Iskandar Jalil, Clay Travels and other things in the studio.

 Above, detail of one of the 4 spreads for an artists book.
Below, the 4 spreads that form the pages of the book.

Below.  Iskandar Jalil, Clay Travels. The outside of the binding is now completed. I say completed, I have to live with it for a few days to make sure.

 I have truly enjoyed working with this binding. The materials and the finished look and textures have been inspired by the books contents.

 Soil from Singapore has been incorporated into the modeling clay.

 Textures and drips.

 Now for the Doublers, there will be soils, clays, text and more drips.... I feel I am on the final stretch with this binding. I have learnt and remember so much.

Iskandar Jalil, at the end of the day... Drip Drip Drip.

Iskandar Jalil, Clay Travels... Just so Blue.

 Having spent sometime looking at the works of Jalil  I am not surprised that it is highly collectable. The more one looks, the more one sees and is able engage with the work.

Iskandar Jalil, Clay Travels

 A day for working and remembering.  Work continues on the Iskandar Jalil binding.  I know I should not say this but I am having so much fun. When at art college all those years ago I studied ceramics. I enjoyed my one afternoon a week in the pot shop as it was called. How those wonderful memories have been re-kindled.

 The light blue modeling clay has been coloured using acrylics whilst the pinkish/red has been coloured using soil from Singapore. The delicate shade hides its origin... mud.

 I am trying to evoke the work of Jalil, however he is varied in his output and with a huge raft of work it is easy to find inspiration.

 The work to the back board is not complete yet. more has to be done but the foundation is there.

Iskandar Jalil, Mud slinging.

Mud slinging.... various stages of the delicate application of that rarest of rare things... Singapore mud in SW London, to the Iskandar Jalil book. The first image is of the fine, dry mud being spooned onto the recessed area of the back board having been prepared with an adhesive before hand of course. The 2nd image is a little detail of the upper left hand corner of the board prior to the unstuck mud being brushed off with my trusty Hake brush. The final 3 images show the extreme left of the back board having had a varnish applied and allowed to drip dry..... So, for those detractors of my work who say to anyone that will listen to them... "Mark Cockram and his is work is s☟❦t ".. Well for once they may be right. LOL

Iskandar Jalil. Lazy Susan and teserea.

 I have started to use my Lazy Susan. A table top turn table used for dinner parties and the like. I enjoy the fact that I am able to turn the book this way and that, to enjoy the 3d, sculptural aspect to the work. I can see the flow of the design and how the various elements work or not as the case may be.

 Jalil worked in a number of directions. yes, there are vessels (pots) and there are the sculptural works but he also worked with plaques. I like the thought of them being pieces of a collage. I have made a number of small plaques or teserea. Each is about 2cm x 2cm... In a way I have created  lip around each board, the boards have become thin or low walled vessels themselves. Now I can begin to work on the content of the boards/vessels

Iskandar Jalil. Raised bands, colour, line and cold tooling. What a difference a day makes.

Iskandar Jalil. Raised bands, colour and line.

Bring it on....

Iskandar Jalil. Pots talk among themselves in silent conversations. .... Mark Cockram.... so do books.

 Mark Cockram... and so do books, but books have stories to tell and so much more....

When you want a book to look like a ceramic pot...... Third image.. From left to right.... Book, Pot (ceramic vessel, not the other stuff) and tin can.

The STUDIO 5, 5 DAY INTRODUCTION TO BOOK ARTS.

 

5 DAY INTRODUCTION TO BOOK ARTS. 

The 5 day module has been designed for the artist, graphic designer art printer etc, wishing to engage and work with the book format. Book styles will include single section books, Stub-non adhesive binding, Drum Leaf text blocks and case binding. Depending on the individual student it is expected that the student will make a minimum of 3 books. If a complete beginner then we start with basic formats such as Zig-Zag or concertina books moving on to more advanced structures.

 

☞Bricolage bookbinding and book arts

 ☞Contemporary, Creative and Traditional  
☞ Make your own Book cloth
☞ Structures suitable for heavy papers 

 ☞ Etc
The fee of £600 includes all materials, use of 
hand and studio tools and equipment.

The module can be delivered in a 5 day block,
individual days including weekends to suit the
individual student.

For further information please contact MARK COCKRAM

e-✉ studio5bookarts@aol.co.uk

Iskandar Jalil. Pots talk among themselves in silent conversations. Leather paring and respect.

A mixed day in the studio. First there was a gawper (gauper) who shouted through the window "What do you do?"... Their face being less than a foot away from a large sign.... Then followed a reflective 30 minutes. I have worked on the title for the new book and cased the text block in. In the afternoon .. leather paring. It is often said that one of the skills that has to be mastered in book binding is working with leather. I would tend to agree, though I am aware of those friends I have who for them leather is a no go area... I digress. I like leather work, for me it is a blend of understanding and respecting the material, use of the tools and how they are used.. That is was a living animal, that the animal was not just reared for its skin, but for it's milk, hair, meat etc... For example, the tanning of leather is an ancient skill. One also has to respect the tanners for with out them I would have to prepare my own skins for use in my work. And before anyone asks... yes, I have prepared my own skins ..... The knives I use have also been made by artisans. It is a reminder that without the skills of others I would not be able to do what I do. So, this afternoon has been taken up with leather paring. I have wanted to create an under texture from the leather paring.. How and why in a later post perhaps.....

Iskandar Jalil. Pots talk among themselves in silent conversations. Under the skin.

 Though not the binding for Pots Talk, it is an aspect of the work on the bench in the studio.  I really enjoy being able to create my own books, to make the complete work. More about this in later posts.

 I realise that much of the book binders work is never seen as it is hidden, in many cases, under the skin as it were. The Boards have been attached along with the spine piece. A good few hours of sanding have passed to achieve a smooth and seamless finish. Recessed areas to the front and back of the boards have been created by the removal of the sanded surface. I realise this may sound odd.... why waste all that time and energy on to remove most of the sanded area..... Well, for me it is not about what was removed, it is more to do with what remains. By ensuring that the surface was pefect before removal, I can be sure that what is left is as perfect as I can make.

The Swirls of leather (above) will be placed in to the recessed areas of the boards as part of the overall look and feel of the work. I am wanting the textures to play as important part in the is work as the colour and materials.