Book Autopsies: A collection

The dissection of books.

Creating fonts

So this is how to create a new font. To be tried this weekend.

Alphabetic Representation

The use of animal names to create images of the animals themselves: Bembo’s Zoo by de Cumptich.

Typewriting Resources (This week’s research)

To keep a record of three resources I need to explore as soon as possible, here they are:

1. The papers of the Society for Promoting the Training of Women (1859-1991) held at Girton College, Cambridge.
2. The Pocknell Collection of shorthand books in Exeter Central Library.
3. Literary Secretaries/Secretarial Culture by Leah Price and Pamela Thurschwell. Ashgate, 2005.

Projects and new ways to publish

So as one project has drawn to a close and another project has gone full throttle, a new project is coming into its own. This new project, which I am not going to go into more detail about yet, but which is looking to be incredibly interested, may be able to use other types of publishing for its results and so I was interested to read this article on how to create and distribute podcasts today.

Alphabet learning: The Gorey way

Of the many strange and wonderful things that have come down through my family, an Edward Gorey book is one of my most treasured. The gothic nature of childhood is wonderfully etched out through The Gorey Alphabet, which is just as dark as it sounds. Thanks to Fredrik Hyltén-Cavallius at admatem.org for putting it on-line.

Update: This weekend went to Gosh, a great comic book store just opposite the British Museum, which has an enormous collection of Gorey books. Although they do not sell online, I would recommend buying anything they recommend – seriously great shop.

Identity systems

I am currently working on the rebranding of the Design History Society and was fascinated to see the new identity system that has been designed for Rem Koolhaas’ Casa da Música by Stefan Sagmeister.

Patterned obsession: Ramon Sola

After seeing two paintings of the Annunciation by Ramon Sola (not the comic book artist but the fifteenth century catalan painter, c. 1431-1494) in the Treasury of Girona Cathedral, I tried to track down any image I could find of the patterns he used on the Virgin’s cloaks over which I have been obsessing. This proved more difficult than I thought but I eventually found them this week.

Design Manifestos

A collection of manifestos from 50 designers, architects and curators, including Peter Saville, Zaha Hadid, Peter Eisenman, Foreign Office Architects, the ever fabulous Committee, Hussein Chalayan and curator Paola Antonelli, in Icon, the design and architecture magazine. [Via Kottke.]

Flocking

Following on from previous posts about wallpaper, an area of interest as the result of an obsession with pattern in all its manifestations, I learnt today that not only is there the European Flock Association, but also an American Flock Association and a Japanese Flock Association.

My colleague, Kirsten Hardie, has curated an exhibition called Flockage: The Flock Phenomenon, which runs from 15 January-2 June 2008, at The Russell Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, Bournemouth. Dorset. She is also organising a symposium on Flock in February 2008. For further information, contact her here.