Big Update on Simulation Project

So it's been over a month since I last posted about my ideas to do with this project. I had a second tutorial with Steve and he didn't really like my idea of representing memories of my childhood. I told him about an alternative idea I had to do with a book from my childhood.

When I was young I would turn past a certain chapter, about ghosts and monsters, in a book I had because the pictures scared me. But for some reason I still had to turn every individual page and get to the next chapter. First of all I thought about closing this part of the book off, so that I didn't have to deal with it. But Steve said the action of turning the pages individually really quickly was more interesting. He suggested making covers for the pages and putting something on the covers to make the viewer want to turn the pages fast. For example an unpleasant texture on the edge of the page, you turn the page to get away from it. I quite liked the idea, but would need to think about it thoroughly and decide my next steps.

Unfortunately, due to other work I had to complete for my CHC module before the end of term, a lack of confidence in my idea, complete absence of motivation and the Easter break I have done very little work at all. It has only just dawned on me that if I don't do something quickly I'll be in a lot of trouble.

So I decided to have a go at making a cover for one of the pages. I got some A3 printer paper as this would allow me to wrap around each of the pages better than I would be able to with A4. Printer paper is also quite a good thickness to cover the pages. Any thinner and too much of the page underneath would be visible, too thick and it would warp the shape of the book too much. I also decided that sandpaper would be a good material to try and use on the edge of the pages, as an unpleasant and unusual surface texture to find in a book.

My first try was quite successful. The cover almost completely masked the images underneath and it looked fairly professional. I tried cutting quarter-circles out of the corners of the cover. Then added sandpaper of the same shape, this also looked pretty good.

One problem I did find was that the inner edge of the paper cover was quite flimsy and would stick up from the page, which I didn't like the look of. I would have to think of a way to get around this perhaps by adding an extra small strip of paper to reinforce it a little.

I still don't really know what I should put on the covers to simulate the fear I experienced as a child. The images do nothing now, they don't scare me one bit. So I'll have to think of something that does scare me enough or think of something else that would make me want to turn the page.

EDIT: Some ideas I had for what I should do to the page covers.
-Cutting windows through the covers to reveal certain things E.g. The scariest part, the most benign part.
-Adding something that scares adults, illustration style similar to that of the book.
-Grotesque pictures of some sort?
-Something else that would make you turn the page quickly. Boredom? Disinterest? Fear? Looking for something else in the book.

I'm also going to look for artists/ideas that relate to my project. For example artists who work with books, fear and childhood memories/experiences. This will help inspire me and ultimately improve my final outcome.