mail. They are located at 1305 Linden Drive Madison, WI 53706, 608-263-2741 (phone) 263-6393 (tty) 265-2998 (fax). They have a website which can be viewed at http://www.mcburney.wisc.edu/

Assignment 1: Domain name

Domain name registration and design.
Art 356 for Tuesday | 2008 01 29
We discussed many things in class today. If you took notes you will see that this week end can be a busy one for you.

1 – please explore typographic treatments for your domain name. After class I went to google and I typed in the search field “design blog”. You should do the same and surf around looking at as many design related sites as you can find to get a feeling for type treatments and for the types of names other designers are using. Keep a list of the urls that you visit and be prepared to share them. You can pull them up on the computers in class.

2 – Are you familiar with excel? I suggest you start a new file and call it something like “computer workstation costs.” On one column, start listing all the hardware that you have or hardware that you wish to purchase in order to have a design workstation. Then list the software. Gather prices. Do not use DoIT’s site for pricing as those prices are student prices. In this excel sheet add the cost of buying a domain name and a basic hosting service package with the name of the company.

3 – did I forgot anything?Have a good weekend – Jim

Coptic stitch sewn on to hard covers