While chillin’ in the ATL over spring break, I insisted we visit a flea market, a fixture of the south not so abundant in the north. So, I consulted GoogleMaps and found “My Favorite Place” which we visited for an afternoon of boyish scrounging. We came across a lot of fun stuff there, including a cast iron pan we re-claimed from the depths of rusty inactivity, but the best find of the day, in my opinion, was this handmade, rosewood and brass square. As you may know, I love tools, especially beautifully handcrafted, and obviously well used, ones with character dripping off of them. This particular tool will come in handy in my bookwork, as well as pretty much anything else in the shop. Its a perfect size for just tossing in a bag, and I am excited to use it as much as the owner before me did, and hopefully pass it down someday. There is something really exciting to me about this thing carrying the history of the person that made it, and everything it helped create. (more…)
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
It has recently occurred to me that one of the biggest reasons I am a Book Arts Concentrator may be as an excuse to own a slew of nice, bookmaking tools. Though I have used many a utility knife in my day and borrowed a few from my father, I had never bought my own. So, realizing that a proper book makers kit needed one, I set about shopping around to find a good knife I can keep with me, hopefully forever. I settled on the Bessey D-BKWH Quick-Change Folding Utility Knife, with the hard wood handle of course. I figured I would post up some large, detailed images of it and write a quick review to help anyone who may be shopping around in the utility knife department. (more…)
Thursday, February 5, 2009
This is my latest project for my Artist’s Books class. The assignment was to bind together atleast 8 of something at a single point. Usually, this style of binding ends up functioning like a booklet of paint swatches, fanning out to be read. My book is all about the tools I use to create; it is both a reaction to my being the only male in my book arts class and people who assume design is synonymous with digital.
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