For my alterations, I
utilized multiple “art actions”, such as dying, ripping, cutting, pasting,
folding, etc. Pride and Prejudice has been my favorite book for quite
some time now, and even though it was devastating to alter it, the process
itself was quite interesting. I was able to take a classic and re-create it
into something of my own doing which made the novel even more inspiring to me. When
first starting out on this project, I didn’t even know where to begin. No
action seemed meaningful enough to deface the book. However, the assignment got
me thinking about the story itself, and the time period, as well as the
individual characters involved, and the idea of letter writing came to me. The
art of letter writing has been lost on our generation, with text and e-mails
being the primary source of written communication, but in those days, “snail
mail” was one’s lifeline to another. As I thought more about letters, I flipped
through the pages and started noticing a mix of favorite quotes and parts
within the story of mine. That’s when I got the idea to rip out the pages that
contained these fond sayings and fold them into envelopes until I had a stack
of literary letters. In order to delve further into the project, I used tea and
soaked the pages until they were an antique gold, (I believed it fit well with
the time period). When I was soaking the pages, I was worried that the ink would
drain together, however each letter remained intact as the paper soaked up the
herbal water. The paper became a little stiff and crinkly to the touch, but was
easily enough swayed to take a different shape. A letter seal was another
invention of the times, where people would use candle wax and a special tool to
seal the letter. For this, I cut out construction paper and drew on it with red
pastels which gave it a more “waxy” look. I also incorporated some paintings I
had in an art book of mine which housed the work of Turner, Whistler, and
Monet. I cut out some of the illustrations and used them on the front flap of
the envelopes for about half of them. The paper on which the art was on was
sturdier and heavier than the pages in the novel, giving the letters a more
weighted feel. Additionally, I highlighted my favorite parts on the page with
red marker which you can make out on the back of each envelope. Luckily, the
paper was able to take the ink of the marker and my markings remained complete
and did not bleed out onto the page. With all of these alterations, I learned
that paper is not as fragile as people think, but can actually go through a lot
before it is broken.
The readings, I found,
were also fascinating. Today, paper is trivial compared to other inventions and
discoveries. Because it is in bulk everywhere, people lose sight of its
significance. A couple of things that I found interesting was the importance of
water and how it factored to paper mill locations. Water was vital when it came
to turning the beaters and making the pulp. In order to make one kilo of paper, 2,000
liters of water were needed (Lebvre). Even though an enormous amount of water
was necessary, still certain requirements had to be met. The best quality of
water was crucial and for this reason it had to be pure and clean. In order to
do this, manufacturers had to build their mills upstream instead of downstream
to avoid extra waste in the water. Also, the higher the mill was situated
usually meant cleaner water. I also thought it was interesting that the next
main element in paper making was the supply of rags. In fact, Rag and Bone Men
sprouted up specifically for collecting old rags. Another interesting fact came
from the Hunter reading when he described the, “stepping stones in the growth
of man,” to be, “speaking-drawing-printing” (Hunter). This was fascinating
because these actions are regarded as communication that evokes thought and
expression and are commonly in association with paper (at least nowadays). Specifically
for printing, it was interesting how people who had a message to share found a
way to share it with others. For instance other mediums used before paper
included, wood, tree leaves, parchment, rice paper, and even stone and brick.
Writing ideas down and drawing little illustrations has been a part of human
progression since the beginning of time. Paper only offered a simpler, more
effective platform in which to do so.
I think the way that Jocelyn chose to alter her book was very creative and it looks like it turned out very well. The idea of changing the book into a whole new creation, in the form of letters, was a unique and meaningful idea, especially since she was dealing with a book that was close to her heart. It was very purposeful and well done, and I agree with her idea that although paper seems fragile, it can put up with a lot of actions and still come out intact. I saw this in my project as well, where even when the pages of my book were doused with water, it still emerged completely readable, albeit wrinkly. I agree with her, how it is amazing to think of how we perceive the importance of paper compared to the people from the readings. Now we can accidentally print out extra pages and throw them out without a second thought. But, the making of paper used to be such an important process that I can’t imagine they would believe how little we think about it now. However, after reading how Jocelyn mentioned that people used to have to use other mediums before paper such as wood and tree leaves, I can definitely say I have a new appreciation for the ease at which we are able to obtain paper for any purpose we need.
