For the swap I just finished, I also made a spell book for my partner with removable pages. A few years ago I started a spell book called the "Witches' Enchanted Book of S.P.I.D.E.R.S. (Spells, Potions, Incantations, Divination, Enchantments, Rituals, and Superstitions)" for our family, collecting up all our favorite family and holiday recipes as well as poems, songs and useful info on assorted topics. When I mentioned the book off hand to Connie, she liked the idea. So, I decided to start her a condensed version for her. This was motivated mostly by a need to get our own family books more presentable. So I did some experiments with different techniques for aging paper and inking the illustrations, which were all printed on a b/w laser printer.
I used brown paper bags and Fabri-Tac glue to cover the layered cereal box cardboard cover before painting and staining it. I made the pages removable like a scrapbook so new recipes can be added easily. I used the same brown paper for the end pages just for consistency.
The pages of the book are inked with permanent marker, colored pencils and a white paint marker. I aged the pages before coloring them with watered down burnt and raw umber watercolor paints.
Many but not all of the poems and illustrations are my own creation. Some of my poems like the two included above are reworked nursery rhymes and folk tales. One of my aunts who passed away recently was a poet. Her passing really made an impact on me that influenced me to try my own hand at writing something. Though my rhymes pale in comparison to her clever word play, it does give a sense of satisfaction to complete one.
The page spread above is a sort of replica from wicked stepmother's spell book in the movie "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". But, I've added a recipe for baked apples where the sleeping potion would be.
As I mentioned before, the pages are removable in the same way many scrapbooks are constructed. The cover is in three pieces held together with the pages using a ribbon so she'll be able to add her own recipes and info.
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12 comments:
Absolutely love your work - especially this Spell Book -- it is spellbinding! Do you have step by step instructions on how you made this book? How did you stain the front cover? If so, I would love to try my hand at making one for myself. You are truly talented and creative. I would love to read your poems also. djdaleo@gmail.com
Hello there, Donna. Thanks so much for commenting. I've sent you a reply through email.
I haven't made a tutorial, yet. I may.
Mieljolie
E' bellissimo! Complimenti! Mi piace davvero molto!
Stefania (Italy)
Ups! Sorry! =P It 's wonderful! Congratulations! I really like it!
Thanks, Stefania! I'm honored.
Mieljolie
Do you have step by step directions to follow. Love to make my own.
No, unfortunately I haven't had the time to get to a tutorial on making the book cover/pages. I still may do so in the future, but I have a lot of other projects to tend to first. If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to answer them.
Sorry,
Mieljolie
Hi I just love this spellbook! I was just wondering how you would make the covers though. Thanks!
I am interested in how you did the binding.. could you share please..
I love this book! I am starting one sometime. I am going to practice to see if I can age my pages successfully before writing them, but if not, I'll leave them white :) The one thing I wanted to ask is, is there any way to make the pages lie flat with this type of binding? I am going to keep researching but I thought I'd ask. Thanks so much!
Hi, Gio. I think you can get your book to lay flatter if the pages are wider and made of thinner paper. But, it's mostly just a matter of creasing them. Over time they will hopefully lay down better.
I love this book. I would love to use your artwork I completing my own book, I would be willing to share some of mine in trade... enchantedsummer08@gmail.com
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