Valentine's Day Card 2014

The year's card has taken the form of a book.  Each 'page' measures 4 x 5cms and consists of one hand-drawn letter 'imposed' on a landscape background.  The letters were drawn out, and the landscape sketched in, in pencil before being worked up in biro, coloured pencil and watercolour.  Mulling over the concept I looked at 16th &17th century Emblem Books and the illustrations in the 'Hypnerotomachia Poliphilii'.

   The backgrounds show an Italianate landscape giving way through an arch into a enclosed garden where it is spring.  The enclosed garden seems a recurring theme in my work.

 The 'book' in production

The two sections glued together and folded.

A close up

The cover

Cover attached

Another close up

   The book wrapped up and ready for the envelope.