Three Links Worth Viewing

I've been saving a few links that might interest you .This one  from the colossal.com blog is about   book arts and it fascinated me. Here is their description:

"This blog has seen it’s fair share of pop-up books, and animation using paper, but this might be the first where everything comes together in a single piece. Revolution is an animated short by photographer Chris Turner, paper engineer Helen Friel and animator Jess Deacon that explores the life cycle of a single drop of water through the pages of an elaborate pop-up book. The book contains nine scenes that were animated using 1,000 photographic stills shot over the course of a year. (via faith is torment)"

http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2013/02/revolution-the-lifecycle-of-water-told-in-a-stop-motion-pop-up-book

Over at  Princeton University   Stephen Ferguson is doing an excellent job of researching bookplates in their book collections.

"An in-progress registry of provenance, bindings, annotations, and other evidence for book history from the rare book collections at Princeton

http://blogs.princeton.edu/notabilia/2013/02/12/bookplate-luton-library/

Over at Shared Shelf Commons institutional collections from around the world have been digitized .
This is a very useful reference tool.The site is overwhelming and should probably be bookmarked.
That's what I did several weeks ago   and I have not looked at it since then. Shame on me.

http://goo.gl/bKCBC

I figure there are about 200 bookplate collectors in the U.S. .Within  that group perhaps ten people at most are interested  in 18th century American bookplates.With that thought in mind I have digitized about 30 18th century and early 19th century bookplates currently for sale. They range in price from $40.00 to $150.00 .
 If you send me an email I will be glad to send scans and prices.

Bookplatemaven@hotmail.com

And The Winner Is

I want to thank everyone who participated in the humorous bookplate contest. There were many fine entries and the selection was not easy.
The winner is Muriel Frega.

This was the third contest I've had in seven years..The first in 2007 was a bizarre bookplate contest .The winner was Nina Allen and this was her entry.

The second contest in 2009 was about a bookplate tattoo .
 Contestants were asked to insert a caption for the blank line shown below.

The winner was Keith Sheid and his entry was  The College of Arms.
I would like to have another contest  in about six months but I could use some help.If you have any suggestiosn for a bookplate contest please send me an email

Bookplatemaven@hotmail.com

This is a brief posting so I will be back again on Tuesday or Wednesday .
See you soon.

Bookplate Artists From Around The World ,John Watson

  

I have hardly been involved at all in making bookplates until recently, though I’ve long been fascinated by them.  Since my own work has always gravitated towards small graphic forms, exlibris do seem a natural extension of this. 

Most of the bookplates I’ve done to date have been as gifts for family and friends.

Ex Libris Rebecca Watson

For my daughter - obsessed with reading practically from birth!

Ex Libris Josephine and Raymond Morgan

A bookplate created for old and dear friends. Somewhere in the night sky are the constellations of their respective star signs.

'Ex Libris Solstizio D’Estate

A bookplate entered for a competition in Italy – one of the first I entered. There is an annual calendar of competitions worldwide for all types of small graphic forms, many open to artists anywhere.'

Ex Libris Pascal Belin

This one a commission, for my daughter’s PhD supervisor on completion of her doctorate. Professor Belin’s area of research is the perception of sound in the brain.

Ex Libris Gabriella Stewart

A gift for a friend’s daughter. A pair, celebrating her twin enthusiasms for basketball and climbing.

Note From Lew.

Here is a link to John's website where you can see the full range of his portfolio.

http://www.jawatson.co.uk/

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The Humorous Bookplate Contest Ends February 13th

Entry #9

Please find attached my entry for the competition. Much like your correspondent Evan Sullivan, not sure if this comes across as directly humorous, though the intent was to amuse. Also strictly speaking not from my collection, but was designed by me for a friend. An avid reader and tea fiend, she also has a ‘thing’ about pigs (which I can understand – there’s more to pigs than meets the eye).

Kind regards

John    Watson          

Entry#10

From Richard Schimmelpfeng

 Roughly: Translated -You steal my book, see what happens to you. 

 Artist is Heinrich Nernst

            

Bookplate Artists From Around The World, Muriel Frega

Muriel Frega sent me this information about the bookplates she recently designed.

If you wish to contact Muriel Frega here is her email address.

MurielFrega (at)yahoo.com.ar

Last year ( and the year before) I worked very little in making bookplates. I dedicated most of my time to finishing some comic projects. Anyway, bookplate production didn't completely stop .

Opus 118 was made for Andrew Peake. When I was coloring that work, I realized that I´ve made very few bookplates for women. When I decided to finish the ones previously started I realized that many of them were gifts for friends.

Opus 111,  was made for Juana´s birthday. Luckily we have birthdays every year so the bookplate could accomplish it´s role as a gift on 2012, ( I promised it for 2010) Guess what´s Juana´s favorite food and drink...

Opus 115, Lourdes Pertierra looking for the right man. When doing this one I planned to make it with rubber stamps, or mix techniques and add a printing detail. But so far, special papers that work well with both inks are still in the testing process

Opus 116, Martha, whose words, written and spoken sometimes are hard as a bomb. It´s different when you get to know her.

Opus 117, Nat Alias, a nickname for Natalia. Again depicting the relationship between women and men.

And Opus 119, Marisa, a friend who cooks great! She really loves doing that and puts all her love in making food. I worked without textures in this one.

I usually order the opus numbers as the final sketch is done or when the work is halfway through. It´s messy sometimes because sometimes I finish first the last works and some remain unfinished for months... maybe years. That happened in this series of bookplates: Andrew´s bookplate was finished in three months time, and Juana´s took 2 years ( looks simpler but reaching a synthesis sometimes is not that easy)

Notes From Lew- 

If you want to contact Muriel Frega here is her Email address

MurielFrega (at)yahoo.com.ar

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The Clock is ticking. 

 If you want to enter the Humorous Bookplate Contest, stop procrastinating.

The contest ends February 13th

At the end of the contest the judges ( Mary & Lew Jaffe) will select the winner. .

The winner will receive an inscribed  hardbound copy of all blog postings for 2012.

Please submit one bookplate from your own collection. I am not expecting many entries because humorous bookplates are atypical.  That works in your favor if you have something to submit..

Send a scan of your  entry to

Bookplatemaven@hotmail.com

See you next Sunday.

February 3rd Events

On Sunday February 3rd millions of Americans will be watching The Super Bowl.
.
I prefer watching Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl.

 Here is a preview film clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kW1WEcirxl8

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On Sunday February 3rd there will be a book show in Philadelphia.

Location: The Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown Hotel, 201 North 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
Hours: 10am-4pm.
Admission: Adults: $6, Youths 12-21: $3, Under 12: free w/Adult, plenty of parking both on-site and across street.
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On Sunday February 3rd  I will be back with my regular posting.

See you then.