Search results for ""Author PAPERBLANKS""

This captivating image comes from Andrew Lang’s The Olive Fairy Book. Compiled in 1907 by the Scottish poet and anthropologist Andrew Lang, illustrated by Henry Justice Ford and published under the editorial direction of Lang’s wife, Leonora Alleyne, the book was one in a twelve-part series known as Lang’s Fairy Books (or Andrew Lang’s Fairy Books of Many Colours). Each book in the series was named for the colour of its fairy, and this Olive Fairy notebook reproduces the front cover of that book’s first edition. Upon publication, the books were a sensation among British schoolchildren and were sold all around the world. May the Olive Fairy bring a hint of vintage whimsy to your writings.

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Michelangelo Buonarroti’s (1475–1564) mind was an incessant battlefield. The opposing forces of religious faith and pagan beauty warred across his consciousness. They also helped spur him to create a pantheon of artistic masterpieces.Considered one of the masters of the Italian Renaissance, over the course of his lifetime he produced the finest frescoes and many of the most revered sculptures in the world. Michelangelo possessed a genius as severe and uncompromising as it was fertile. He was renowned for his fierce solitude, yet was one of the great chroniclers of the human form. His anatomical studies are haunting in their expressiveness and precision, while his tombs, such as those designed for Julius II and the Medicis, inspire wordless awe and perhaps even dread.This letter, written in Michelangelo’s own hand, demonstrates with every stroke of the pen the refinement and passion of one of the greatest artists humanity has produced. And with the Sistine Chapel’s The Creation of Adam featured on the back cover, the point of creation beautifully bookends this Embellished Manuscript notebook.

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Azulejos (meaning “small polished stone”) are painted, glazed ceramic tiles that date back to 13th-century Portugal where they were used inside buildings during the Gothic period. Today, we see these decorative tiles across a wide range of buildings, from monasteries, palaces and restaurants to bars, railway stations and family homes. The design on the tiles commonly related to the building’s unique history, and the individual pieces often end up forming an elaborate mosaic.There are countless wonderful examples of these beautiful tiles all across Portugal. The design seen here is pulled from the traditional tiles gracing the façades of a variety of old houses in Porto. Ornate in detail, these tiles do not just serve as decoration but represent an important part of Portuguese culture and tradition. Held within are stories of their country and its past.

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Luxuriate in the brass and regal blue tones of this Blue Luxe cover design. The original book, crafted in the heart of Amsterdam in 1715, was bound in goatskin with elaborate gold tooling. Contained inside the volume was the Oratio Dominica (Lord’s Prayer) in almost 150 languages and dialects, compiled by English courtier John Chamberlayne, creating a document of global appeal.The intricate details of this design reflect the tapestry of cultures in its original pages. The translations spanned from Europe and Asia to Arabia, Persia, Syria and Turkey. Chamberlayne, who was a writer and translator, spoke 16 languages himself.Let the many cultures that once lived within this 18th-century binding inspire you against Blue Luxe’s opulent backdrop.

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William Morris (1834–1896) was one of the most celebrated practitioners of the Arts and Crafts movement. He embraced the ideal of craftspeople taking pride in their personal handiwork, as opposed to the dehumanizing onslaught of the Industrial Revolution’s mass production techniques. He famously said that any decoration is futile when it does not remind you of something beyond itself.Morris specialized in the ancient technique of hand woodblock printing to create his textile patterns and sought inspiration for his famous repeating patterns from the natural world and the decorative artists before him. The influence of “millefleurs” tapestries, early prints of herbs and the abundance of exquisite detail in medieval art can be appreciated in his works. His evocations of antique florals and plants have become classics of the decorative arts and were an early inspiration for our journal designs, gracing our covers from the very beginning.

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A man as tormented as he was beloved, Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) overcame a life of extraordinary ups and downs to become a world-renowned playwright, author and poet.Wilde’s work is fraught with the insights of a man who possessed a deep understanding of both the positives and perils of society. Criticized for what was perceived as an “effeminate nature” and oppressed by a largely homophobic world, Wilde remained resilient. He used his experiences to form brilliant, if controversial, literary works, including The Importance of Being Earnest. Today, he is remembered as one of the most influential writers of the Victorian era.

