cailun's Profile

Bio

Hi I'm Dennis. I'm an artist and designer who has worked in a range of media including book arts, interactive media, photography, film and video.

I have been making books since I was a kid, and made multi-media book projects as a teenager as a way to express my longings and intense emotions during those years. I started to express emotions and feelings with the physicality of books, through their forms, bindings, paper and colors. There is a harmony in my work between perfection and imperfection. Imperfection creates individuality, and it also sparks new possibilities and perspectives in the piece.

I often begin a piece by thinking about colors. I think about how different colors can play out on a book through the threads, ribbons, paper and fabrics. I often see the visual composition of the book in my mind before putting together the book, as a graphic designer arranging the shapes and colors. The entire book acts as a graphic design canvas and each element contributes to the final visual and physical form for the book. The physical book is a graphic object that incorporates lines, shapes, forms and colors. I know a piece is done when I get the chill holding it in my hand upon completion. This is the ultimate moment I long for during the process of making each and every book.

My favorite tool is the bone folder. It transforms a flat sheet paper into objects that are vital to a book. Sheets of paper are flat and thin. The magic of books comes from the collaboration of sheets; their stacking creates a substantial volume that makes a book take shape and alive. I also take pictures of every book that I make. I find that through photography, books are transformed into graphic art as pictures.

My paper and bookmaking weblog http://Cailun.info covers the world of books and paper and includes resources, technicque, and bookmaking tips. Also visit my portfolio to see a showcase of all my handmade books at http://StudioCaiLun.com

Favorite Materials