The Amazing One-Page Interactive/Accidental Alpha-book
Lesson Plan by Sandy Marvin
CAEA Conference 1997

Introduction:

In this workshop you will create an 8-page book which expresses a personal theme. Your book will utilize at least two contrasting styles of lettering created with different tools. Your book will utilize both intentional and accidental design.

Goals/Objectives:

1. You will gain knowledge of letter forms created with a broad-edged tool.
2. You will learn a simple book structure created from a single sheet of paper.
3. You will increase your understanding of the creative process.

Materials:

• One large sheet of paper
• 2-3 colors of ink - straight and diluted to washes
• cardboard "pen"
• veneer pen (opt.)
• pointed lettering tool - Speedball, drawing pen, twig, pencil, eyedropper
• scissors or x-acto knife

Procedure:

1. Decide on a theme for your project; i.e., gardens, fishing, a favorite town in Europe, a song, and make a list of words and phrases having to do with your theme.
2. Mix 2-3 washes of colored ink.
3. Fold paper in half lengthwise.
4. In block letters, using cardboard, letter your paper using your word list. Fill up the paper edge and top to bottom. No space between lines of writing. Fill one half of the page using the fold as the top, turn page and fill the other half. Feel free to overlap letters and cross the fold.
5. Add any sort of marks on top of, around writing to make a pleasing all-over page.
6. When base art is fairly dry, choose a pointed tool and add very loose, free script on top of block letters. Don't worry about legibility. Think fluid, gestural, connected, slanted script - the opposite of block letting.

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