Gosh – can you believe it? Well, I hardly can…I’m so very excited to announce the publication of Sacred Geometry – a 16th Century Coloring Book.
In an effort to engage a more diverse group of individuals with the incredible designs the rose engine can generate, I approached ornamental turner Al Collins with the idea of a coloring book. Seeing that these patterns could be enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds, I wanted to seize on the opportunity of the coloring book boom and found the perfect platform! In this highly accessible form, I hope turners and enthusiasts might take the opportunity to share these designs with others and their loved ones. The symmetry of the patterns drawn on paper to those turned on a box are made clear and the art form relatable to a broader audience. It is my hope this unique compilation will spark both inspiration and curiosity in equal measure.
– Here are some photos of the original machine drawings –
It was quite the challenge researching publishing platforms, papers weights, bindings, etc. Eventually I settled on self publishing and worked with Evolution Press for the covers & Abracadabra printers in Seattle. There were many proofs and edits along the way – such as ordering and pairing the patterns and picking out the binding.
Now that all is said and done, I’m really happy with the results!
The front and back covers are letterpress. The front features a pattern from the book in copper – imitating the optical properties of guilloche work. The back displays a letterpress of the MADE lathe technical drawing. The binding is copper wire, allowing the book to lay flat as you color. The 72 unique patterns are printed on 180lb uncoated white paper – so your coloring utensils won’t bleed through and colors stay true. The book is limited to 300 copies and was handmade here in Seattle, Washington! Keeping it local!
For the technically interested, I’ve put together a book of receipts. This lists the steps for how to generate each pattern in the book on the MADE lathe or similar patterns on any rose engine.
And because I’m so excited about this project and wanted to offer something super special, I compiled a limited special edition of the book – hand signed by the authors + the MADE lathe team. It includes the book of receipts, a hand dyed copper, cotton tote bag, a set of colored pencils, and an engine turned bookmark – all hand made at the Memoria Technica Workshop. They are hand numbered & limited to 24 copies.
If you’d like to snag one – they’re available here!
You can see photos of the finished version below along with some photos of the special edition perks – like an engine turned bookmark I made.
