Wu Xubin, 26, a calligraphist, has been practicing the art since he was ten years old. While in college he had an epiphany; why not use my nose to "write." The rest they say is history.Thanks to swissmiss for the lead
Gems of the Private Press Movement
If you love the book arts and live anywhere near Portland, Oregon, you must come to the beautiful Collins Gallery in the equally lovely Multnomah County Library and linger over GEMS OF THE PRIVATE PRESS MOVEMENT: Kelmscott, Ashendene, Doves, Golden Cockerel. The exhibition, curated by John Wilson Room librarian Jim Carmin, artfully showcases both holdings from the libray's rare book collection and loans primarily from the collection of the estimable Jack Walsdorf who also gifted some of the remarkable rarities in this show to the library. Both were present for introductory remarks at this Saturday afternoons packed openning.What struck me...
A Coin of Beauty : The New Commemorative Dutch 5 Euro
click to enlargeHere is Stani Michiels amazing design for the new commemorative Dutch five euro. It was the winning design in a competition organized by the Dutch Ministry of Finance. The theme of the competition was the 'Netherlands and Architecture'.The front is a typographical marvel featuring a portrait of the queen which "is constructed with names of important Dutch architects. On the outside the names are clearly readable, while they slowly get smaller to the center. Under a magnifying glass all names are readable, but not with only the human eye. It is fascinating to see how an old medium...
The Beauty of Ebru
Ebru is the Turkish term for the art of paper marbling.The Turkish website World Bulletin has a nice feature on this ancient art that some date back to the 8th century."For the ebru artist, sitting down at the ebru basin is a ritual. For a loving discourse ensues between basin and artist. Many things go into the art of ebru: the angle at which the droplets strike the water, their size, large or small, the points at which they fall, the harmony and distribution of the colors, and the relationship between the different dyes. And who knows if it is...
Fortified Book
Here is a copy of Thomas a Kempis's Works printed in Nuremburg in 1494 and bound around the same time.Not one for the beach but clearly built to last.The book now lives at the Folger Shakespeare Library.And for those who revel in the details - the Folger Shakespeare Library's full catalog description of the binding:"Bound in a German chained binding, c. 1495, of alum tawed pigskin over wooden boards with blind decoration and adorned with brass corner bosses, title plaque, clasps, and several links of iron chain. Both covers blind tooled with three-line fillet border. Upper cover decorated with a...