Donnerstag, 24. April 2008

I am talking about type again

I once heard an American surfing champion talking in a local German radio show and the dj asked him what he liked about Germany and what was the main difference with his home country. The surfer said:
In my country I wake up, take a look outside the window and think “wow, it’s the perfect day to go surfing”. In Germany one wakes up, takes a look outside and thinks “wow, it’s the perfect day to print some bibles!”

I loved it. It’s so true. Maybe, if in Germany there would be lesser rainy days, Gutenberg would have gone for a walk instead of inventing the letterpress. Where would we be without his invention? I don’t know. But I am deeply convinced that to teach somebody to read is one of the biggest gift you can give. Everything else you can learn by reading (more or less, but this is the concept). Anyway, I wanted to talk about Gutenberg, because I was born and raised near to Mainz, his home city. The BBC made a beautiful documentary about him and his invention, starring Stephen Fry.
Here the first part (of six).



I am always amazed how profound the type-cosmos is and how much knowledge is spinning around these tiny little letters, that are, yes, images, too!



Here is more.

And to end this week in beauty – get some new fonts. And I mean really beautiful fonts.



Have a good end of the week and a better weekend, Belle
(Friday is Holiday in Italy, it’s Liberation Day)

Donnerstag, 17. April 2008

This weekend try the bohemian life!

Did you miss me last week? Nobody complained… ;-)
I went for a weekend-trip to Germany to see my parents and family, was great, but I couldn’t send you a FiF-post, I am sorry! So, but this weekend you will *so* thank me. I don’t know how about you, but my last’s week two days off turned into a work overkill this week and I will really need to relax and do something creative. It’s hard to be creative on demand, at least for me.

"You can't help but remember what Faulkner is alleged to have said when asked whether he wrote daily or only when the inspiration hit him. It's said he replied that he wrote only when the inspiration came, but that he made sure it came every morning at ten o'clock sharp when he sat down at his desk." –Rick Bass


Every time I lack in inspiration I pretend to be French. I don’t know why it works, but it does, amazingly I even draw better when I pretend to be a French art student. And, to say, I don’t even speak French.

So to get you in the mood I have this little musical gem for you: lean back, enjoy and dream.



Feeling already more bohemian?? Me for sure! I want to dress some striped shirt, go back smoking French cigarettes and drink a glass of cidre. No kidding, B U T I feel much more stimulated to create something.

It’s about more than a year that I secretly dream about owning a Pinhole camera, I even had a Pinhole kit on my official Christmas list, but nothing, I am still without. But sometimes life just lets you wait to give you things for free.

The good guys at Corbis made Pinhole camera sets for FREE!
AND they are cool!



So, this weekend you know what to do: connect with your creative side, make a pinhole, go for a walk and shoot some old-fashioned film!

Have a good Friday and a better weekend, Belle
p.s. I am posting this on Thursday, because guess what? Tomorrow I am busy! ;-)

Freitag, 4. April 2008

This week I have been to the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, which was huge!
I went there with an American friend, selling ourselves as independent Journalists (“writing about new trends in children’s books illustrations”). Obviously we had so much fun, looking at all the new stuff. Sometimes we spotted books we have read when we were kids and found out that the Caterpillar is the book that unites continents and generations. It’s still there!!



Hurray to Eric Carle!

People asked me, if I could spot a "new trend" this year. Yes, this year Pop-up books are huge. Incredible!



It seems as if there is no limit to the possibilities of Pop-up books. They are not the books they used to be when I was a kid, anymore.




This book opened to a complete wild west city with horses and carriage, its amazing!

Here some more book pop-art.

Eric Carle speaks about following your dreams - Inspiring!

Have a good Friday and a better weekend, Belle