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Behold the majesty of the ancient cathedral of Ely! This striking notebook design comes from the 1830 cover of James Bentham’s The History and Antiquities of the Conventual and Cathedral Church of Ely, an exactingly crafted ode to the magnificence of the cathedral and the ancient curiosities held within its walls.Ely’s rich history begins with the Anglo-Saxon princess Saint Ethelreda, who founded a monastic community in the Cambridgeshire Fens in 673 ad. Over the centuries, the original abbey was built, destroyed and rebuilt in various forms, with today’s cathedral beginning construction in 1083. With architect George Gilbert Scott at the helm, the Ely Cathedral underwent restorations between 1845 and 1870, rebuilding the galilee porch, lady chapel and choir in an exuberant Decorated Gothic style.With such a rich artistic and spiritual history, it is no wonder that the cathedral would inspire James Bentham to dedicate his life’s work to documenting its artifacts. We are honoured to work with the Bodleian Library to celebrate Bentham’s passion project.

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This bookmark features the image of an antique 19th-century Japanese lacquer box. Lacquerware is created by painting tree sap onto treasured objects to protect and enhance them, showcasing the uniquely human ability to create beauty from unlikely sources.

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Harmonious flowers, balanced colours and highly precise details create the eye-catching, high-impact effect of this Japanese kimono design.Originally designed as a costume for the theatrical style known as Noh, our Kara-ori pattern leaves little doubt why Noh is derived from the words for “skill” and “talent.” With silk and gold lacquered stripes, this is one of the best examples of Japanese textile design we have found. It comes from the Edo period (1615–1868) when Noh theatre, known for the sumptuousness of its costumes, was at its height.Noh theatre is one of the world’s oldest performing arts and has been handed down through generations of Japanese composers and performers. The plots draw from legend, history and contemporary events and are structured around song and dance. Though the thematic tone is often poetic yet monotonous, the costumes are anything but. In fact, Noh is often referred to as “mask drama” due to the importance placed on masks and costumes within the form.The term karaori, for which this design is named, refers specifically to the exquisitely embroidered traditional woman’s kimono like the one reproduced here. Karaori are regarded as some of the most beautiful theatrical costumes in the world, thanks in part to the Japanese aristocracy’s embrace of the theatre style – as both viewers and performers.Though Noh is a Japanese art, karaori means “Chinese weave,” as the fabric has its roots in China. And like the costume reproduced in our Peking Opera Embroidery series, this too would have been crafted for a male performer playing a female role. Both the material itself and the pattern shown would have helped tell the story of the character. In this case, the stiff brocade technique created a thick, glossed fabric that would not drape easily – this was used to create an angular effect evoking the spirit of a noblewoman. The flowering grasses depicted served to emphasize the woman’s femininity.By the Meiji period (1868–1912) Noh had reached such heights that it was introduced overseas, influencing artists far and wide. William Butler Yeats, for example, wrote an essay on Noh in 1916 that he titled “Certain Noble Plays of Japan.” And even more contemporarily, David Byrne of the Talking Heads discovered Noh while touring Japan and, according to American music critic Josh Kun, was inspired by the highly stylized, stiff costumes to “design the oversize business suit that became a visual staple of Talking Heads live shows.”Today there are more than 70 Noh theatres throughout Japan and it has been deigned an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. This beautiful example of karaori costuming can be found at the Art Institute of Chicago as part of the Otto C. Deering gift. It is our great pleasure to work with such a gorgeous and culturally important piece of history to craft this Paperblanks design.

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A lifelong artist, Gary Grayson’s affinity for both antique prints and modern graphic design is on display in the digital artwork behind this bookmark. His distinctive style is an eclectic mix of vintage vector, impressionism and pop art.

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Let a swirl of turquoise inspire you to write your chronicles. This cover design is based on the binding for a book titled Chroniques, originally published by Salel Binder in Paris in 1514. The exuberance of the design reflects the splendour of the Renaissance approach to decoration that influenced architecture, art and all facets of cultural life. In the glittering green-blue of this cover you may see the intricacies of your own stories.

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Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) was a Lebanese American writer, poet and artist. He is most famous for his great work, The Prophet – one of the bestselling books of all time. The Prophet, a collection of 26 prose poetry fables, is thematically similar to the theological musings of William Blake, Walt Whitman and Ralph Waldo Emerson, while also being influenced by traditional Arabic writing and modern surrealism.Since its publication in 1923, The Prophet has been translated into more than 100 languages and has never gone out of print. Reproduced for our cover is one of Gibran’s handwritten English drafts of the work, currently held at Princeton University Library’s Special Collections, Manuscripts Division.

