Book Carvings
Alice In Wonderland, Small Kintsugi Editions
Following the same theme as Alice Through The Keyhole, This is one of 6 created in this small style, Long tall Alice, The Cheshire Cat, Alice looking up, The White Rabbit and two versions of the Mad Hatter. All books have the hand written words set behind the central character. Hit the button to see other books.
Mrs Beeton Book Of Household Management, Kintsugi Edition
This is the second book in this cook book series this year. This book was falling apart and smelt terrible. It was cleaned up, the edged given the gold guild treatment and carved using the illustrations from the book.
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Alice Through The Key Hole, Kintsugi Edition
This Alice In Wonderland Carving was inspired by a battered ledger found in a antique shop, it had been used on and off over a 50 year span to keep records of shopping lists and outgoing from a old RAF base. The various different styles of hand writing inspired the background as many of the words could be related to the Alice story.
Leaving Oz
This Wizard of Oz book carving has been created using a vintage French dictionary and a single illustration of Dorothy trying to leave Oz by balloon with the Wizard, from a damaged copy of the Wizard of Oz. The green colour of the dictionary gives the impression that they are still in Oz.
Small Larousse Dictionary Book Carving, Free Standing Art Work/ Sculpture
This is one of a few of these vintage Larousse French Dictionaries that have been used for book carvings. Every carving is different from the last and all created using the illustrations that were originally in the book.
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Mrs Beeton's Household Management
Mrs Beeton's first published her Household Management book back in 1861 and are now collected the world over. I got this one which was damaged but not to much and decided to use the coloured food images and the more unusual food recipes to created this free standing book carving. Also suitable to act as a book end.
Isaiah 29.12
Commissioned piece. Generally I don't use bibles, but using a children's illustrated bible and a damaged encyclopaedia we came up with this concept. I got to thinking about the paintings in churches that were for the masses that could not read to help them learn the stories from the bible. There is passage called Isaiah , 29:12 "Then the book will be given to the one who cannot read, saying, "Read this ,Please "And he will say, "I cannot read". With that in mind and with certain illustrations requested this is what evolved.
Large French Larousse Dictionary
This is a Large Larousse Dictionary Book Carving which stands at 30 CMs tall. The book had some considerable damage to it, and been well used ,had wear and tear to most of the pages. The cover was black, or so I thought, I gave it a gentle clean to see that the front cover was actually green. The cover has been left so it has a partially ethereal look to it. The spine is leather and the covers are fabric. All illustrations within the carving are from the book. The book has an Art Nouveau cover but the illustrations are done in a Art Deco block style.
The Mammoth Book Of Thrillers-Ghosts and Mysteries Book Carving A.K.A You've created a monster.
In the foreground of the carving we can see a young woman captured by the hanging vines and in the background we can see a large male demon coming to get her from the trap. It could just represent the good old horror story or
Its called you've created a monster because throughout history women have been often blamed for the affect they have on men and the male gaze, she is trapped by society and how you should be. What does it make you feel.
Alice Through The Looking Glass, Kintsugi Edition
This book carving is a combination of two books one is from the late 1800's and the other is a more modern copy of Alice Through The Looking Glass
The book had quite a lot of damage and it got me thinking about the Japanese art of pottery repair of Kintsugi, mending items with gold. I wondered what would happen to the look of the book, so all the damage on this book has gold gilding paint in the damaged areas, and now is something that is being done on more books in the studio.
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Alice In Wonderland Suitcase Carving
I found a old key case/ clock combined, the clock originally being on the front. The Alice carving replaces the clock, the clock then placed to the inside (non working) along side another carving hidden by a door recreating the small door and hallway within the book. The door is held ajar by a miniature tea cup.
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1901 Magners Horse & Stock Book
This book dates from 1901, it wasn't in to bad of a condition and is full of information for farmers and horse breeders on training and ailments that can affect animals and is full of illustrations. The hand writing and typed spine where scraps of paper left in the book. The typed part being the information that you would usually find on the back of the book telling you what the book was about. The book is a double sided carve, please visit the shop to see both sides of this book carving.
The Crow Commission Book Carving.
This book is a combination of two very different book. The main body of the book is a religious guidance book called The Quiver and juxtaposed are the illustrations from the graphic novel The Crow. The Quiver book was chosen for this piece because of the elaborate embossing on the front of the book and the carving was placed at the back of the book.
