Masterclass Leather Decoration

Weeks ago I took a masterclass Leather Decoration from Benjamin Elbel. It was such a great course and I wanted to tell you all about it weeks ago ... but time was flying sooo fast ....

It was a two day masterclass. The first day we prepared the leather and the second day we made a cover for a notebook with one of the finished pieces of leather.

We started with a thin piece of suede and tissue paper. After pressing and drying we sanded and sanded the layers until we were satisfied with the result. You can play with the color of the suede, the color of the tissue paper and the patterns you press in the layers. Also the way and the duration of sanding gives an extra effect. At the end of the day we put our drudgery in the press and we went home with a head spinning of ideas.

The second day we peeled the suede from the cardboard, it felt smooth, thin and easy to handle. Benjamin had asked us to bring a notebook as a base for a book wrap. After a day of hard work, lots of measuring and of course a lot of fun, we finished our book wraps. I am really happy with mine, I love the color, texture and I will make a bunch of refills, so I can use the wrap forever.

Working with leather and suede is new for me, and I really love it! I bought some leather and suede and at the moment I am working on a new product line. Just follow my blogs, newsletters, Facebook or Instagram for updates.

Laser Cutting ++

Molly M designs takes laser cutting to the next level. Wow! was the first thing that came in mind when I saw her designs. Multilayered, beautiful use of colors and refined. According to Molly McGrath good design is "a synthesis of a good concept, elegant or creative form, interesting use of material, attention to details and connections, and thoughtful consideration of use".

A great inspiration for her are pattern and form, including botanical morphology, textile design, building geometries and optical illusions. In Particular, Molly was and is inspired by Morocco. The patterns and colors of a rug bought in the High Atlas mountains were , for example, a base for a jewelry collection. She doesn't only produce jewelry, such as earrings and necklaces, but also coasters, leather pouches and most beautiful of all laser cuts prints for on the wall.

The focus of Molly M designs is on ethical material sourcing, accessible pricing and conceptual integrity. The designs are made from sustainable materials, such as bamboo, birch from responsibly farmed forests, wool salvaged from surplus army clothing, suede, leather, fabric, paper and even scraps from local cabinetmakers.

What inspires me most in this design is the layering. Not simply a cut out form, but several stacked layers, complementing each other strongly.

Want to see more of Molly's design, you can find more information at her website.

Prien's Newsletter about your own logo at your notebook

Last week's newsletter was all about your own logo at personalized notebooks, binders and other stationery. Although it is in Dutch, I didn't want to withhold it.

If you want to receive Prien's newsletter on a regular base, you can subscribe at Prien's website.

Beautiful photography by Zack Seckler

Seeing these photos makes me greedy ... imagine one - or more :) - at my living room wall ...

More information and other stunning and sometimes funny photos at www.zackseckler.com

Paper Art by Maude White

... sometimes you see things that just make you speechless ... the paper art of Maude White is such a thing; white, delicate and fairylike.

 Maude started cutting paper as a way to communicate to the observer what her words could not do effectively. She feels that if she peels the paper back, the outer superficial layer of our vision reveals the secret space beneath. The negative space tells it own story.

What appeals me most in Maude's story is her great respect for paper. She sees the paper as something strong, reliable and constant. Paper is everywhere and it has been telling stories for centuries. By respecting and honoring paper Maude feels like she is communicating some of the pleasure it brings her.

In an interview with Ted Baker Maude says that the longest she ever worked on a piece was a month - but not full time -. Working is a kind of a meditative exercise, so she don't exactly knows how long she works on each piece. Each fine line and swirl has been meticulously sliced out with a sharp knife and a steady hand.

She is inspired by illustrators such as Maxfield Parrish, Arthur Rackham and Gustave Dore, illustrators from the end of the 19th century.

You can buy Maude's art at Etsy.

Edible Books

A few weeks ago I made small edible booklets from marzipan and fondant. When the fondant was still soft my logo could easily be pressed in the cover. These miniature books, as sweet as honey, were a great success at the networking event where everyone had to take something eatable to represent his or her company. Besides that it was fun making these books and receiving a lot of eatable gifts from other entrepreneurs, it also brought me into a new world; the world of edible books. 

Books are made from paper, ink and cardboard, so my first search was targeted at these 'ingredients'.

•  Edible paper, also known as ouwel/wafer is made from potato starch, vegetable oil and water. The manufacturer can add flavours, colours and the thickness can be adjusted. It is also possible to print with edible ink
• Books are often sewn with thread, a quick search yielded several edible ropes. For example dried Japanese Japanese bottle gourd or ropes from the fibers of nettles.

This is only a very short enumeration of the possibilities. Each project requires its own ingredients.

