Create a mini book from A4 gel print

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Creating your own mini book is so much fun and easy for any age to master! Let’s turn these colourful A4 gel prints into a mini book, ready to decorate with your favourite mixed media techniques.

What you need to create a mini book:

Materials:
• A4 Gel Print
• spare gel prints
• gel print circles
• ephemera
• Art by Marlene Die Cut image

Tools:
• Scissors
• Circle Punches
• Glue Stick
• Washi tape
• Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks
• paint brushes
• mini ink pads
• ink blenders and handles
• stencils

Step-by-step instructions to create a mini book

Take 1 piece of A4 gel print.

Fold in half; use finger nail to crease fold

Open paper

Turn over and fold the opposite way, along the same fold. Crease well with fingernail.

Fold in half, long ways; use finger nail to crease fold

Open paper

Turn over and fold the opposite way, along the same fold. Crease well with fingernail.

Open paper; it should look like this

Fold one of the short ends into middle; Crease well with finger nail

Turn around and fold other end

Open folds

Turn over and fold the opposite way, along both folds. Crease well with fingernail.

Fold in half, along short side

Use scissors to cut one segment, along the folded edge.

Pinch middle section and fold out bottom flaps

Pull middle section forward and backward

Fold Flat

Juggle to get mini book to fold flat and close.

Finished mini book.

Now you are ready to decorate your mini book

Decorating your mini book

All of your mixed media and papercraft techniques can come into play to decorate your mini book!

Mini book cover ideas

Here we have added washi tape to create a horizon, about a third of the way up. Then we have added an image, stamped a sentiment and finished off the cover with doodles and markings using a black Fudeball pen to finish off our mini book covers.

Decorating the inside of our mini book

The two ideas we used here to decorate our mini book included using a circle punch to create a window, then adding an image of interest behind it. We also created a mini picket by sealing the base of the opening with washi tape and using a smaller circle punch to create a finger pull at the top.

We hope you have enjoyed making your mini book from A4 gel printed paper!

Please SHARE your creation in our Facebook Group / Mixed Media Studios Australia

Or on Instagram with the hashtag #MMAStudio

Happy creating,
Michelle

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Joy Bathie’s Little Fat Books

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This article is written by Joy Bathie

I have always loved books and my interest was expanded after attending a workshop at the State Library of NSW in Sydney some years ago, where I learned how to construct a basic hard cover codex book.  Since then I have experimented further and my repertoire now covers “handmade artist’s books” of various types and sizes, filled with colour and texture.  I’m now creating smaller books and enjoy making ‘LFB’s” (Little Fat Books) which are generally 10.5cm x 10.5cm (4” x 4”) square; I love this size, which sits so nicely in the hand.

making Little Fat Books

This page from an LFB looks through the central circular  cut-out to the following page

making Little Fat Books

Here is a the page beneath

making Little Fat Books

and the close-up view.

Altogether there are five layers of colour and texture, plus clear and printed acrylic windows. Amongst other recycled materials these pages incorporate painted curtain rings and other circular metallic pieces, soft drink bottle caps cut, rusted, and patinaed, and also pulcinella (sequin waste).

making Little Fat Books

Here is another LFB, called “Twigs”, with two of its pages.  Again, each page in this book has a central cut-out section to view adjacent pages.

making Little Fat Books

making Little Fat Books

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Joy Bathie lives in Port Stephens, NSW, Australia. You can see what Joy is up to over on her Facebook page.

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Handmade Books – How to Make Covers

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Creating your own handmade book is one of the most exciting mixed media art techniques. This is a simple process once you have mastered the basics. When you can make your own book covers, you then have the option to create anything from little booklets to full size books.

Step 1. Determine the sizes
When creating a book, the cover is usually a little larger that the pages, but the spine needs to align. I use my art sketchbook to draw a sketch and write down the size of the pages, the size of the covers and any notes as to colours, layout thoughts or items to use.

