Book Arts e-Journal, The Bonefolder

This e-journal is a wealth of information for those interested in the book arts, bookbinding, fine binding, book exhibitions and related topics. The journal’s clean, attractive design reflects it’s subject, and each issue includes thoughtful, well-written articles by authorities in the field along with a generous number of photographic illustrations. The journal establishes a needed critical discourse on the art of the book, and record of important technical information. The issues are downloadable as PDF files. Visit the website, www.philobiblon.com/bonefolder

ABC pop-up book video

Marion Bataille’s new pop-up alphabet book will be coming out in September, 2008 (Roaring Book Press, ISBN 978-1-5964-3-425-7). It’s full of interesting pop-up maneuvers, tracing the entire alphabet in a dance of movable pages. A great video with a zippy soundtrack previews the upcoming edition.

Young Sudanese Paper Engineers

Ruth Marcus teaches an art class with students who are mostly Sudanese refugees. Recently she did a project where they learned how to make some basic pop-ups. “With only two pieces of paper, some cutting and some glue, the kids can make moving cards of their very own, and color all over them as well.” Visit the kids at Ruth’s blog to see more photos.

Kristine Suhr’s Amazing Movable Paintings

We’re so impressed with Krisitne Suhr’s handsome web site, and with her wonderful mechanical paintings. Each framed painting has a pull tab, rotating wheel (called a volvelle) or other mechanical device which can be manipulated by the viewer. When activited, the image in the painting moves or transforms with surprising results. To see her paintings in action, visit Kristine’s web site.

Volume Two, The Pocket Paper Engineer

The long-awaited Volume 2 of Carol Barton’s The Pocket Paper Engineer is on it’s way, and will be available in late June. This volume will cover the steps in constructing four glued pop-ups: platforms, props, spirals, and straddles. The book includes ten new projects to be constructed right out of the book, plus lots of photos, ideas, and step-by-step instructions for creating your own pop-ups.

Visit http://www.popularkinetics.com/sales_page.html to place your pre-publication order now!

Santa Fe Radio Cafe Interview

Carol Barton recently was interviewed by Mary-Charlotte Domandi on the public radio member station KSFR in Santa Fe, NM, along with Santa Fe Art Institute director Diane Karp. The half-hour segment covers a wide range of topics ranging from Barton’s work with pop-ups, historical background on artist’s books, and even a few science subjects. To listen to the full interview, go to SantaFeRadioCafe.org

Incredible Paper Sculptures

A number of readers have sent us emails about the paper sculptures of Danish artist Peter Callesen. We’ve been a fan of Callesen’s work for some time; his single-sheet, dreamlike renditions of fairy-tale figures are all the more magical because he works with the simplest of materials. If you’re not familiar with his work, be sure to visit his nicely-designed web site to enjoy a few minutes respite from the workaday world. petercallesen.com

And speaking of castles, Carolyn Hughes reminds us of another pop-up media sighting, Bruce Foster’s animated pop-up book seen as the opening and closing of the Disney movie Enchanted.

Joss Papers

We’ve just returned from China where The Pocket Paper Engineer, Volume 2, is being printed, and one of the things we’re always fascinated by there are the joss papers. Also known as dzi-dzat, these are paper reproductions of commerical objects that are burned as offerings for the dead. Traditional joss papers are silver and gold paper squares. Others take the form of stacks of faux paper money (known as “hell notes”). But these days, all manner of objects are appearing in temple stores: paper cell phones, TV sets, laptops, and even small cars, to be burned in large ovens on site. Pictured above is one of our favorites, a dental kit featuring a paper toothbrush, toothpaste tube, mouthwash bottle and cup.

The tradition of joss papers goes back to feudal China, when printed paper charms and offerings were displayed and burned at auspicious times of the year. For more information on joss papers, visit these sites:

wikepedia.com
latimes.com
library.thinkquest.org