Commissioned Book
Large Alice In Wonderland Book Carving
This carving has been created from a damage 4 kg French Dictionary and illustrations from modern copies of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. The illustrations have been arranged as they have been added to the carving, then water coloured following a colour pallet found in a different vintage coloured version of Alice in Wonderland. Every thing has been sealed in and finished off with Perspex to stop the dust.
Alice In The Mushrooms
This book was created with different elements from different books. The book itself was a damaged lexicon. The book was warped and sun damaged. The mushrooms came from a French dictionary and the Alice illustration came from a new Alice in Wonderland book. The book still has the bend in it and all items have been combined to create the scene of Alice walking through the mushrooms on her way to seeing the caterpillar. This work was designed as it was created with no pre planning, just allowed to evolve.
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Every Pictures Says a Thousand Words. Super Large Dictionary Double Carved Book Art
Measuring 32cm tall and weighing a whopping 4.2 kg At The time of carving it was the largest book I have ever done. Super large French dictionary and illustrations are from the book, the book has been carved on both sides so it could be displayed by a mirror so you can see both sides at the same time.
Ballard Of Song Birds And Snakes Fore Edge Painted Book
Ballard of Songbirds and Snakes, Altered Book- Fore Edge Painted Book. Book Lover - Hunger Games
This is a 1st Edition 2nd print run copy of The ballads of songbirds and snakes by Suzanne Collins and has had its fore edge painted with a yellow and green snake in water colours. The painting is sealed in so wont mark your hands when reading.
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Mary Poppins By P.L. Travers, Fore Edge Biro Art Portrait
Mary Popping Biro Art Portrait of Julie Andrews on the fore edge of the book. Book Is completely readable.
This book carving has been created from an old encyclopaedia and using the little portraits of many historical figures and is now known as The Facebook.
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Small Larousse Dictionary Commission
This is one of a few of these vintage Larousse French Dictionaries that have been used for book carvings. Every carving is different from the last and all created using the illustrations that were originally in the book.
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Little Mushrooms On A Hill
Using the mushroom illustration left over from a previous book carving project and using a small green old book I wanted to make a small grassy hill with mushrooms on both sides the mirrored each other at the top of the hill and a view through the top. Glass on both sides to stop the dust.
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Larousse French Dictionary 1920's Side A
Side A, Large Larousse book carved on both sides of the book to create a 3D diorama using the illustrations from inside the book to create an art piece. The first Larousse dictionary that I used for a book carving.
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Larousse French Dictionary 1920's Side B
Side B of the large Larousse book, carved on both sides of the book to create a 3D diorama using the illustrations from inside the book to create an art piece. The first Larousse dictionary that I used for a book carving.
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Magners Horse and Stock Book Commission.
The client wanted a gift for a friend who was a vet. The client only gave the brief of lots of horses and some farm animals. The Magners Horse and Stock book was perfect for this double sided book carving.
Folklore Myth and Legend Book Carving
This is my 3rd reimaging of this book It is the Readers Digest book called Folklore, Myth and Legends of Great Britain and has some great illustrations by Eric Frazer. This book when I used to purchase them used to cost less than a £1 now they sell for over £100. This was also when I first started book carving and did not really used damaged books.
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Softening Of The Brain
Out of date home medic book with original postal packing. This was my 3rd ever attempt at a book carving.
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Three Part Commission
The client had seen my Larousse dictionaries and requested some smaller versions, this was the first time I used a combination of books instead of the same book that the illustrations came out of.
Readers Digest Folklore Myth and Legends of Great Britain 1st Copy
This copy of the Readers Digest Folklore Myth and Legends of Great Britain was my second ever book carving while I was a mature student at Dunstable collage. During the summer break I entered it into the Discerning Eye Exhibition in London where it sold before the exhibition began and my first ever sale.
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Mrs Beeton's Cook Book Double Carve
As I have been going through my practice I have been looking more at saving books at this point. This book was one of the dirtiest and smelliest books that I ever found. With this book it taught me that anything can be saved when you take time to learn.
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Mrs Beeton's Cook Book Double Carve Side 2
As I have been going through my practice I have been looking more at saving books at this point. This book was one of the dirtiest and smelliest books that I ever found. With this book it taught me that anything can be saved when you take time to learn.
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My First Ever Book Carving
This is my first every book carving . I was part time at college doing a Art and Design course and my brief was called remake. I took the concept of taking an item and doing something with it to make it look different while still retaining what it originally was. This was the one that started off my passion of carving books.