Pencil it in

Recently I saw an article in a design magazine about an exhibition of sculpture and other items carved out of pencils.
I was totally fascinated! One artist featured was Dalton Ghetti, who makes incredibly detailed and intricate objects from pencils.
Dalton is a carpenter, who has been making his tiny graphite designs for about 25 years.

The only tools he uses are a razor blade, a sewing needle and a sculpting knife - and he doesn't sell his work, only gives it away to friends

Stunning stuff, huh?

Ghetti is originally from Brazil but now lives in Connecticut.








These pencil carvings really appealed to me because I love little, intricate things.

Here is a different approach, by Mizuta Tasogare:

And these are a different type again. They're by Dave Brock:

What incredibly clever people...

Don't Judge a Book....

But we all do! I do anyway.
One genre of novel I would never read is the historical romance. So I only need to glance at a cover like this one, before moving on :).  I'm sure it's a perfectly lovely book, and that gazillions of people have read and enjoyed it, but the cover tells me straight away that it's not for me.

The cover has a huge role to play in marketing and advertising, and then in gaining readers. I have watched the students I teach when we are making a library visit; most often they briefly scan the cover and quickly return it to the shelf, without bothering to turn it over to read the blurb on the back.  That book has only a split second to grab and hold them.

This post was inspired by a post by Bookman Beattie (see here). The book appeals to me straight away, not just because of the interesting face, but also because of the intriguing 'twist' in the title.  I can't wait to find out!

'On Tender Hooks' by Isabel Samaras available here.

Some covers which have appealed to me recently:

Designed by Reuben Crossman

Designer John Coulthart

Cameron Gibb's design

Designed by Sarah Laing

Designer Tony Palmer

Of course the contents are what matter, but a good book cover is a work of art in itself - and just like any other work of art, liking or disliking it will be a matter of personal taste.

Cheers

Alexia