Make a Book with Meat (or other atypical materials) ft. Ben Denzer

Artist and designer Ben Denzer shares an assignment to make an ATYPICAL BOOK. He’s made books from meat, toilet paper, ketchup packets, and lottery tickets, among much else. Your challenge: 1) Make a book that is atypical in terms of its form or material + 2) Share it on Instagram or Twitter with #youareanartist.
#artbooks #bookbinding

A GUIDE TO BASIC BOOKBINDING TECHNIQUES:

Thanks to our Grandmasters of the Arts Divide By Zero Collection, Sai Rakshith, and Gabriel Civita Ramirez, and to all of our patrons, especially Anthony Chivetta, Rich Clarey, Iain Eudailey, Tom Forwood, Patrick Hanna, Andrew Huynh, Eve Leonard, Audrey Mak Tung, David Moore, Jane Quale, Andrew Sheeler, Boris Silantiev, Josh Thomas, Constance Urist, and Roberta Zaphiriou. We are more grateful for you than you'll ever know!

[theartassignment]

A few things to note:
1) Ben Denzer created a super valuable document for us sharing some basic bookbinding techniques:
4) Last but not least: You should really do this assignment! Give it a try and share what you make on Instagram or Twitter with #youareanartist. I'll look out for them and reshare.

- Sarah

[therewasabear]

"Meat is just like fingers" I need that on a shirt

[darrylelliott]

Who knew I would miss Art Assignment so much!☹

[geo]

I discovered this channel this year, and it has become one of my favorite channels of all time. Not only has it brought me insurmountable amounts of creative motivation, it has also taught me so much on how to look at and perceive art, not only mine, but of others as well. I didn't know I could love art this much and I think I owe all of it to this channel. I really do hope they come back to create more videos and assignments when they feel comfortable doing more

[TJtheBee]

What’s interesting about this from my perspective is how binding them into a book affects the object. Can you pay for something with a book of one dollar bills? How fast does a book of meat decompose, and how does that affect its reading? (Perhaps that’s a change of audience - humans to flies!) And of course, these objects are all temporary; we think of books as having to last for a long while, but many of these decompose and change over time. An interesting thought experiment, if nothing else.

[lorenabpv]

*flashbacks to the infamous meat sculpture of art assignment past*

this is the last video before the break, isn't it? if so, wishing you/the team a good break. stay safe and take care :)

[neropatti]

I loooove books, as objects I mean. I think I have to try this.

[lilacsmile]

This is genuinely my favorite youtube channel I hope everyone is doing alright!

[Iive]

I super miss this channel :( I wish there’d be an update video to say when you might be coming back.

[Gnomes_]

As someone with a moderately (extremely) consuming obsession with bookbinding, This is
Not many people know about book arts, I really deeply appreciate you highlighting this wonderful lesser known art form ❤️❤️❤️
Currently binding a sketchbook for a still life elective I’m taking, I like how bookbinding intersects art in that way, but also as an art form of its own.

[aceup]

My grandfather taught me how to signature sew book bind. He loved to work with leather, and I remember going to the leather factory, cutting and dying the covers, measuring and puncturing the holes into the leather, folding the signatures and sewing them into the leather. We'd try all sorts of patterns with the string, and then sell them or give them as gifts to relatives. One of the highlights of my childhood for sure.

[thereisnosun]

Why is this channel dead? Its such a cool thing! 😞

[jonathanowo]

I see this book plug for "You Are an Artist", and I accept it, and embrace it. :D

[ohwell]

Love this channel so much. I binge watch all the "case for" videos often and discovered my love for art history

[KannikCat]

You have no idea how happy this assignment makes me! My favourite joke for two decades has been to interject in an absurd and usually non-sequitur way, “It’s made out of meat.” And here we go! Books made out of meat. So perfect and so great. I am grinning from ear to ear and back around my head to the first ear again. Plus, “Meat is just like fingers!” may be the best thing I’ve heard all week. :D Thank you a tonne!

[SankofaNYC]

I know you told us you were slowing down... I hope you are ok and we can't wait for you guys to come back

[jimeactua]

Im gonna miss this videos, they are amazing

[pawr]

This video is so whimsical, creative, and innovative! Ben is a delight, brings light to my day!

[Beryllahawk]

I have made books before - very small ones, be it said, but still, it was quite a process. I am still fascinated by book arts, I've always adored the smell of books, of libraries, of the back rooms of libraries even - where the glue and the twine wait to repair spines and the special fabrics, to repair covers. I admit it's never once occurred to me to make a book AS art - though I've known about the idea, all the examples I've ever seen were standard materials, not something like this.
It's summer where I am right now, and the leaves are still green and flexible. Think I'll attempt this assignment with plant materials!

[lostcause]

My favorite YouTube channel, cant wait for the next upload