I’ve been a secret fan of Joe McLaren for a little while now. Once in a while when I need a little inspiration I’ll go to his flickr page and marvel at his great style and pretty texture. I absolutely am in love with this one and this one and I’m not the only one, seeing all these comments he’s getting. So when he posted a handmade book, I immediately went to his site to buy one. It’s a book of seven strange British customs. Weighing the mayor is my favorite. Apparently every year in High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire they weigh the mayor on his first and last day to see if he has gained or lost weight during his term. Other customs Joe tells us about consist of enourmous pie baking, children acting like horses, and a sort of hot-potato game with a silver ball. I like reading about these customs and I love the illustrations that accompany them. I think they are silkscreened or block printed. I can’t really tell. They are all black with one other color which is transparent and not consistently flat almost like a watercolor wash. I would love to know his technique. You can purchase this book and originals by Joe here.

© Julia Rothman 2007