Thursday, January 23, 2014

Summer 1970 notebook cover


In my younger days I created fanciful covers for my sketchbook/writing journal. This one from the summer of 1970 was the most elaborate one I ever did. I was heavily influenced by the "psychedelic" art style which was at its height back then. I also included many motifs from the Classical Roman world including the black figure in the center which was inspired by an ancient Roman household god statue. All the characters in the image are composites of animal, human, and plant and follow the theme of "metamorphosis." "Aestate" means "summer." The pages of the notebook are filled with my writing projects as well as my daily journal, doodles, and Red Sox baseball scores.

The next journal dates from the fall of 1970 and is less elaborate. It also chronicles my trip to Europe with my family, which would profoundly change my life and imagination.

I decorated this cover in black and colored ink, on a separate piece of paper which I then glued to the conventional card stock notebook cover. Colored inks are very fadeable and the only reason this has survived is that it has been stored for decades inside a cabinet.

1970 cover is black and colored inks on paper, 8 1/2" x 11", summer 1970. Click on image for larger view.

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