PANTONE The 20th Century in Color

We caught a glimpse of the upcoming book, PANTONE The 20th Century in Color and are already salivating. The book traverses 100 years of color – from the Pale Gold (15-0927 TPX) and Almost Mauve (12-2103 TPX) of the 1900 Universal Exposition in Paris to the Rust (18-1248 TPX) and Midnight Navy (19-4110 TPX) of the countdown to the Millennium.

Longtime Pantone collaborators and color gurus Leatrice Eiseman and Keith Recker identify more than 200 touchstone works of art, products, décor, and fashion, and carefully match them with 80 different official PANTONE color palettes to reveal the trends, radical shifts, and resurgences of various hues. Color lovers rejoice and pre-order because we’re sure you’ll want this book! For an inside look, click here.

August 19, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

Book Review: Paper Cutting

The art of paper cutting is experiencing a renaissance as emerging artists continue pushing the boundaries of what a single sheet can do. Paper Cutting: Contemporary Artists, Timeless Craft has gathered works from 26 designers from around the globe, aligning today’s news with a historical roundup. “Paper cutting puts us in touch with the need to ‘make,’ to use our hands creatively and escape the pixelated imagery that is everywhere in our screen-dominated lives.” Pick up a copy of this fantastic book and before you know it, you’ll be reaching for a pair of scissors.

August 11, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

Shadowfolds: Geometric Designs in Fabric

Origami and textiles merge beautifully in Shadowfolds: Surprisingly Easy-to-Make Geometric Designs in Fabric, an exciting book by origamist Jeff Rutzky and artist Chris K. Palmer.

Shadowfolds are intricate designs in fabric derived from a rich blend of traditional motifs, such as Moorish tile and classic Japanese origami, expressed in a contemporary style and evolved to utilize the unique capabilities of fabric. The technique, pioneered by artist Chris K. Palmer, uses classic geometric patterns to create works of art in fabric from a single, uncut panel of cloth using a simple, three-step process.

Some applications use light against fiber, while others reveal the depth and richness of the folds. In addition to explaining the three very simple steps of the technique, the authors show how even novice folders can create breathtaking works of textile art, as well as fashion-forward clothes, accessories and home furnishings by incorporating these three-dimensional embellishments.

For more imagery, visit Burda Style

August 6, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

Book Review: Type Player 2

If you’re a typography fiend who loves the unexpected, you’ll want a copy of Type Player 2. Shunning the boring and predictable, the featured designers look to unconventional mediums to enliven type creations, playing with dimension, perspective, and motion. Sometimes the designers literally create type designs out of thin air – one project uses photo documentation of light in motion to form a T, while another manipulates the shape of the sky between skyscrapers to capture letters in the negative spaces.

Unusual materials used to create type design include Rubik’s cubes, feathers, electrical cords, and used plastic bags. Indeed, if you’re looking for inspiration, the each project is sure to ignite your imagination.

July 28, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

Color Moves: Art & Fashion by Sonia Delaunay

Painter, textile and stage designer Sonia Delaunay was a heroine of early modernist art and design. The Cooper-Hewitt Museum recently held a show covering the prolific artist’s work with an emphasis on her textile and fashion designs.

If you missed the exhibition, saw it and loved it or are simply a fan of Delaunay, the book chronicling the artist’s work, Color Moves: Art & Fashion by Sonia Delaunay might just be a dream come true for you.

A delicious feast for the eyes, rhe book includes more than 300 images of her drawings, paintings, designs and photographs, as well as elucidating essays written by Delaunay scholars. Snap one up for your favorite art, fashion, textile and color lover.

Montage via File under Fiber

July 21, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

Book Review: Hand Drawn Maps

Many of us have drawn a one-off map on a spare piece of paper. On it’s own, it appears to be little more than scratch, however as a collection, these hand-drawn maps take on a life of their own. Kris Harzinski created the Hand Drawn Map Association for exactly this reason, collecting and exploring the charm and mysteries behind these ephemera-intended creations. From Here to There celebrates these delicate documents that are customarily forgotten or tossed aside after having served their purpose and turns them into artifacts with their stories unlocked.

The book is divided into six varieties – directional maps, found maps, fictional maps, artful maps, maps of unusual places and explanatory maps – all with accompanying stories and notes about the creation process. The maps featured in From Here to There are as varied and touching as the stories they tell and, combined, create a fascinating collective. Click here to purchase. For more imagery, click here.

July 14, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik