Emblemata

[bogusbrig]

Next year a book I'm collaborating on is being published. It is an emblemata book Emblemata but updated of course for a contemporary audience. Originally emblem books mainly dealt with love, moral or religious subject matter. Usually emblems consist of an image, a text and a motto. The image usually has multiple intepretations, not being a pure illustration of the poem (text), a poem (text) and a motto which often works like a conclusion, though there are no hard and fast rules. The book I'm collaborating on is for a large part surreal. It is being launched next year (summer-autumn time) with an exhibition and a poetry reading.

While I've been making the prints for this book I've become very interested in the art form and thought I would see if there would be enough interest in dedicating an edition of Barking Dogs to this art form. The image would have to be black and white but I have no fixed thought in what medium the image would be made. It could be a block print which is the medium I have used for the book or it could be black ink or a very high contrast photo. I would not be looking for highly technical art work but engaging and creative work, which could be technical or just a quick inked cartoon as long as it has raw quality. You could also do the work as a collaboration with an artist if you don't feel capable of doing your own artwork. Remember, an image, a poem (text) and a motto which should all work together. These would be printed on facing pages as one whole work. I just wondered if anyone would be interested in such a project.

If there is enough interest I hope to launch the next edition of barking Dogs at the exhibition and poetry reading of the book I am collaborating with. Let me know if you would be interested.

 

[clutching_calliope]

.....

 

[bogusbrig]

Congratulations Keith! Sounds very exciting. Sadly, I am seriously art-challenged so cannot partcipate. Will you post a link when its ready for viewing?

Hi CC. I'm just trying to find out if there would be any interest and if there is, would there be enough for a book. I can see people would be reluctant to put all the hardwork in just to be rejected so I want to see if any poets/artists would interested and then discussing the project. Of course there would have to be editorial control but I feel this would work better if things were negotiated along the way.

If it comes to fruitition, I will certain put a link up.

 

[Tzara]

Hi CC. I'm just trying to find out if there would be any interest and if there is, would there be enough for a book. I can see people would be reluctant to put all the hardwork in just to be rejected so I want to see if any poets/artists would interested and then discussing the project. Of course there would have to be editorial control but I feel this would work better if things were negotiated along the way.

If it comes to fruitition, I will certain put a link up.

Hi, Meister B!

I would concur with Calli that the problem for most of us is that we are not visual artists. Yeah, I could take a photograph and grayscale it, but that doesn't make that art. We have some very talented visual artists/poets, but not many. And then you have a bunch of wordies. I might be interested in this if I was coupled with an aesthetically complementary artist. But it would be a case of finding the right person.

Not easy.

Nice idea, though. I'd like to see what you come up with if this ends up going into print.

 

[bogusbrig]

Hi, Meister B!

I would concur with Calli that the problem for most of us is that we are not visual artists. Yeah, I could take a photograph and grayscale it, but that doesn't make that art. We have some very talented visual artists/poets, but not many. And then you have a bunch of wordies. I might be interested in this if I was coupled with an aesthetically complementary artist. But it would be a case of finding the right person.

Not easy.

Nice idea, though. I'd like to see what you come up with if this ends up going into print.

Hi Tzara. One of the reasons for the demize of emblem books were the inability of writers to get artists and reusing prints from previous books that never really worked. Many artists thought their work was being reduced to illustration which is not what emblem books are about and having talked to a few artist friends, that's appears what many think today. I suppose it needs artists with a full understanding of what emblem books are about because they do involve a lot of work to be seen as the junior partner. I had to make 50 prints for the book I'm involved with. I'll let you know if it goes ahead.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

This is an intriguing idea. I'm mulling.

 

[bogusbrig]

I'm abandoning dedicating the next Barking Dogs to Emblemata. Its become quite obvious there won't be enough work but if I get any emblemata submissions I'm still interested in doing a feature.

Other than that if anyone wants to submit work please do! www.barkingdogs.biz

 

[WickedEve]

I'm abandoning dedicating the next Barking Dogs to Emblemata. Its become quite obvious there won't be enough work but if I get any emblemata submissions I'm still interested in doing a feature.

Other than that if anyone wants to submit work please do! www.barkingdogs.biz

Hey, cute guy. Show me an example of what you are looking for.

 

[bogusbrig]

Hey, cute guy. Show me an example of what you are looking for.

I'll post a traditional one and a one that I'm busy with myself tomorrow Eve because I think it would be better to show you a layout as it will be printed. I think it will make more sense that way.

Maybe there is life in this idea.

 

[Toa_lin]

yeah, if you come to an artist, like myself, ((I write and edit as a pass-time, i'm a graphic designer by job )) it helps if we know what YOU are looking for. Otherwise this is just too broad and the chances of coming up with a design that fits your emblemata story would be exremely slim. but, i AM intrigued by the idea, and i have nothing wrong with putting in a lot of work just to be seen as a junior partner, i do this for the love of art, not the credit So let's see what your looking at, and a time-line as when you'd like to see the rough draft, and i'll put serious thougth into this. As i'm sure others would as well.

