Leather bookbinding: Pictorial Webster’s…

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout

Saw this at Prof. Jim Escalante’s Book Arts Class page, and had to share. It’s the (re)making of the old Pictorial Webster’s. I want one! Or make one. Great inspiration for the new leather-bound book I’m making now (prototypes for showing my students how to make their own leatherbound journal for this upcoming spring semester at UW!).

Actually, saying this is inspiring is an understatement. I want to be there in that printshop and just hold those 19th century engravings–the actual blocks– in my hands, and smell the leather covers….

Anyway, enjoy!

Pictorial Webster’s: Inspiration to Completion from John Carrera on Vimeo.

And at YouTube

Zoology and Art History….

Now, studying for Zoology exam (and making a series of linos based on a “study guide” of the scientific classification or taxonomy of animals in this class. I think). More on this soon, as I have to draw them out today!

And then there’s my wonderful (though super-time-consuming) art history class on Japanese Monstrosity…

Utagawa Kuniyoshi
(1797-1861) Japanese artist working in the Edo period.

Working out an outline for art history paper about Kuniyoshi. Check out the google image search. Doesn’t get much better than this for woodcuts (although he didn’t actually do the cutting, he did the drawing–he was “the artist” …so yeah, he had amazing woodcut carvers at his disposal). His imagination and draftmanship and sense of fun are out of this world. His drawing ability just blows me away. Sooooo inspiring.

Octopus Games, 1840-42
Full image here.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

and more Utagawa Kuniyoshi. My new hero. Such an amazing draw-er.

The Ghosts
c. 1850. Triptych, each sheet 14″ by 9.5″

Takiyasha the Witch and the Skeleton Spectre