Book in a Box

Book in a box

I have wanted to use this folded book for promotional purposes ever since I learnt how to do one for Contextual Studies.  If the individual squares are less than 8cm, the whole grid can be fitted on to A3 paper, which makes it a viable book for promotional purposes.  As images could be printed on both sides (I’ve chosen to put contact details on the reverse), something like18 individual images could be used.

I wanted the book to look like a present, something expensive, like a box of perfume, and played around with the colours for quite some time.  I came up with the idea of having three boxes each with different parts of my portfolio, with a different coloured ribbon on the top to denote which section, which would have tied in with the different coloured sections of my website. 

I initially wanted the book to be blue, with a white ribbon, like Alice’s dress.  I bought organza to cover white cloth, which just would not stick when I came to make the books themselves – the organza is made from man-made fibres.

 When I did manage to get the book stuck, I wasn’t happy with how the printed part of the book made a lighter coloured line that divided the box near the base.

 Several people had picked up my prototype and asked if there was anything IN the box, so I decided to put the book in the box, which I feel makes the object more intriguing.  The label is one of my business cards.  By keeping the cards as playing cards and using plain fabric (the fabric is linen) the present can then have different bow and different beads to give it an individual feel.

To re-make the book as a flatter post-able version would be quite simple, but I have indulged with this version.  The foam, trimmings etc cost very little, and have been left over from other projects.  I have also customised the books with beads and found objects such as shells and keys, which is something I would like to continue exploring.

The cost in producing this is in the time, and the postage.  I was reasonably happy with the way these printed, although the back of the book needs adjusting to fit the folding really accurately.