In my search I found several interesting examples;

1. The Land Rover survival guide. The basic idea of this book is that the owner can survive in the Arabian Dessert. It describes which animals and plants one can eat, but not only the content helps one to survive, also the book itself. The packaging is reflective, so it can be used for signaling, the metal spiral of the binding can be used for cooking and last but not least ... people can eat the book. The nutritional value is close to that of a cheeseburger. This book was first printed in limited edition, but soon it became a hit and now there are 70,000 books in circulation ... how many have been eaten ... no one knows :)
   
   
   
2. Design and inoovations agency Korefe made a cookbook that can actually be read and eaten. The book is made out of fresh pasta and can be opened an read. Afterwards you can fill it with ingredients and put it in the oven.
   
   
   
3. The Dutch cook, Pierre Wind, made an edible book from ouwel/wafer, marzipan and licorice laces called Doekoe voor boekids.
   
   
   

Do you have a special example of edible books or ingredients, don't hesitate to let us know in a comment.
Looking for a special book? Prien is always in for an adventure. Please contact me, so we can discuss the possibilities.

Prien's Diary

Looking for a structured live, an empty head, and just happy thoughts. A diary might help!

An old fashioned diary, for all your (secret) thoughts, ideas, dreams, jokes, sorrows and unforgettable memories. Sometimes when you write, your subconsciousness just runs off, and your hand keeps writing the most beautiful unexpected ideas.

A diary is not only for writing, you can also draw and sketch in it. Sometimes an image can say more than a thousand words, or your words need some visual back-up.

In these days of computers, mobile phones, tablets and all kind of other digital stuff, it is sometimes nice to use pen and paper. Just slow down, and pay real attention to what your are doing.
You can use your diary in so many ways:
- be a diva
- write down all your twisted ideas
- create your own perfect dream world
- see it as your best friend ever
- hide your deepest sorrow
- build your private castle in the air
- use it as a treasury for the small things in life
- speak with your senses; feel/smell/see/hear with words

How do you use your diary and what does it mean for you?
Please let me know ...
Have fun writing!

ps. Prien has a diary in the shop at the moment. This one is faded green, with dots. If you are not a
      fan of green, or dots and you are looking for your perfect diary, please contact me for the
      possibilities.

Holiday gifts

Looking for a perfect gift for the holidays? Perhaps these Volkswagen retro notebooks are exactly what you are looking for.

For every wish there is a notebook; lined, blank pages, thicker pages to sketch on, A4, A5, square, rectangular and not to forget the minis.

Handbound, firm and handy notebooks. Planning a nice long summer trip, use one of these handy booklets to write down your hotspots. Or do you have a lot of good intentions for next year, don't hesitate to write them down in one of the Volkswagen cahiers. If your not such a person for words, some of these notebooks are ideal for sketching. With pages of 115 gr/m2 you can use a marker or fineliner without making a mess.

Check out www.prien.nl for the details and the models.

Photos like fairy tales

wow ... that was the first thing that came in mind seeing these pictures. I wish I could do that ... those colors, the composition, the atmosphere of the picture ...

Oleg Oprisco is the maker of these fine art photos. He doesn't take snapshots, every photo is the result of hard work. First Oprisco sketches the image, than he starts looking for the props at flea markets and when everything is ready, the photo shoot takes a day or two. The photos might look fairylike, but they are the result of hard work.

I could tell a lot more about this Ukrainian photographer, but an image says more than a thousands word ... so just look and enjoy! I hope the situation in Ukraine doesn't have too much impact on this artist! Hopefully he will make a lot more of these beautiful fine arts photos. By the way the photos are for sale at his site.

Irma Boom about the future of books

Last week book designer Irma Boom won the Johannes Vermeer Prijs, the Dutch state prize for the arts. In an interview with De Volkskrant Boom says that she sees the prize as an appreciation for the graphic arts industry in The Netherlands. This industry can use some encouragement, because fewer and fewer books are printed and bound.

Luckily Irma Boom believes that the book has a future, even in this digital century. She thinks that a book is more necessary than ever, to bring slowness and deepening in people's lives. A book slows, it makes you choose another rhythm. Boom sees a book as 'frozen information', with a fixed order, so that the reader can reflect and derive meaning from the design choices of the compiler. In contrast, internet is chaotic, without focus and temporary.

Boom says it is not only the order that gives a book extra value, but also the touch of the pages and the book edges. Her Chanel book is all white with blind printing, so you can see the content at floodlight, or you can feel it with your fingertips. The book edge of the Sheila Hicks book is frayed and feels like cotton.

The juryrapport about why they granted Irma Boom this big prize:
'In the world of the internet and virtual communication, Irma Boom's greatest achievement is that she has made the book a physical experience once more. She continues to impress with her ambition to push the boundaries with each and every book, her unbridled desire to reach beyond the original wishes of her clients, and her ability — maintained for decades — to deliver work of the highest artistic quality. For all these reasons, the jury has chosen her as the deserving winner of the Johannes Vermeer Award 2014.'

Just like Irma Boom, I believe that books have the future. I love to read and of course I own a e-reader and a tablet with hundreds of e-books ... but reading a real book remains the best! It is not only reading which is special, writing is as special as well. Making plans in your notebook, write down your most brilliant thoughts or dreams in your diary ... the hand bound book certainly has a future :)