Where art and pop-ups collide

In my latest Movable Stationary [Vol 20, No. 1, 02/12], newsletter from the Movable Book Society, there's a column called Poppits filled with interesting information plucked by Ellen Rubin - The Popup Lady - from around the paper engineering world.  One of the items was subtitled "New Artists' Books" and I was intrigued.

Tauba Auerbach, an artist, published in conjunction with Printed Matter, a 6 volume set titled [2,3] that are signed and numbered [only 1000 were printed] and it is sold out!

Auerbach engineered 6 geometric shapes to pop-up, one as much as 18", before laying flat.  Each are full of color and a great example of when art and pop-ups collide.  A yummy treat, but there are no more to be had and at $550 each, it was a steep price to pay.

Another example of this type of pop-up which also happens to be available and more affordable is the A Pop-up Book for Children of All Ages (Classic Collectible Pop-Up) series by David Carter.  As I own a few and often gift them to others, I talked about them during my recent week of pop-up love.

A work of art, a game and, well, it is actually so much more...

... it's One Red Dot by David A Carter's, A Pop-Up Book for Children of All Ages series!

These books, 5 thus far, are simply wonderful for all people to play with and enjoy.

After turning a page, the imagine-filled work explodes open with a burst of color and activity, and the reader must find a particular item* located somewhere within the piece.  It is a 3D, 360 degree search and not always as easy as you think it would be.

What's hidden throughout the pages is what each book in the series is titled.  In the case to the right, it's *One Red Dot, but others are Blue 2, Yellow Square, 600 Black Spots and White Noise.

Imaginative fun with books is there for all ages, pop-up books in particular.  This week of indulging my love for paper engineering feats I've shared the non-fiction and history of, fairytales and poetry, and finally the silly yet practicale fun to be had with a good pop-up and that was just 5 books.  I have so many more sitting on my shelves that are interseting and am always open to acquiring another - can't wait to see what pop's up on the horizon!

There is beauty in swinging and pulling, yet all is...

... calm in Fishing for the Moon and other Zen stories pop-up by Lulu Hansen.

Not all 3D books need to have elaborate happenings to make them enjoyable, it really does depend on the text itself as to what type of mechnical magic brings a sparkle to a pop-up.

In A Rock in Your Head page to the right, the rock above the gentleman in blue's head actually strated out closer to the edge of the page.  As the page is opened, it has a wonderful shooting action that sends the meaning to the viewer that the missile is about to hit his head.  I won't go into the meaning of the story, but suffice it to say he had the wrong answer and went back inside for more training.

This pop-up is wonderfully constructed, each device to bring the magic was well chosen, and is one I've gifted to others.  It's a peaceful, thoughtful, book with beautiful illustrations.

Delicate and yet sturdy, pretty and still mechanically inclined...

... I'm talking about Cinderella, the pop-up book by Matthew Reinhart.

The reins are silver ribbon and the wings on the fairy godmother are thin, clear, painted plastic.  The carriage resembles a pumpkin, but your eye can't help but go to the rat peeking through the window in the corner packet.  When it's opened, the pesky beast turns into a jolly coachman and is swiftly followed with another page turn and lizards become footmen.

That is a brief explanation of just one page this book.  Both Reinhart and Sabuda are known to offer a cornucopia of paper engineering and story details that entertains with every page in each of their books - they are a must have for every pop-up lover.

Allow me to introduce you to the first true self-erecting...



Photo borrowed from The Popuplady

 ... pop-up!

S. Louis Giraud [1879-1950], a newspaper publicist, entered the world of movable books with a page-activated, 360 degree, 3D paper constructions.  While collaborating with Theordore Bown, an inventor of optical entertainments - pop-ups as we know them today - were included in the 1929 Daily Express Children's Annual.

Where did I learn this fabulous information?

From A Celebrat10n of Pop-Up and Movable Books, published in 2004 by the Movable Book Society as a Special Limited Edition.  It's a must have for the paper engineer lover as a wonderful fount of information on the development of over 700 years of pop-ups.  The book is difficult to find, but if you stumble across one, pick it up and enjoy.

This year the Movable Book Society holds its 9th Biennial Conference in Salt Lake City, UT [September 27-29] and if you're in the area, go and be enthralled by the magic that happens between the covers of a book!

How did you start the day?

I woke up this morning and, after mentally noting what I needed to do today, I remembered it was President's Day, I thought about Robert Sabuda's America the Beautiful pop-up.

Why?

Well, besides truly adoring my pop-up collection, I thought there was one of Mount Rushmore in the book - which has Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln - and went to see if I was right.  I was, but the doubt is always there I think because they aren't in date order, if they were, then Lincoln would come before Roosevelt.

Weird hang up, I know, but there it is and the result makes me query who are the four presidents on Mount Rushmore.

Anyway, Happy President's Day!

Want to make a spectacular book?

Then maybe one of Carol Barton's classes, where you learn to make your own pop-up and sculptural books, is in your neighborhood.  Here's her 2011 calendar:

June 11, Free Family Day Workshop, National Building Museum, Washington, D.C., http://www.nbm.org/families-kids

May 7- 8, Pop-Up Workshop, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, [412-261-7003]http://www.contemporarycraft.org/

May 16 - 27, Paper Engineering Workshop, Paper and Book Intensive, Oxbow, Michigan, http://www.paperbookintensive.org/

June 24 - 25, Carousel and Tunnel Book Workshops, Focus on Book Arts Conference, Forest Grove, Oregon (near Portland), Pacific University Campus, http://www.focusonbookarts.org/

July 31 - August 6, Sculptural Books, Arrowmont School of Crafts, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, http://www.arrowmont.org/

Fun, fun, fun!

Meggendorfer Prize 2010 Goes to...

ABC3D by Marion Bataille, A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Book Press!

The prize is awarded every two years at the Movable Book Society Convention to a paper engineer for "outstanding pop-up and movable book published" [1] over the previous two years.

Do you have a youngster learning their ABC's?  Maybe a pop-up lover?  Enjoy unique books?  Then check this out:



Told you it was fun!