BOOKS

YES

Books are so exciting- they are sort of... novel... i guess that cam about pretty quick, with social media and that. blah blah. but they are still so valid and special! is there anything better than opening a book for the first time?? probably, but it's still lush. WHY haven't i read one in a really chuffing long time?? god knows. They are beautiful pieces of art usually, and the prettiest, most luxury ones worth having usually come with a heavy price tag. And sadly, if i had to choose between eating for a week and a lovely brand spanking new book, my stomach comes first. Actually, libraries exist, Roy, Stop Making Excuses. anyway. here are some lovely books i have sought out for some lovely looking at.

After a quick traipse around Leeds art gallery on a rainy day, Em-Jo and Cait introduced me to the little zine library tucked away upstairs- how PRECIOUS????

This beautifully fun lil zine that i had the JOY of coming across promoting girl power and positivity! happy little aesthetics and doodles and probably the only one made- i could feel the love put into each and every page and it was so sassy and wholesome. how gorgeous? all this bright pink positivity inspired me to make my own zine as an outcome for the Futurology project. SO easy to read and not intimidating to pick up and browse, like a biiiiig published book would be, i feel valid ! reading this teensy book!


We Go To The Gallery (comic sans?)

I got this book as a gift a little while back, and it never really occurred to me that it held value as illustration- at face value it is just a witty piss take of old books- nostalgic for older readers and funny for all ages. Reusing old educational images from the days of yore sparked a trend i think, in this kind of book- it became almost fashionable to own and collectible.  However, i am seeing them in a new kind of light- first and foremost, it is a really good business idea. re purposing illustration that already has an established place in the book world and is easily recognizable- then recreating this with a whole new concept and putting a spin on it? pure ingenious. Giving old illustrations, beautifully crafted but lacking imagination, new context and meaning- it is recycling! but i suppose in a not-very-environmentally-friendly-way. Also, it completely makes fun of the simple type of children's book, which can be read in a patronizing  voice. but to adults! who deserve it.


 Berlie Doherty Fairy Tales

Another gift, this one from the original Roy (my uncle)- this is probably my favourite thing i own ever, and definitely the thing i would save first in a house fire. beautifully illustrated- with strong women not adhering to a disney-esque body image and a range of cultures represented alongside simple, traditional fairy tales, the main thing i have always adored about this book is that the odd page you come across has a very tasty dark dull gold embossing on it. This give so much love to the book and makes it feel like something worth having and something to treasure. It just feels like my childhood, you know?



i just hope my house doesn't burn down before i can save it.





Humans Of New York

OK ok, please don't shout at me, but i really want to talk about this book and its importance to my practice. Although, yes, isn't technically illustration, it is still a beautiful book full of real glossy people and their stories- the reportage-ing of the images combined with such beautifully told, real life stories- it is something i aim to master. Storytelling. STORYTELLING is so PRECIOUS. In one page, with a descriptive image alongside. how crazy? no wonder it became famous-ish The people are so real, even though you can't hear their voice. They are illustrated by their words, and the photographer has captured a specific moment which seems to sum them up, to us.. but, there is still more to them that that little interview. How odd? people are 3D complex machines, and it feels lucky to be able to have this brief insight into their lives. gee, I wish a photographer could come along and make my life seem interesting.