Reflections on the Art of Book Binding (I)

Abstract: Book binding is a special art based on the content of books. It is a multi-faceted and three-dimensional art. It perfectly embodies the combination of art and technology. It is a wonderful mixture of art and science. It has a unique Aesthetic function. The art of book binding was a process of accumulation yesterday; the book binding art and new tools hitting it today are an improvement process. The art of book binding in the 21st century should be developed in stereo thinking.

Keywords: book binding art text illustration drawing art creation

The binding art is a special art. It is an art based on the content of the book. The specific meaning refers to the opening book, font, layout, illustration, title page, cover, jacket and paper, printing, binding and materials. Art design and creation. Nowadays, as a specialized art discipline, it occupies an important position in people's spiritual and cultural life and has received the attention of the society. On the other hand, it also fully reflects the development and improvement of China's social spiritual civilization.

Richard Minsky, of the American Book Arts Center, said: "The copying of a book is a strange thing. Even after a large number of reprints, books are rarely abandoned. Books on the bookshelf do not go for many years. Looking through the people will not throw them out of the window. As a book that gives people rich thoughts is stored on the bookshelf, a glance at them will give people a sense of peace of mind. Seeing them is like seeing an old friend. I can't help but recall the time we spent with them, not only because of the stories or philosophy they described." This is why today, with the rapid development of technology, e-books are flourishing, but their main function is to replace paper as their main function. The purpose of storing and searching for information is because discs cannot erase the carrier of the contents printed on them, and book binding will highlight its unique artistic aspect.

Materials in book binding art are touchy and often insinuated. Because some works are textless, they are purely visual, totem or portrait works. In these works, their images, materials, and structures are its contents, and the physical characterization of the books, such as its smell, its The weight, flipping feeling and process will bring us deeper aesthetic enjoyment. Mr. Yu Guangzhong, a well-known Taiwanese poet and prose writer, was surprised by the sight of exquisitely gorgeous or well-trimmed books, and he also ignored the content. He used to describe his own situation of “appreciating and playing” books: “Senior geeks often have an incurable problem. They sit at the desk and do not necessarily read a book, or study which issue, but they like it. The touch, the cover, the cover, the illustrations and the catalogue, and the smell of paper and ink smelling. This way, an expensive afternoon is used up."

It can be seen that the unique artistic aesthetic value of book binding, and this special form also reflects the alternative way of knowledge preservation and transmission. It expresses our ability to construct a complex creative that surpasses the culture that created them. And there is. Reading this visual book is different from reading a text book. It awakens our ability to read, not through words and language, but through what we see. In the form of a combination of art and technology, book design can be said to be a perfect expression. It is a combination of art and science. Because the completion of a previous book may depend on the power of many people, they are the common wisdom of editors, publishers, authors, illustrators, paper makers, printers, type designers, and binders, but now Some of them have independently undertaken all of the above tasks. Through their own grasp of each link, the overall design is based on books. These people call him the designer of "art books." As a professional engaged in framing art, the issue we are most concerned about is the development direction of China's framing arts.

However, no matter how it develops, no matter where it goes, it will never be able to escape from the accumulation of history. Because there is accumulation, there will be existing improvements, improvements, and future development.

First, the art of binding art yesterday - an accumulated process

The art of framing has a long history of development. The oldest book we have is in a form well known to us - folded paper is sewn together - from ancient Egypt and Isobia (East Africa). They have gone through 100-400 years, turning the original reels into later folding and binding. The art of book binding also has a long history in China. With the development of papermaking and printing techniques and calligraphy art, Chinese ancient books have also gone through the cheekbones, scrolls, whirlwinds, fish scales, and butterfly costumes, and later on the books of thread-bound books. Changes, texts, etc. are also recorded from single pages to later double-sided recordings. They have produced their own golden age, such as the engraving of the Tang and Song Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty wood engraving art.

There is also a direct link between the development of book binding art and materials. Today, with the advancement of science and technology, various new materials and technologies have emerged in an endless stream. Contemporary book artists have changed the forms and materials of the original books, which can be highlighted in the binding art. Self, expressing personal emotions. Because culture is a historical accumulation, it can sum up rich experience on the basis of accumulation, and can only be improved in the process of applying experience. This is especially true of the art of bookbinding. Therefore, we should remember the hardships of drawing ink on copperplate paper with a stylus pen. It is the precedent for binding art. It has cultivated our meticulous work attitude and understanding of the printing process because it requires us to have a ruler and a compass. In the search for structure, our thinking can be maximized by various means within a fairly limited range. It is precisely because the completion of the binding art from the local to the whole takes a long time. From the design of cover, cover page, layout, etc. to illustration painting is a repeated literary creation process. The slow speed of traditional binding process makes it difficult for artists to get involved. Due to the requirements of paper and printing quality, this has left a lot of regret for our past framing artwork.

(to be continued)