Word of the Day: Perfidy

Perfidy \PUR-fuh-dee\ noun

1.  The act of violating faith or allegiance; violation of a promise or vow; faithlessness; treachery.

Origin: Perfidy comes from from Latin perfidia, from perfidus, faithless, treacherous, false, from per-, through (perhaps connoting deviation or infringement, or perhaps explicable by qui per fidem decipit, "who through faith or trust deceives") + fides, faith.

Artist Watch: Alli Coate

Within the studio, we are always looking towards other art for inspiration.  I found Alli Coate through one of these searches.  Coates is a Rhode Island based illustrator, and her art work is a combination of illustration and applique/sewing techniques.  I really love the playfulness of her style-- it's so tactile and she uses the fabric patterns to set the mood for the pieces.  Check out more of her work at her website.

~Jess

Word of the Day: Animalcule

Animalcule \an-uh-MAL-kyool\ noun

1. A minute or microscopic animal, nearly or quite invisible to the naked eye.

Origin:
Animalcule stems from the Latin animiculum, "little animal."

Whats Popped Up: Rescue and Pets are released

Tomorrow is a big day here at the studio. Matthew Reinhart’s newest pop-up books will be released to bookstores across the world!

Puppies, Kittens and Other Pop-up Pets pairs fun rhymes with big bold pop-ups and pull tabs. Young readers will get to learn about six different pets that you would find at home.

Rescue: Pop-up Emergency Vehicles shows you five different rescue vehicles and the heroes that operate them to help save the day.

This new pop-up series features Reinhart’s colorful cut-paper collage across five spreads. The 8-inch square softcover books are made from thicker glossy paper and were designed specifically for curious little hands. For many years, we have wanted to create simpler books for a younger reader and we are excited that the day has finally come when we can offer that you for under $7. So get to your favorite booksellers to order your copies today!

~Kyle

Word of the Day: Rusticate

Rusticate \RUHS-tih-kayt\ intransitive verb

1. To go into or reside in the country; to pursue a rustic life.

transitive verb:
1. To require or compel to reside in the country; to banish or send away temporarily.
2. (Chiefly British) To suspend from school or college.
3. To build with usually rough-surfaced masonry blocks having beveled or rebated edges producing pronounced joints.
4. To lend a rustic character to; to cause to become rustic.

Origin: Rusticate comes from the past participle of Latin rusticari, "to live in the country," from rusticus, "rural, rustic, from rus, "the country."

Artist Watch: Dan McCarthy

I somehow stumbled across Dan McCarthy's work months ago.  It was probably through Illustration Mundo (which is a great way to find new artists!).  McCarthy seems to do it all-- paintings, drawings, silk screens, t shirts, and posters!

His work reminds me a lot of Eyvind Earle's work-- graphic, bright colors, and nature based images.  But McCarthy also does these amazing gradients in his prints that add atmosphere and mood to the pieces.  The bright colors against stark black images really pull you in.  Sometimes he's subtle with the color, other times he's full on rainbow!

Check out more of Dan McCarthy's work here and his most recent show here!

~Jess

Word of the Day: Risible

Risible \RIZ-uh-buhl\ adjective

1. Capable of laughing; disposed to laugh.
2. Exciting or provoking laughter; worthy of laughter; laughable; amusing.
3. Relating to, connected with, or used in laughter; as, "risible muscles."

Origin: Risible comes from Late Latin  risibilis, from the past participle of Latin ridere, "to laugh, to laugh at." The noun is risibility.

What's Popped Up: Story Time with Matthew!

Matthew will be appearing at Greenlight Bookstore Saturday, August 20 for story time!  He will be reading from his newest books 'Puppies, Kittens, and Other Pop-Up Pets' and 'Rescue: Pop-Up Emergency Vehicles' that will come out August 23rd!  Come join the fun at Greenlight Bookstore to say 'Hello' to Matthew and see these great new pop ups!

Greenlight Bookstore
August 20, 2011 at 11:00 am
686 Fulton Street (at South Portland)
Brooklyn, NY 11217

Weekly Beast: Short-Horned Lizard

The short-horned lizard wins our prize for most disgusting personal habit. Some species of this lizard defend themselves from predators by squirting blood from their eyes -- for up to five feet! The lizards make the blood vessels burst by restricting blood flow from their heads. Gross.

Want to learn more? Check out the book Bloody Horned Lizards (Gross-Out Defenses) by Lori Haskins Houran.

What's Popped Up: Matthew in DC

Matthew will be participating at the Family Storytelling Stage in Washington DC on September 24th, 10:40am-11:00am!  Family Storytelling Stage is apart of the Library of Congress 11th annual National Book Festival, and not only will Matthew be there, but many other illustrators and authors too!  So come out and read with us!

