A little while ago Elisabeth asked me to share a bit more about how I create my black-out poetry. I am happy to comply. Even though I am not sure the answer is so very exciting to be honest. But I do my best to go through the behind the scenes.
I am not sure when I first heard or seen the practice of black-out poetry. But I had saved some posts on Instagram and Pinterest and was intrigued. When the next 100 day project was coming up and I was once again pondering what kind of project I wanted to do black-out poetry moved to the top.
The 100 day project is an art community challenge that is hosted by Lindsey and which I have been participating in since 2017. Some years have been more successful than others but I always start and see how far I come. I wrote about this process and how I pick a project back in 2021.
It is important – at least for me – to have a rather clear set of guidelines for this challenge in order not to be overwhelmed by it. Once I had set my mind on creating black-out poetry for my 2023 challenge I thought how I could implement those rules.
I decided to use one book for the challenge. This would enable me to travel with minimum art supplies in case I was not home and the upcoming move that was happening. A book was easy to transport. I could do my art just with a pen if necessary.
I had some requirements for the perfect book:
- I knew the book would have to be an English book as I wanted to share each of the poems on Instagram and to be part of the community aspect. From previous years I knew that it was a very English speaking event and specially with words in the forefront I felt it would connect more with people.
- I didn’t want to buy a book just to destroy it.
- A book I haven’t read in order not to be biased with the content.
- It had to be a hardcover book in order to be durable.
- I was pondering what kind of genre would work for me and was ping ponging between romance and thriller but was lacking imagination if that would be interesting for 100 days. Romance seems it could become too shallow while I felt thriller might not have whimsical, magical beautiful words.
- I also wanted a book that had – if possible – some imagery or typographic interesting pages in them in case I felt like just doing artwork and no words.
With those guidelines I set out to find a book in a free little library. And it was almost impossible. I was becoming desperate and so a friend had provided me with a paperback she hated and said I could use. But I wasn’t happy. Lucky two days prior the challenge I found one in the free little library at my work place which was looking perfect.
How I do my daily black-out poetry
Once the challenge started the goal was to do a poetry every day.
I knew I wanted to create art on the pages if possible by using any material I could come up with and that fit the poem I had found. It was also during a time I had to move so I wanted to use up some of the materials I didn’t want to pack away but then also keep the materials out when I was moving.
The nitty gritty behind the scene looks like this:
- I open a random page in the book.
- I scan the page for words that catch my intention and circle them.
- At times I start with a word in mind and search for it on the page.
- Sometimes I set myself the challenge to only use words in on the right edge.
- Other times I realize a certain page has the same word over and over on it.
- Once I have a couple of words a theme appears, a thought I want to share, a message I need to send in the world. Basically this whole thing is rather intuitive.
- Once the words were clear I think about the artwork that would be enhancing the words. What do I want to play with, what colors speak to me, how much time is available.
This poem was created the day of the Russian attack on Ukraine.
This poem called for music notes as artwork.
Sometimes I wanted to try a technique that didn’t work the way I intended. Here I had covered the word with clear tape wanting them to stay clean while I spayed paint on the page.
Here I used scrap paper to express my thoughts.
The book I used for the challenge now holds the intended 100 poems which I have started sharing here on the blog on Wordless Wednesdays this year. My plan was to keep going with that practice and eventually end up with an entire book. I have not been able to do this but I hope to one day have the entire book full of black-out poetry.
If you want to see more of the process of creating each poem you can head over to my Instagram as I share a video there. (Even if you do not have Instagram you can have a look – it should be visible).
Recently I have picked up another book from a free little library that I am using to create more black-out poetry. The technique is more or less identical – opening a random page, scan for words, circle them and then black out the unnecessary words. My intentions for this are focused on a topic and the artwork is minimalistic. Let’s just say… you are in for a treat later this month.
Do you enjoy poetry? Have you ever used a book for something else than its intention? How do you feel using a book and “destroying” it? Would you love a poetry book of black-out poetry? Did you ever attempt an art challenge? Or even black-out poetry?
18 comments
Tobia, I could not love this post or your blackout poetry more if I tried. It is gorgeous. Thanks so much for taking us on a journey through your process of creating these poems.
They are stunning. And so, so powerful. I think I would actually really enjoy doing this myself! I like to doodle, though I am not nearly as creative as you.
You are very welcome Elizabeth I’m glad you enjoyed this post. I think blackout poetry is very easy to do. You just have to find the words and black out the other ones no need to be creative. you could just use a black pen or a colored one I would love to see you are blackout poetry.
I’m so glad you wrote about your process, Tobia! I didn’t realize it was all in one book, which makes it even more delightful to me. I have an old botany book that I tear pages out of to use in my collage projects, and I’m all for repurposing books for other things. I’m glad you found the perfect book to use for your poetry. I’ve never tried blackout poetry, but I think it’s a lovely art form.
