Almost everyone that has seen my work from time to time liked a particular binding I made a while ago. Although it was a rather simple design it looks nice even to people with completely different tastes, to the point I sometimes think it works like those “mesmerizing” whirls used in old shows or movies.
Όδυσσεας Ελύτης, Ποίηση. Δερματόδετη βιβλιοδεσία με δέρμα βαμμένο στο χέρι και δερμάτινα κεφαλάρια.
I was recently contacted by someone who wanted to bind a book with poems from Odysseas Elytis, a Greek poet presented with the Nobel prize in 1979, as a gift for a retiring colleague. She asked for something more or less similar to the binding I did for Kavvadias.
In general I prefer to experiment with new designs but since it was the client’s request and I was under a lot of pressure regarding time I decided to go for a happy medium solution. I slightly changed the design by adding a few details thus keeping the desired similarity while avoiding the feeling I did the same binding twice. As is my habit I also indulged myself in tooling a quirky title.
The binding was completed the very day it would be presented as a gift to the receiver. Being in a hurry I forgot to take a picture of the interior which has vivid red endleaves and red leather endbands tooled with golden stripes.
Got to love some contrast!
Excellent craftsmanship, as always! Great idea to make the book title continue the line of the waves, it looks really nice. The receiver must have been thrilled with such present!
Thank you Teo!
Always happy when a binding receives your approval = mission accomplished!
I truly hope the receiver liked it, I can never be sure since he was not the client.
“The receiver must have been thrilled with such present!”
.
Well, I know I would be
I’m in love with the geometry of it and the textured shading of the blue.
Thanks Ana!
The textured shading comes from a rather simple trick, sanding the leather with a fine grit sandpaper!
Yup, geometrical patterns are a good option for someone who sucks at drawing -i.e. me. I’m waiting for the right chance to make an art deco binding where I’d really go crazy geometry speaking.
PS- How did your master’s come out? Happy with the result?
I await that art deco binding with excitement.
Eh… Long story short: I went there at the beginning of the exam season with my research finished, my mentor told me she will be traveling for the whole season (the only time a professor is actually *required* to be present) and won’t be able to set the exam machine in motion… So I had to enroll again, go through all the expenses, and – “since you have the time now” – completely change the already finished research
– money spent, time spent, energy spent.
Career on hold since I’m not eligible for science projects until the degree is official.
That’s our academia for you: some of my friends have lost far more time/money/energy/opportunities just due to bad organization on the Uni’s part.
[My mentor is a wonderful human being and is truly interested in our work, so I can't hold anything against her personally. I'm just a bit troubled everything wasn't organized better.]
As always it’s a pleasure to see your creativity and craftsmanship with leather. Have you thought of giving some seminars on leather binding in Athens? I am in Chania, I’m just a beginner at bookbinding and i had contacted you once about finding equipment/supplies (I don’t know if you remember…). Anyway, bravo sou, poli kali doulia!
Hi Christine,
And thank you for your kind words! Of course I remember, it’s been some time now, did you manage to find the supplies you needed?
Regarding seminars I admit I haven’t given the possibility much thought.
If however you visit Athens at any time my workshop is open to visitors!
Thanks Dimitri… I’ll certainly keep that in mind. in fact, I’m hoping to come up to Athens after we harvest the olives
, to check out the book binding scene, so hopefully we can connect at some point. Na eisai kala!