1B Intervention Project

Intervention Project: Making bookmarks and planting in different libraries.
By: Vida Liu

Why bookmarks?

I love libraries. People who go to libraries are usually quite open-minded, eager to learn. I hope that my project can reach people when they check out a book and find my bookmark in it.

Here is my philosophy:

“As for men, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field. The wind blows over it and it is gone. Its place remembers it no more.” Psalm 103:15-16.

Memento Mori, a Latin phrase, means that one day every life must come to an end. I hope to use my art to remind us that we are mortal. People who manage to live life to the fullest and appreciate every moment despite the difficulties life throws at them inspire me.

There are a lot of pessimistic people in my life who always complain, even the smallest obstacle frustrates them and they give up easily, wasting much of their lives thinking of the glass as half empty.

My artistic objective is to demonstrate that each precious moment should be appreciated by each one of us. In response to my inspiration, I wanted to make bookmarks. Originally I wanted them to say: Make a “mark” in this world. But after discussing this with Professor Civin, I realized that the book mark should say: Make a __________ in this __________. This allows the viewer to linger longer, and to participate with my art. They can plug in their own words, and I think that is more meaningful.

Materials and Equipments:

1) Computer software: In Design
2) HP Laser printer
3) HP Laser papers (good quality)
4) Camera for documenting the distributing process

Target libraries to distribute the bookmarks:

I plan to leave 2 bookmarks in each of the following libraries:

1) Santa Monica Public Library, Santa Monica.
2) Donald Kaufman Public Library, Brentwood.
3) UCI Langston Library, Irvine.
4) Marlborough School Library, Hancock Park.


My secret recipe to make the bookmarks using In-Design:

InDesign CS4:

1) File > New > Document
2) Page Size > Letter > Orientation : protrait
3) Select: Rectangle Tool > click within a white space> width :7.5”,
height :2” > Click “OK”
4) Drag the rectangle to the center of the page and arrange it on the upper portion of the page(inside the printing area)
5) Select: Type Tool and select font: Chalkduster, 30pt, regular
6) Type “Make a ______ in this ______.” in the rectangle
7) Highlight all the text
8) Align the text in the center and click “enter” 3 times to place the text in the center of the rectangle
9) Select: Selection Tool
10) Select all texts and the rectangle
11) Press “Alt” and then “Shift” keys to copy and align your original design, and make a new copy under the previous one.
12) Repeat 3 times to obtain 5 copies on one page
13) Select the original design
14) Double clicks: Fill Tool and change RGB to select colors:
Yellow- R:255, G:242, B:0
Blue- R:39, G:224, B:247
Violet- R:255, G:191, B:255
Green- R:25, G:239, B:33
Orange- R:255, G:139, B:0
15) Repeat step 14 every time when you change a color
16) File > Save > Filename
17) File > Print

Last words:

I want to use my art project to remind people that we should make use of our life to make a difference in this world while we are alive. However, the viewers are welcome to plug in different words and change the original meaning as well. I would be interested to know what words they plug in. Please feel free to post a response on this blog or email me at vhliu@uci.edu on what your choice of words are.

Take care and have fun using your own imagination to complete my art piece. It was an honor to be in 1B with all of you. I have learned tons of precious knowledge from Prof. Civin and all of you guys. Thank you all, and have a great summer!


Best regards,
Vida (=