ReplyDeleteJocelyn’s idea to alter her book into letters was very creative and original. The fact that the letters were made out of the pages that contained her favorite parts and quotes from the book turned the letters into something with even more meaning. When I made my altered book I did not really understand what the end outcome was supposed to be. I focused more on experiencing with the paper in the book and seeing how it reacted for different art activities. However, I feel like what Jocelyn did was a more meaningful way to alter the book and I plan on using her alteration as inspiration for my next altered book.
ReplyDeleteLike Jocelyn, I also found the use and importance of water to the paper making process very interesting. The emphasis on the quality of water used to create paper is something I had never thought about. Before the readings I had a basic idea of how paper was constructed but never thought about how much actually went into it. Today, paper is treated as an outdated form of technology despite the fact that it is still very important to our everyday lives. I really liked Jocelyn’s last comment about how humans have always been expressing their thoughts and stories but at the time paper offered a simpler way to do so and print just became the next simpler median. However I’ll still always enjoy reading from a paper book over an e book for some reason.
I really enjoyed reading about all the detail she put into creating her altered book. For example, she dyed the paper with tea in order to give it an older look. She also skimmed through the book and found pages that were meaningful to her. I feel that she took a lot of time preparing her altered book. This can be seen as trying to re-create the time and precision it took papermakers centuries ago to make a single sheet of paper. I think the most interesting detail that she mentioned was making the seal. I think it’s the most interesting to me because a lot of people may have overlooked the fact that back in the day people would seal a letter with a wax seal. In order to create the ‘waxy effect’ she used red pastels which I think is very creative. Our second readings actually mentioned that seals use to be made of “metal, wood, jade, ivory, stone, and water-buffalo horn” (Hunter, 65). I can just imagine someone crafting a water-buffalo horn into a seal and the amount of time it took to create it. Overall, I really like Jocelyn’s altered book because you can defiantly see the hard work and time she put into the paper to make it into something great.
ReplyDeleteThe time and effort that Jocelyn put into her altered book really reflects in the finished project. I love how she tried to incorporate the time period in which Pride and Prejudice took place while she was altering her book. We both felt the same way prior to altering our books, feeling devastated and apprehensive because they meant so much to us and no action felt good enough to destroy a book that we loved so much. However, in the end we had a completely different feeling once the project was complete. The way that she transformed her book into letters, and then soaked the pages in tea to give them an authentic feel is really cool. Like Jocelyn, I also agree that since paper is found in bulk everywhere today, people have lost sight of what it means to make it. I know personally that before I took this class, I never had a second thought about ripping up a piece of paper and throwing it out. Even though not all paper is made by hand today, I have a much stronger appreciation for it. Jocelyn also mentions that prior to paper, people needed to use a lot of different mediums in order to get ideas and messages to people. Without the invention of paper, we could still be writing on stone tablets today.
ReplyDeleteFirst off I love what Jocelyn did with her book. The final product came out awesome and it really showed her creativity and thought put into this project. While I used various techniques to alter my book as well, I do not think that mine was quite as drastic as hers. Even though this was her favorite book, she thought outside of the box and really broke it apart to create a new piece of art. The way that she incorporated aspects of the story and the timing of the book setting into your creation was also very cool. I also tried to do this because I thought it was an important connection to make in this project. Great job.
ReplyDeleteJocelyn mentioned that paper today seems trivial to other inventions of our time and I agree with her. I don’t even really think of paper as an invention,—which is funny because it obviously is—which shows just how ordinary and incorporated it is in our lives today. When thinking of paper I think of trees, so when the readings explained the use of rags and other materials that was new to me, as Jocelyn also mentions as interesting. It is pretty amazing to think that people came up with such an extensive process and that today it doesn’t even appear like that to us anymore.