Library of Congress National Book Festival
September 24 10:00am-5:30pm

September 25 1:00pm-5:30pm

Word of the Day: Nervure

Nervure \NUR-vyoor\ noun

1. A vein, as of a leaf or the wing of an insect.

Origin: Nervure is French for "rib".

Word of the Day: Jocund

Jocund \JOCK-uhnd; JOH-kuhnd\ adjective

1. Full of or expressing high-spirited merriment; light-hearted; mirthful.

Origin: Jocund is from Old French jocond, from Latin jucundus, "pleasant, agreeable, delightful," from juvare, "to please, to delight."

Vintage Moveable Review: There is no escape

Love is in the air around the studio so I thought I would feature another antique valentine. Like most mass-market valentine cards, this little guy speaks for itself. Which is a good thing, since I have no information on this piece. Measuring 3” wide by 5” tall this Valentine is a typical of the cards constructed in the early 1900’s. It is diecut out of one piece of stiff card and appears to be chromolithography. The mechanic is the standard single box layer, in this case of a creepy kid with a flower wreath bearing the label “Love’s Joy”. The child with the pageboy haircut and piercing eyes is kneeling before the viewer in front of what appears to be an arch or upside down horseshoe of hearts. Below the text reads, “There’s no escape my Valentine. I have your Heart and you have mine.”

A little spooky right? On the reverse we find that the pop-up has been patched but can still read the inscription: “To Margaret Munden. From Pearl Ganes.” Looks like Pearl practiced in pencil before moving to the blue fountain pen. I was excited to receive this card, but I always wondered how Margaret felt about the sentiment in this love token.

~Kyle

Word of the Day: Rara Avis

Rara Avis \RAIR-uh-AY-vis\ noun

1. A rare or unique person or thing.

Origin:
Rara avis is Latin for "rare bird".

(The Asian Crested Ibis)

Weekly History Lesson: Nautilus Travels Under North Pole

On August 3rd, 1958 the U.S. nuclear submarine Nautilus accomplished the first undersea voyage to the geographic North Pole.  It was also the world's first nuclear submarine.  The USS Nautilus was constructed and designed by U.S. Navy Captain Hyman G. Rickover who was a brilliant Russian-born engineer.  Rickover had joined the U.S. atomic program in 1946, and in 1947 was put in charge of the Navy's nuclear propulsion program.  Rickover succeeded in creating a nuclear submarine years ahead of schedule, the submarine was launched in January of 1954.

USS Nautilus departed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on July 23, 1958 to embark on "Operation Northwest Passage" which would be the first crossing of the North Pole by submarine.  The 111 man crew and 4 civilian scientists accomplished this on August 3, 1958.

~Jess

Word of the Day: Panacea

Panacea \pan-uh-SEE-uh\ noun

1. A remedy for all diseases, problems, or evils; a universal medicine; a cure-all.

Origin: Panacea derives from Greek panakeia, from panakes, "all-healing," from pan-, "all" + akos, "cure."

Weekly Beast: Pancake Batfish

Halieutichthys intermedius is also known as the Louisiana Pancake Batfish.  This species was discovered in the Gulf of Mexico just before the oil spill in 2010.  This animal is flat like a pancake and hops on its fins and has huge bulging eyes.  They are found roughly 1,300 feet below the water's surface.  Scientists are not sure as to how many of the fish are in existence, especially after the oil spill.

I'm not sure this is a pancake I'd look forward to eating!

Artist Watch: Katherine Baxter

Katherine Baxter is an artist who is fascinated with seeing the world from above.  Be it from the top of the Empire State Building or from a plane, the vistas inspire her maps and other pieces.  Check out more of Baxter's work on her website.

~ Jess

Word of the Day: Piebald

Piebald \PY-bald\ adjective

1. Having spots and patches of black and white, or other colors; mottled.
2. Mixed; composed of incongruous parts.

Origin: Piebald is from pie, the parti-colored bird + bald.

 

What's Popped Up: Publicolor Visit

A few weeks ago Matthew visited the kids at Publicolor to talk about pop ups, inspirations, and give a demonstration as well!  Publicolor is a not-for-profit organization that uses art to re-engage students in their education and community.  And as you can see in the photos below, everyone in the class enjoyed learning about pop ups so much that they sent us thank you cards!  It's very exciting for us to see more budding artists playing with pop ups.

~Jess

Word of the Day: Lackadaisical

Lackaddaisical \lack-uh-DAY-zih-kuhl\ adjective

1. Lacking spirit or liveliness; showing lack of interest; languid; listless.

Origin:
Lackadaisical comes from the expression lackadaisy, a variation of lackaday, itself a shortening of "alack the day"