Vasilisa and the Witch's Fire

Recently I have developed and finished a new piece of laser cut book art.  Vasilisa and the Witch's Fire depicts a scene from the Russian fairytale Vasilisa the Beautiful, a story that sees its heroine Vasilisa overcome the obstacles put before her by the witch Baba Yaga.  

Uneditioned version

Uneditioned version

Uneditioned version

The lasercut booklet illustrates the heroine's escape home across the forest at night, armed with a mysterious glowing skull.  It's an eerie tale that has not left my imagination since I read the tale as a child.

Two versions of this piece have just been finished: an unlimited edition fold-out concertina version that comes in a dark yellow dustjacket (seen above); and a limited edition version, which has clothbound hardcovers that fold over the booklet and turn the piece in to a cube (below).  The latter are in an edition of thirty.

This version represents a bit of a departure from the fold-out concertina books that I usually create, as this one folds itself up in to a self-supporting structure.  It took a lot of experimentation before getting the paper hinges just right, but I think it was worth it.  Below is a short video of this new lasercut version:

(if the embedded video below doesn't work on your browser then you can find it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dqmSRaxryc, or by searching for the title of the book)

Limited edition version

Editioned cube version, seen from above with spotlight

Both versions:
uneditioned copy on the left, and the limited edition 'cube' version on the right

More information on both copies can be found on my online shop at 

 https://joannarobsonillustration.bigcartel.com

Thanks for looking!  If you have any questions, comments or thoughts about any of the artwork then do feel free to get in touch with me via the shop link above or through the comments section below.

New book art

Thumbnail sketches

I'm delighted to announce the commission of a new piece of book art.  Research for the project has involved taking over three hundred photos of Glasgow University's Hillhead campus and a lot of drawing in the rain!

There isn't much imagery to share at present other than a few photographs and some thumbnails.  Once things get underway next month I hope to be able to share more photos of this project on Twitter and Instagram as it progresses. 

Laser cut booklet

Dracula's Crossing
An illustrated cut-out of a sea voyage, based on the strange and fateful voyage of the Demeter from Varna to Whitby in Bram Stokers' Dracula.

I produced several of these in time for the Baltic Artists' Book Fair last month at Gateshead.
 
Edition of fifty, laser cut in to black plike with grey dust jacket. 

New laser cut book

 
New work - all laser cut from black plike paper

The narrative for this is based on Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, and features dozens of silhouetted characters in a city based on Edinburgh's New Town.

The book isn't yet finished, but below are some photos of the work done from yesterday's session on the laser-cutter... 

All photographs copyright to Tai Kedzierski

shadow play

soft light and hard light combined

 

Books measure 60cm by 15cm

New Resurrectionist books

This week, I finally got round to making some digital versions of one of my earlier books (The Resurrectionists) and are going on sale at £5 each.

Email me at Robsonjk@yahoo.co.uk if you’d like to buy one

The Resurrectionists II

The Resurrectionist books were made from an etching, then the prints were cut out, folded up and stuck together. The story is meant to be read left to right, starting with Victorian policemen (with lanterns and riding penny farthings) on the hunt for graverobbers. Most of the action is in the centre of the plate, with figures digging in a kirkyard and dragging bodies through the narrow closes and staircases. The final scene should have included a hanging of some convicted bodysnatchers, but I ran out of space on the plate...

This is a scan of half of the print. (A lot of the ink is still left on the plate before it gets put through the press)

Below is a picture of the whole book folded out. More books will be made for the Bristol Artists Book Event at the end of April 2011...

The Resurrectionists

Photos of the first few 'Resurrectionist' books, based on the Edinburgh bodysnatchers of the early 1800s. Only seven books have been made, but more to follow as they are starting to sell.

Currently on sale at the Poly in Falmouth, Cornwall until Sunday 27th March.









More images and info to come later!