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How to Make Art Deco Books

Art Deco is a distinctive period in art, architecture and design that emerged in the 1920s. Typified by jazzy, geometrical and symmetrical style, Art Deco features a modernist exuberance. Examples of Art Deco include the Empire State Building in New York and the Broadway Sign. Make Art Deco books by including the basic unifying elements of Art Deco style in the book design. This includes use of symmetrical geometric forms, luxurious media, international melange and nonstructural decorative elements.

Instructions

    • 1

      Bind books using materials that reflect the sleek strangeness modern life. During the zenith of Art Deco in the 1920s and 30s in Europe and North America, books were bound using sharkskin, snakeskin, metal plates and leather.

    • 2

      Design the book cover to include a nonstructural geometric design. Leave plenty of white space, or areas on the book cover that are left empty.

    • 3

      Stretch the design across the cover, sides and back of the book. The design should be symmetrical and multi-hued.

    • 4

      Emphasize the simple, symmetrical design with inlays using unique decorative materials. During the Art Deco period, book were decorated with reflective glass, lacquered eggshells and iridescent glazes such as Zsolnay porcelain from Hungary.

    • 5

      Select an Art Deco font for the title and author's name of the books. Art Deco include intricate, double or triple stroke details, such as Gallia or Mona Lisa Recut. You can also use uncomplicated, mono-stroke designs such as the sharp and precise ITC Anna font.

    • 6

      Print the parts of fonts and any additional lines in the geometrical designs using gold. Numerous Art Deco creations included extensive use of gold accents for emphasis and to add a sense of luxury.

Modern Art

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