For now, the idea shows some promise, and I'm glad you brought it up, never thought I could combine my two talents. So, eiher way, i thank you.

 

[bogusbrig]

yeah, if you come to an artist, like myself, ((I write and edit as a pass-time, i'm a graphic designer by job )) it helps if we know what YOU are looking for. Otherwise this is just too broad and the chances of coming up with a design that fits your emblemata story would be exremely slim. but, i AM intrigued by the idea, and i have nothing wrong with putting in a lot of work just to be seen as a junior partner, i do this for the love of art, not the credit So let's see what your looking at, and a time-line as when you'd like to see the rough draft, and i'll put serious thougth into this. As i'm sure others would as well.

For now, the idea shows some promise, and I'm glad you brought it up, never thought I could combine my two talents. So, eiher way, i thank you.

I'm looking for different takes on the art form and don't want to be dictatorial on how someone inteprets the idea for a contemporary audience. I was hoping people would come up with new ideas on its presentation rather than slavishly following the traditional formula too closely but yes, it would help if I illustrated the basic art form so people have a basic understanding of it and have a starting point.

 

[Toa_lin]

I'm looking for different takes on the art form and don't want to be dictatorial on how someone inteprets the idea for a contemporary audience. I was hoping people would come up with new ideas on its presentation rather than slavishly following the traditional formula too closely but yes, it would help if I illustrated the basic art form so people have a basic understanding of it and have a starting point.

yes i understand, and am glad your open to all kidns of ideas. i guess I'm asking to know what it's being used to represent. can u send me a copy of your poem/story via Pm, or is it posted somewhere on teh barkingdogs site?...

 

[bogusbrig]

yes i understand, and am glad your open to all kidns of ideas. i guess I'm asking to know what it's being used to represent. can u send me a copy of your poem/story via Pm, or is it posted somewhere on teh barkingdogs site?...

here are some sites with some examples of traditional and some contemporary intepretations. I'm afraid most are in Dutch so don't miss the hyperlinks on some of them.

In the best ones the illustrations are like cryptic puzzles and the texts are work in themselves, each complimenting the other and held together with a motto. In the worse ones the images tend towards illustrations of the text which rather defeats the object.

I'll send you an example of mine tomorrow because it is the early hours here now and I've got to dig the text out and scan an image.

http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/hoof001embl01/hoof001embl01_007.htm

http://home.hetnet.nl/~docckv123/subsite%20literatuur%20emblemata%20der%20Cooperatie.htm

http://www.uni-mannheim.de/mateo/camena/taur1/te03.html


http://www.hetcalandlyceum.com/fotoalbum/gallery/emblemata2004


http://home.hccnet.nl/te.instituut/bijenkorf.htm
http://www.willembroens.nl/?page_id=5


http://www.jmcvey.net/emblemata/mod.htm

http://www.netnik.com/emblemata/inoccasionem.html

http://www.hab.de/forschung/projekte/emblematica-e.htm

 

[bogusbrig]

This is a rough idea, the image and the poem are here though the motto and the graphic layout on the page is missing but I'll show you a finished one tomorrow.

http://www.keithbrighouse.co.uk/erasmus.htm

 

[Toa_lin]

k, I see what your getting at, and I'll look into it, if I'm not too busy from work I'll slip in time to work on an image for you... Though the way things have gone recently, no real promises.

 

[bogusbrig]

This is an example of an emblemata I have done. It is more surrealistic than anything but the motto is a modification of a Japanese saying. The image is a portrait of a lady friend.

 

[annaswirls]

thank you for posting these images and poems! Very much enjoyed yours and the others as well. The man processing machine was disturbing. I think I am beginning to get it now....hmmm the question is, could I DO it

I have been painting flower pots. It is very crafty, not very artsy. Very PTA mommish of me. I need to put on my big black boots and get serious.

 

[bogusbrig]

Let yourself go, you can do it Jenn. Maybe it is me but I don't think there is a big leap between visual imagery and imagery in poetry, you just haven't got to let lack of confidence in technique rule you. In fact, I would always suggest sacrifice technique for creativity to make the image more interesting.

My two penneth.

 

[bogusbrig]

An alternative version of the previous emblemata about snakes.

The quality is a bit iffy because it was too large to scan and it was photographed in poor lighting.

 

[twelveoone]

An alternative version of the previous emblemata about snakes.

The quality is a bit iffy because it was too large to scan and it was photographed in poor lighting.

and hello to you, how's Manchester doing?

 

[bogusbrig]

and hello to you, how's Manchester doing?

Hi 1201!!! Where have you been hiding?

It was raining as usual in Manchester but not as much as Liverpool when I was last there, enough to drive a man to drink and does.

 

[normal jean]

MAria needs an illustrator for her FROG poems, hmmmmm

 

[bogusbrig]

MAria needs an illustrator for her FROG poems, hmmmmm

I might be able to help her if you pass the word. I'm busy but I can fit work in here and there. Of course it depends on what style she has in mind but who knows.