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Vincent van Gogh was one of the great Post-Impressionist painters. After admitting himself to the Saint-Paul Asylum following a severe mental health crisis, he recuperated by painting the asylum’s garden. We are honoured to partner with Getty to bring Van Gogh’s stirring Irises study to our collection.

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Let a swirl of turquoise inspire you to write your chronicles. This cover design is based on the binding for a book titled Chroniques, originally published by Salel Binder in Paris in 1514. The exuberance of the design reflects the splendour of the Renaissance approach to decoration that influenced architecture, art and all facets of cultural life. In the glittering green-blue of this cover you may see the intricacies of your own stories.

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Reproducing an original work by designer Pierre Legrain (1889–1929), this cover brings a sense of movement to the heavy geometric elements of its Art Deco influence.Legrain was a key figure in early 20th-century French bookbinding. After leaving the French Army in 1916, Legrain became recognized for his eye for design and was commissioned by Jacques Doucet, a French bibliophile and collector, to create unique bindings for Doucet’s impressive library. Adopting an attitude of experimentation, Doucet encouraged Legrain to be “freely inspired by contemporary artists’ vibrantly coloured mosaics, bold play with geometric forms and straight-lined bands.”

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Tiptoe through the tulips with us as we discover the vibrantly detailed gardens of Gary Grayson’s artistic world.A lifelong artist, Grayson’s affinity for both antique prints and modern graphic design is on display in the digital artworks behind our Nature Montages series. His distinctive style is an eclectic mix of vintage vector, impressionism and pop art – all combined to create a layered and vibrant world. Here, butterflies and birds invite you to explore the garden together, and the bursting blooms bring promises of warm summer days.Grayson is an artist who defies the limitations of genre. May his boundless creativity so inspire your own expressions of imagination.

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Our Safavid Indigo design reproduces a leather filigree pattern incorporating handtooled motifs, retaining the elegance and style of the Islamic Golden Age even in our modern context. Originally released in a classic brown leather look, this new deep blue colour scheme pays tribute to the darkest tone of Persian Blue.

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Reproducing an original work by designer Pierre Legrain (1889–1929), this cover brings a sense of movement to the heavy geometric elements of its Art Deco influence.Legrain was a key figure in early 20th-century French bookbinding but began his career in illustration, theatre design and cabinetmaking. After leaving the French Army in 1916, Legrain became recognized for his eye for design and was commissioned by Jacques Doucet, a French bibliophile and collector, to create unique bindings for Doucet’s impressive library. Adopting an attitude of experimentation, Doucet encouraged Legrain to be “freely inspired by contemporary artists’ vibrantly coloured mosaics, bold play with geometric forms and straight-lined bands.”Legrain’s works, often using exotic materials, have revolutionized the relatively staid world of bookbinding, finding their way into the collections of art and architecture enthusiasts around the world. This modern mosaic design is now proudly a part of the Spencer Collection at The New York Public Library.

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Our Safavid Indigo design reproduces a leather filigree pattern incorporating handtooled motifs, retaining the elegance and style of the Islamic Golden Age even in our modern context. Originally released in a classic brown leather look, this new deep blue colour scheme pays tribute to the darkest tone of Persian Blue.

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This lovely, organic pattern comes from the illustrious carpet-making traditions of the Moldavian people. The earliest known Moldavian carpets can be dated to the late 18th century, though archaeological findings suggest the craft tradition goes back to the 14th- and 15th-century weaving mills of the Moldavian countryside. By mixing ideals of beauty and harmony with folk mysticism and mythology, Moldavian craftspeople elevate everyday carpets to works of spiritual and cultural expression. This particular design comes from a contemporary rug manufacturer, Floare Carpet, who design their floor coverings in the traditional ways.

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This Baroque-inspired cover comes from a 1725 binding of The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio, a masterpiece of Italian literature. Giovanni Boccaccio (1313–1375) was an Italian writer and poet who helped lay the foundations of Renaissance humanism. With its scope from humour to tragedy and its vivid narrative structure, The Decameron – his defining work – remains an affirmation of humanity and moral values even when read today.

