A Book in Two Hours

Last week we had the pleasure of hosting a small high school Art class from Oak Grove School in Ojai for two days. The students only had a little more than an hour each day and I wanted them to make something really fun. So we worked like lightening to make a book in two hours!

In order to accomplish this goal I knew we would have to have already prepared all the contents and just let the students work the press and sew the pages. This didn't seem like enough fun and creativity to me, so I came up with a compromise between no in-put and open chaos.

The paper was already cut when the students arrived. Here's what they did:

1. Write a short question on a piece of paper.
2. Choose an image from a selection of antique printer's blocks.
3. Set the question in metal type (3 drawers were already out).
4. Print the image on the Vandercook press.
5. Print the type on the Chandler & Price press.
6. Make up title by rolling dice to select words from the questions.

Day 2
7. Cut shapes from waste polymer and stick them to a blank linoleum block (to get the yellow background on the cover)
8. Print polymer and title on covers. (the type for the title was set before class)
9. Fold and sew the books.
10. Sign books.

Steps 3-5 all took place at the same time with students switching between the type and the two presses. Everyone folded and sewed together. Then we passed around the finished books and all signed our names on an end sheet. The title selected for us by the rolls of dice was People the Jar Who Are. We all liked the rhyme!