[Update: these are not just for painting watercolor. The are for drawing, writing, anything you can do on paper. Or they can simply be decorative objects, unique ones.]
[Umbra added: Or use them for high-end scrapbooking, photo albums, or signature books at weddings, art shows, etc.]
My friend Umbra in Italy deals with a man in the country side who sells Umbras art. The man is also one of the very few independent producers of fine watercolor paper in the world.
And the man (I never got his name, perhaps for security reasons :-) makes these books. The pages are blank, and real hand-made watercolor paper, ready for artistic production or anything.
I think they are outstanding. I just had to get a couple.
Everything is made by hand. Hand-made paper, bound by stitching into leather and old, found wood.
This is the real deal, folks. Nothing like it elsewhere.
The smaller ones are about 10 x 14 centimeters, and the larger ones are about 15 x 20 centimeters. (I trust well-educated Americans to know centimeters these days.)
They are priced at 40 Euros for the small ones and 70 Euros for the large. Plus shipping.
Mail me if you want to buy, I'll forward.
It takes up to two weeks to produce them, plus shipping.
UPDATE: It is a great surprise and disappointment to me that there has been zero interest in these since I posted this originally. It really saddens me regarding the perceptions and appreciation of quality and beauty which people have, or rather seemingly don't have.
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He also sells the watercolor paper on its own, 3 Euros per A3 sheet (about 12 x 16.5 inches). Minimum order is ten (10) sheets. He will smooth it to taste, but on the whole, it's quite rough paper, which I myself like for drawings. Italian hand-made paper is world famous, and this is some of the best I've seen.
10 comments:
For the technically inclined, the paper is 100% made from cotton rags, ground into a fine pulp by a huge water mill set into motion by a river; the pulp is then put in a barrell and pulled up by hand with a wooden frame that filters out the water; the partially dry pulp is then left to dry on a felt rag, multiple felts are put under a press to squeeze out any remaining water; then glue is brushed on these sheets of paper so that the paper becomes less absorbent, and once the glue dries the single sheets are smoothed by hand using a smooth stone or a glass weight. The whole process from rag to a finished sheet of paper takes 30 days, hence the cost.
These are absolutely exquisite, Umbra.
I'd been expecting to be afloat in orders for these books, because I myself fell flat on my face for them immediately .
Not too many watercolor painters here I guess.
Good point.
Although these are not just for painting watercolor. The are for drawing, writing, anything you can do on paper. Or they can simply be decorative objects.
Or use them for high-end scrapbooking, photo albums, or signature books at weddings, art shows, etc.
Very nice grain in the wooden covers, but who's going to fix all the worm holes? Or do the books have a termite self-destruct aspect to them?
For me, the holes are essential to the charm.
And they're from quite old furniture, so I doubt much more change will happen.
LOVE IT! / Sally
Love it! Sally
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