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This lovely, organic pattern comes from the illustrious carpet-making traditions of the Moldavian people. The earliest known Moldavian carpets can be dated to the late 18th century, though archaeological findings suggest the craft tradition goes back to the 14th- and 15th-century weaving mills of the Moldavian countryside. By mixing ideals of beauty and harmony with folk mysticism and mythology, Moldavian craftspeople elevate everyday carpets to works of spiritual and cultural expression. Over the centuries, these beautiful, handcrafted carpets have been cherished and passed down through generations, keeping this artistic tradition alive even with the advent of modern technology.This particular design comes from a contemporary rug manufacturer, Floare Carpet, who design their floor coverings in the traditional ways. They originally named this carpet pattern Medina, and its intricate pattern and warm colouring makes it feel both exciting and familiar all at once.We hope this magical carpet will help transport your thoughts and imagination to whole new worlds.

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Published in 1969, Maya Angelou’s coming-of-age memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, was an immediate national bestseller and a critical success. The book, the first in a series that chronicled her early life through the 1960s, helped to establish Angelou (1928–2014) as a major figure in American letters.On this manuscript page from the book, Angelou captures the moment when she and her brother, Bailey, arrived in Arkansas to be raised by their paternal grandmother and presages the personalities that she and Bailey would later develop. We are honoured to partner with The New York Public Library to bring this important document to our Paperblanks collection.

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The kimono pattern that inspired this Hishi softcover Flexi notebook was originally a woodblock print created by Japanese art publishers for theatrical costumes. This genre of artwork, known as “ukiyo-e,” dates to the Edo period (1603–1868), and this particular design was created sometime during the early 1900s.

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New York City’s Chanin Building was built by Irwin S. Chanin in the late 1920s. Representing some of the finest Art Deco in the city, the lobby was styled around a “City of Opportunity” concept. With a geometric design symbolizing human thought and emotion, a bronze ventilator grille from the building is reproduced for this black and gold journal cover.

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Inspired by a 17th-century Italian book binding, our Oceania journal showcases a floral pattern and rosette motif. Book bindings from this period are characterized by the ornamental richness of the cover’s central area. Featuring sweeping tendrils in a centralized diamond shape, this cover is a classic example of the era’s bookbinding style.

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The kimono pattern that inspired this Hishi softcover Flexi notebook was originally a woodblock print created by Japanese art publishers for theatrical costumes. This genre of artwork, known as “ukiyo-e,” dates to the Edo period (1603–1868), and this particular design was created sometime during the early 1900s.

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The kimono pattern that inspired this Hishi softcover Flexi notebook was originally a woodblock print created by Japanese art publishers for theatrical costumes. This genre of artwork, known as “ukiyo-e,” dates to the Edo period (1603–1868), and this particular design was created sometime during the early 1900s.

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Our Arabic Artistry cover design dates to the 17th century, when luxurious Arabic court life helped to inspire a supremely refined design aesthetic. The original binding our Zahra Flexi softcover notebook reproduces is emblematic of an era when books were major investments, used as valuable donations, treasured gifts to heads of state and status symbols.

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Our Blue Velvet journal design is inspired by a piece of a 15th-century velvet dalmatic. It is decorated in brocaded gilt metal thread with a seven-lobed shield, an artichoke-like botanical shape and tiny floral patterns. Creating a velvet design such as this would have been a painstaking procedure, making this a luxury fabric during the Renaissance.

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Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, physicist, futurist and engineer. This journal features a sketch of his turbine research, reproducing a document held in the Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade. Today, Tesla’s legacy endures mostly notably in Tesla, Inc., which specializes in electric vehicles, solar panels and lithium-ion batteries.

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Discover Gary Grayson’s vibrantly detailed gardens in this Moon Garden journal design. A lifetime artist, Grayson’s affinity for both antique prints and modern graphic design is on display in this book cover. Grayson is an artist who defies the limitations of genre. May his boundless creativity so inspire your own expressions of imagination.

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Our Paperblanks Mystique soft cover notebook is inspired by a cover said to have been designed by Le Gascon, a legendary but little-known 17th-century bookbinder. The original cover that inspired this Flexi journal was made of red Moroccan leather embossed and gilded with rosettes, spirals and dotted lines.

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Taking their slightly sullen cues from previous artistic movements, the New Romantics of the 1980s brought their hairstyles and attitudes to new prominence. Our Midnight Rebel journal celebrates the drama that made the New Romantic movement some of the most ironic good times popular culture has ever had.

