Paula Beardell Krieg posted: " Pleats and Solids On Page 7 of the instructional tome, Books, Boxes, and Portfolios, written by Swiss artist and designer Franz Zeier (1923- 2011), he explains why his opening chapter is about creating geometric solids. He writes: "The inc" Playful Bookbinding and Paper Works
On Page 7 of the instructional tome, Books, Boxes, and Portfolios, written by Swiss artist and designer Franz Zeier (1923- 2011), he explains why his opening chapter is about creating geometric solids. He writes:
"The inclusion of the chapter on making geometric solids is only superficially surprising. If manual dexterity in dealing with paper is desired, the construction of multisurfaced figures serves this goal The teaching of both geometry and art can be enriched by these project. Part game, part work, they will reward with fresh insights anyone who tries them."
Looks good from very far away
When I read Zeier's words, I pretty much had no idea what he was talking about. Then I began wanting to make some solids forms, and everything I made looked pretty awful. The fact is, what attracted me to the book arts was building structures with paper, so it made me a bit crazy that I couldn't make the forms that Zeier was talking about.
What happened next (and I'm talking about what happened over many years) was that I started becoming intensely interested in many kinds of paper building, but my technique was pathetic. Zeier's book was a tremendous help, but it could only get me so far. For a long time I just made the same mistakes over and over again, hoping for better results. Ha ha.
Paula's Wedges, March 2018
I'd make these gorgeous designs, then ruin them with bad technique.
Some time ago I decided to really focus on upping my skills, mostly through trial and error. Figuring this stuff out has been a real game changer for me. At the same time there's been something else to figure out. If you've been reading this blog, you know I've been grappling with reinventing my teaching work in this new paradigm we've all landed in.
Assembling materials for late September class
Here's what I keep in mind when I start designing a new class: what is something that I'm captivated by, and what it is that I can bring to the table that doesn't seem to already be well covered? The way that I've been teaching my Zhen Xian Bao classes (more about that in the coming months) and the series of classes that, last year, I called my Paper Unbound session, really check my boxes.
There's been a problem with the Paper Unbound classes: the series ends too soon.
First I taught various ways of working with paper in a four-session weekly class, the next year I did in five sessions. This year I'm pulling it apart to focus, for three weeks at time, on details. The first one of these, Realm of Solids, beginning in late September, focuses on solids in a way that I've never seen done before. I have to say, if I wasn't teaching this class, I would want to take it.
There is so much I want to share about what I've figured out.
What I'm offering, through the Center of Book Arts are three 2.5 hour sessions, which can be taken either in the afternoon (which is good for people both in West Coast and Europe)or in the evening, which is good for me.
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