Damp Flat Books - Introduction


Damp Flat Books was established in 1999 and is run by me...Dr.Jackie Batey I have been producing Artist’s Books for a number of years, exhibiting and selling books at the London Artists’ Bookfair annually since 1997. I produce limited edition hand made books and multiples, many of them satirical, under the brand name of Damp Flat Books. Many of the themes I enjoy working with are anxiety, humour and modern living. I make limited editions that vary between 10 and 50 and I usually try to create about 3 new titles per year. I mainly sell my books to collections and libraries. I use my own photography, illustration and hand drawn type within my books along with writing the text, designing, printing and binding. I am a one-man band. I also initiated the Zineopolis Zine Collection at the University of Portsmouth, I'm currently getting the website going for it. www.zineopolis.co.uk Teaching I am a Senior lecturer in Illustration, in the School of Art, Design & Media at the University of Portsmouth. I deliver lectures on Artist’s Books, Sequential Illustration and the social responsibilities of the illustrator, artist. I enjoy working with students and I am currently head of the second year Illustration. I have various other research acitvities including web design, you can follow the links here... Click here to visit the University of Portsmouth Illustration Course website... Click here to see my research project, Images in Practice* at University of Portsmouth...* The Safe Cigarette I chose to make limited edition books and multiples for the practical element of my Ph.D. The Safe Cigarette which I completed in March 2003. These books along with comments and sketchbooks are available to view on the Culture Archive website Click here to view the Books and Multiples submitted for my PhD My thesis presented a series of Artist’s Books and Multiples of graphic expressions of anxiety, each informed by a comparative study presented as a sequence of Volumes of the visual strategies used to advertise cigarettes in America in mass-circulation magazines between 1945 and 1964. The thesis was presented as a boxed object containing the eight Volumes (also produced as handmade books), with Gatefolds and the 9 Artist’s books and Multiples. The thesis identifies specific design and illustration solutions in cigarette advertising such as considerations of artwork, photography, layout, typography, characterisation, and diagrammatic representation of process. The conclusions are then used as the basis for 9 books and multiples in which I explore, within my own artwork, the dynamics of visual instruction, and the devices for reassuring the anxious consumer using irony and humour throughout This Website This website (designed and constructed by me) represents a selection of my Artist’s Books and Multiples over the years, all of which can be purchased from me via email. Where possible, I've sought to include rough work, images from my sketchbooks along with reference images and early versions - I always enjoy seeing how other people work so I hope you like seeing how I work. Please email me if you have any questions or comments Thanks, Jackie