Fuck Yeah, Book Arts!

fer1972:

Hand Drawn Traveller Map of London by Wellington’s Travel

unhistorical:

September 21, 1937: The Hobbit is published.

J.R.R.Tolkien’s classic children’s novel turns 75 years old today. The book begins with the line “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit”, a sentence which, according to Tolkien, came to him spontaneously while marking papers. The first edition dust jacket was designed by the author himself, who also provided the black and white illustrations. Since 1937, The Hobbit has been translated into over forty languages and sold tens of millions of copies. The initial print of 1,500 copies ran out in three months, and response was unanimously favorable. Tolkien’s close friend and fellow fantasy author C.S. Lewis wrote in The Times Literary Supplement: ”Prediction is dangerous: but The Hobbit may well prove a classic.”

Perhaps The Hobbit’s greatest legacy was not the book itself but the sequel that was published seventeen years later - the far more complex first volume of The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring. Urged on by his publishers, who wished to make the most out of the smashing success that was The Hobbit, Tolkien worked on his sequel slowly and deliberately through the years of World War II and after. Both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings brought the popularity of fantasy literature to new heights and established Tolkien as the “father” of modern high fantasy. 

naturalshocks:

Today’s forecast: hobbity with a chance of incineration. 

Graphite pencils, coloured pencils, fineliner and coffee in Moleskine sketchbook.

cabinporn:

From our library:

Finding Your Way Without Map or Compass

Life in the woods invites a keener awareness in all of us and over decades of research and adventure, Harold Gatty elevated this awareness to an art, assembling what is easily the most exhaustive and engaging book ever written on wilderness pathfinding.

From the shape of anthills, to the color of clouds, to the habits of sea birds, Gatty’s methods of navigation are diverse and ingenious, each one a tiny reminder of how clearly the natural world speaks to us, if we’re willing to listen.

Tunnel Map by Carol Barton

Silkscreened tunnel book, 7 1/2” diameter x 10”, edition of 150

DIY Map Scrapbook (by Martha Stewart)

Relive your favorite travel memories by creating keepsakes from your family vacation photos, souvenirs, postcards, and other memorabilia.

Give the maps that guided you to favorite destinations a second life in a scrapbook. The printed papers become colorful and fitting backdrops for vacation mementos (and using them is easier than folding the map itself).

Hand bound book with a paper cover, made from a two plate copper etching. edge coloured in acrylic, with a leather case. (By Louisa Boyd)

(Source: Flickr / louisaboyd)

farewell-kingdom:

Fernando Vicente, Atlas

farewell-kingdom:

Kate MccGwire, Insular, 50 Layers of paper, burnt

DIY Woven Notebook Tutorial (Using a Vintage Map) by Ruby Murray