Jocelyn did a great job altering Pride and Prejudice and I really enjoyed reading her reflection as to why she performed each “art action” the way she did. This was an extremely creative idea that clearly involved a significant amount of time and effort. Jocelyn took this project seriously and it was evident that every decision was carefully calculated in order to construct a finished product she was proud of. Similar to my project, I also altered a book that meant something to me (in a positive way), however, Jocelyn’s project seemed to display a deeper symbolic meaning, due to referencing the time period of the book she selected. In terms of the readings, I agree with Jocelyn’s perspective of how the art of paper and papermaking has been lost to time. Jocelyn also wrote about the various mediums used prior to paper, and it is important to understand how the papermaking process has progressed over time in order to fully understand its significance today. Today, it is evident that many of us take paper for granted and do not stop to think about its origins. After constructing such a meaningful project, it seems as though Jocelyn has begun to grasp the importance and significance of paper in our lives today.
ReplyDeleteJocelyn did an amazing job at altering her book. I was very impressed to look at the pictures of the final product, but especially more once I learned how she connected her alteration of the book with the time period the story was based of. Her hard work most definitely paid off and it can be seen in how she showcased her final work. Every detail that is included in her alterations reflects some deep meaning that she has for the book, the story and the time period. Jocelyn was able to connect with her book and story in a way I've never seen before. Her idea of connecting the letters with how paper making and letter sending has been lost over time is a reflection of the readings. Now a day's it is easier to not care about paper as much because it is mass-produced and people have no idea about the steps and processed that are incurred in order to produce it. Since Jocelyn took the time to soak her paper, cut it, fold it and stamp it she can begin to get a sense of what time and effort is spend in the paper making industry.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that Jocelyn chose to alter such a classic book as Pride and Prejudice into a stack of beautifully assembled letters. Instead of trying to update or modernize her book, Jocelyn chose to keep it true to its era by transferring this seminal novel onto a medium perhaps even more common for its time: the letter. In doing this Jocelyn not only created a visually beautiful piece of art but she brought the book and story back to its true form. Her attention to detail perfectly exemplifies the intricate nature of letter-writing. The rough tea-dyed pages against the deep red "wax" stamp give it a truly authentic feel, instantly taking one to 19th century England. It was also interesting to hear how such a familiar novel was transformed through her book altering process. I have always felt that the best thing about a book is that you can read one as many times as you would like but you can always find a new meaning. Now, however, I know that instead of rereading a book, all I have to do it alter it.
ReplyDeleteI think Jocelyn’s idea to alter her book was very creative. From the pictures themselves you can tell she took the time and made decisive choices. Jocelyn’s alterations are based off her feelings of the book, especially since she took used favorite pages. The envelope is comprised of all the feelings she felt as she read, along with her fondness of her book. In our readings, we took note of how water is such an important part of the process. Jocelyn’s use of tea on the pages to give them that more antique feel was just one way of using water. The water allowed the tea leaves to release their yellowing stains giving her altered book the age of its content. The process she went through is like how the paper making industry.
ReplyDeleteJerlyn brought up a good point about the red pastel seal. I would have never have thought of that, I probably would have just drawn it out. I think her out of the box thinking is in tune with how the original seals came about. The intricate design of the seal is just more evidence that she put a lot of time into making the altered book.
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ReplyDeleteI thought that Jocelyn's book was beautiful. I agree 100% about how the art of letter writing has been lost due to email, text, etc. She took this assignment to another level and inspired me by giving me so many ideas for my future altered books. She captured the time period and theme of the book. I loved the attention to detail, including soaking the pages in tea. I also loved how she created a fake wax seal which was what would've been used in that time period.Everything about this project encompasses the meaning of the book she used. I thought that this was so creative and outside-the-box thinking and can't wait to see what her next book looks like.
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