The poems you see are the first poems I ever wrote. I actually post them in chronological order so you are growing with me. A botany sounds really interesting to work with.
Oh wow, these pages are gorgeous to me! My favorite might be the magazine collage with words peeking through, what a fun idea. Thank you for sharing Tobia.
Do you enjoy poetry? Yes absoluteley!
Have you ever used a book for something else than its intention? Many times.
How do you feel using a book and “destroying” it? After having been to the recycle stations and seen the book trash of our local thrift shop I know that books are thrown away by the thousands every day. THAT makes me so very sad, but at least here they’re repurposed to new paper pulp. But cutting up a book to make something creative with it – I say YES to that!
Would you love a poetry book of black-out poetry? Not sure, I think the process of making is the fun part of black-out poetry.
Did you ever attempt an art challenge? Yes. Thee successful 365 so far.
Or even black-out poetry? Yes, in my art journals I sometimes do that as well. :-)
Thank you Hanna for sharing all the answers to my questions since I haven’t read any of the older posts on your blog yet. This really gives me an insight and how you work creatively. Thank you. And you are right, so many people throw away books so I guess it’s OK to reuse them. It’s still a little uncomfortable to be honest though.
This is so interesting. I guess I assumed you were using different books each time and I’m impressed that so many came from one book! I love it when you post your blackout poetry and I loved reading about your creative process here.
Yes, the challenge here was to use one book and make the most of it. But doing 100 days in a row I was a little bit burnt out with the same topics over and over and the words I found on the pages. You can’t really see that but sometimes it was difficult because all words were about nature and birds.
I followed along for your 100 day project and I thought it was the bestest. I did something similar a long time ago but lost interest (or time) at some point. It’s been so long that I can’t even remember. I like poetry very much and would get one with blackout poetry.
I did the stitchbook challenge this year where you stitch 15 minutes each day for 24 stitched pages. It was really fun and I ended up spending more then 15 minutes each day doing it. The advantage was that I can do it while listening in when we watch a movie together at home or on the bus or anywhere really. I imagine the book would need a bit more undevided attention.
Yes, I couldn’t do anything besides working on the book. Not even listening to anything because I had to find the words, but I’m OK with that. I like the quiet way to do art much more than listening to music while doing it. I followed your stitching project and I thought it was such a magical thing to do. Specially, since I am not very good in stitching and embroidery.
I love this so, so much! The blackout poetry is meaningful, it’s beautiful, it’s visual, and so unusual. I definitely don’t think you’re “destroying” the books! I’m looking forward to our “treat” coming up!
Thank you, Jenny that means a lot. I don’t really think I’m destroying the book. I’m just giving it a new life. But I’m not sure how I would feel if someone is using a book I wrote so I think it depends from your point
view.
Thanks so much for taking us inside your process. I might need to add Blackout Poetry to my someday/ideas list. I would like to give it a try someday. And I’m eagerly awaiting your reveal later in the month!
I really did put a teaser out there. Better get that finished.
Blackout poetry is really a fun activity and you can basically do it with any newspaper or magazine.
Tobia, You’ve created such an interesting collection of black-out poetry. I like that you are trying different approaches and playing with the idea. The one with collage and words peeking thru is cool.
Do you enjoy poetry? I am not a poetry person, but I do like lyrics, so maybe that’s a start.
Have you ever used a book for something else than its intention? Yes, many times.
How do you feel using a book and “destroying” it? I love it, the repurposing, the altering, everything. I’m using books that were unloved and on a discount rack so I feel like it is good that it is being used as a structure for art rather than discarded.
Would you love a poetry book of black-out poetry? I enjoy seeing the imagery on your blog.
Did you ever attempt an art challenge? Yes! The most challenging = two 365 projects. I do a ton of art challenges! 🌈🧡
Or even black-out poetry? Yes, on a few art journal pages where I painted everything “but” the words.
Thank you so so much Tammy. I a not sure I like poetry… I don’t think I have ever read and entire poetry book. I tried with a few newer ones but I find them very superficial and they do not speak to me. But I have been writing my own poems as early as 14 or 15 I think. So maybe it is a way of expressing myself. Does that make sense…
You are right if a book would otherwise be thrown out its best to save it and give it new life. However I am not sure I could buy a book just for the purpose of working with it.
A 365 art schallange sounds very exhausting. As much as I like it I am not sure I would be able too. But then its all a matter of priority.
Wow, thank you so much for walking us through the process. That is really cool and I really love the combination of art and poetry. Amazing work, friend.
Thank you it’s very strange to write about the process because it is so obvious to me. I love seeing progress work from other artists so of course I could’ve shared that. Good thing Elisabeth asked.