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Olena Skytsiuk is one of the foremost practitioners of Ukrainian Petrykivka painting, a technique in which brushes crafted from cat hairs are used to create a visual effect unlike any other. In each design, like that reproduced on this Moonlight journal cover, thousands of small brush strokes combine to create miniature landscapes and floral scenes.

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Olena Skytsiuk is one of the foremost practitioners of Ukrainian Petrykivka painting, a technique in which brushes crafted from cat hairs are used to create a visual effect unlike any other. In each design, like that reproduced on this Dayspring journal cover, thousands of small brush strokes combine to create miniature landscapes and floral scenes.

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Capturing the flavour of finely wrought Renaissance-style leather bindings, Paperblanks Midnight Steel Address Book pays homage to the craft of delicate gold tooling, originally introduced to Europe via the flourishing trade routes to the East. The timeless beauty of an antique leather binding is brought into the present on the cover of this deep blue book.

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This satin black Nova Stella Nox journal, with its central star shape, exerts an emotional pull like the North Star. The free space around the focal object is as important as the ornamentation, just as deep space is part of what makes stars so inspiring. Let this Paperblanks book design guide your imagination into a universe of possibilities.

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The boundless dreams of childhood are within reach in the enchanting works of Victor Nizovtsev, such as the painting reproduced on our Imagination journal cover. The artist’s stated hope is that his paintings “will give people a small taste of their childhood and will inspire their own stories.”

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In our Your Move journal, we feature a classical character from children’s literature drawn by artist Tim Bowers. With his timeless use of colour and line, Bowers captures the charm of iconic characters from folk and fairy tales. One is never too old or too young to enjoy playtime and the company of legendary characters.

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The 20th-century Canadian artist Alistair Macready Bell is revered for his moody, expressionistic woodprints. An Alistair Bell work is instantly recognisable for its angularity, bold tones and innovative use of natural textures. Paperblanks Mooring journal reflects the characteristic attention to line and internal rhythm of this celebrated printmaker.

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The 20th-century Canadian artist Alistair Macready Bell is revered for his moody, expressionistic woodprints. A gifted student of wild places, Bell travelled the world to sketch boats, birds and animals. Paperblanks Solitary Oryx journal reflects the characteristic angularity, attention to line and internal rhythm of this celebrated printmaker.

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This Paperblanks Silver Filigree Aubergine journal cover was originally designed in Germany in the early 1800s. To achieve the gilded motif, a base layer of silver sheets was first die cut, and elaborate grooves were then etched into its surface. Our silver and deep purple notebook celebrates the technique of filigree, an art form that is a testament to the human drive to ornament.

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William Shakespeare (1564–1616), long considered the greatest of English writers, left few traces of his handwriting. The banned play Sir Thomas More (1595) was written and revised by five different playwrights, of whom scholars now believe Shakespeare to be one. The handwritten manuscript on this Paperblanks journal cover portrays his passionate defence of refugees and displaced people.

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Only the artists of Persia’s Safavid Dynasty (1501–1722) could have produced the bookbinding masterwork that inspired this cover artwork. Commissioned by one of the art-minded Safavid princes of Shiraz, the design seen on Paperblanks Shiraz journal was initially crafted from embossed, gilded and handpainted black goatskin, and overlaid with delicate gold filigree.

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The Lindau Gospels’ bindings were designed to inspire awe when the book was carried in processions or displayed on an altar. Paperblanks Lindau journal depicts the back cover of this bookmaking masterwork, created near Salzburg between 750 and 800 AD. It was tooled in gilt, silver and enamel and adorned with jewels, making for a powerful manifestation of art as a vehicle for belief.

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Combining the Latin words “filum” (thread) and “granum” (seed), silver “filigree” describes an art form that is achieved by first die cutting a base layer of silver sheets and then meticulously etching elaborate grooves into its surface. The binding pattern seen on Paperblanks Silver Filigree Blush Pink journal is inspired by a 1697 French binding of Johann Arndt’s Paradiesgärtlein.

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Ancient spiritual practices meet modern digital art in the work of Android Jones. His art asks the viewer to focus on the potential for awakening, the power of the third eye and the early reverberations of the time that lies before us. With colours both psychedelic and hyper-modern, and imagery combining Eastern iconography with a science fiction aesthetic, Jones is an artist who draws on old traditions and those yet to be born.

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