Manu*Script

– Out of Print –

Writing systems develop from a need to communicate practical information, historical accounts, tales and myths. They vary in structure: syllabic, alphabetic, pictographic. Some disappeared with an extinguished culture, never to be deciphered, and some were decoded to great excitement and acclaim. Those who could write, the scribes, frequently claimed high status in their society. The writing tool and substrate are intimately connected to the style of the language that arose. The look of the system can be artistically changed by choosing a new material with which to write the language: linoleum, a brush instead of a stylus, cutting with scissors. The meaning of the glyphs, words and phrases still retain their power, no matter what tool is used to represent their significance. Hand-set 12 pt. Centaur and Arrighi letters were letterpress printed on Arches Cover. Boards were covered with papyrus, fabric, leather and silk-laden papers for printing as substrate textures. Glyphs were carved into linoleum representing characters, words and phrases. Highlights were produced by pochoir. The book was printed four-up and cut and folded to form signatures which were sewn together through quarter-sawn oak covers, evoking books still made up through the 19th century in Ethiopia. The size is 5.5 tall by 4.25 wide and is 1.5 inches thick; the edition is 95 copies.

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