Step 2. Cut the covers
Using a medium weight board (or chipboard) cut out two covers the same size. Lightly sand the outer edges with an emery board or scotchbrite. This removed the sharp edge off the cover giving it better durability once it is covered.

Step 3. Cut the covering paper
The paper used to cover the covers needs to be a sturdy paper. If it is too thin, it will tear when glue and pressure is applied. If it is too thick, it makes it harder to fold over the edges and makes the covers too thick.
Cut this paper 10mm larger than the board cover on each side – this makes it 20mm bigger in length and 20mm bigger in width.

Step 4. Cover the cover with the covering paper
Do each cover separately. Cover the covering paper with glue. Most times a glue stick is adequate. Make sure you have an even layer, right up to the edges. Place the cover board in the middle and press out any bubbles. Cut each corner at a 45 degree angle, leaving enough to completely cover the board.

Fold one side up and over the back of the board. Use your finger nail to press it firmly and to fold in the little corner that will fold under other edge. Fold up the opposite edge. Then fold in the two ends.

Repeat this process with the second cover.

Check there is no excess glue oozing out. Sit them under a heavy book and leave overnight to dry.

Step 5. Attach covers to book pages
As the covers are slightly bigger that the inner pages, apply the glue to the pages then carefully attach the first cover. To ensure the two covers are lined up, close the book, apply the glue to the back page stick down the back cover, then carefully align the cover, checking that they two covers with sit neatly when closed.


Once you have mastered making your own handmade book covers, you can easily make your own books, ready to decorate into any style. They are easily personalised to make the perfect gift.

Happy creating!

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Handmade mixed media books – a tunnel book

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This article is written by Katja Blum

My son Sam introduced me to bookmaking. He makes lots of books with his speech therapist and loves the process maybe even more than the result. His books can be anything he wants – he can cut, glue, draw, paint, glitter and write. What’s not to love?

One of my favorite types of handmade books is the tunnel book.

These three-dimensional books consist of several pages with cutouts of decreasing size. The pages are connected with accordion hinges on both sides. Because of the flexible connection, the pages can consist of many different materials from thick watercolor paper to cardboard. One of my personal favorites is foam board, because it is so easy to hang things from to “ceiling” of the cutouts – and because the book will be very sturdy and not prone to warping.

Making a tunnel book is simple. Design the cutouts of your pages according to the picture or story you want to create. Remember that each cutout will be smaller than the one before, so any designs around the edge of the first page should be on the smaller side, so that you leave enough room for the others.

If you want to create elaborate figures or landscapes in your cutouts, you can always add them later (especially if you use thick, hard to cut materials). Just cut your designs out of decorated paper and leave little paper tabs where you would like to attach them to your cutout frame.

You need two accordion hinges per book page – minus one page. So, if your book has five pages, you need eight hinges.

Cut strips of sturdy paper of the same length as the sides of your book pages you would like to attach. Fold the strips lengthwise into an “M” shape. Folding is easy, if you score the fold lines using a ruler and a bone folder, a butter knife blade or the tip of a knitting needle.

Steps for making a tunnel book – cutouts and hinges

Design, decorate and cut out your book pages and attach the accordion hinges. You can always add more decorations and elements later, as the pages remain pretty accessible.

In the example here, I wanted to highlight several decorative papers I had collected, so I simply covered my book pages with the papers, cut them and added some details.

A finished tunnel book with decorative papers

Tunnel books are fun to play with and add to. Sam likes books about animals. What do you want your book to be?

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Katja Blum is a writer and translator from Tulsa, OK. As an artist, she started with yarn, fabric and papier mâché (rarely together), branching out into collage and other paper arts about ten years ago. Her latest obsession is making soft stuffies and art dolls – to the delight of her son. She also likes to find creative solutions for ugly or broken things around the house – to the delight of her husband.

You can see more of her work with fiber, paper and words at www.thewaywardsheep.com

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