Making Paper & Fabric Rubbings: Capturing Designs from Brasses, Gravestones, Carved Doors, Coins and More

Introduces various techniques and provides projects in rubbing, a method of reproducing the surface of a design by dabbing or rubbing a piece of paper with colored waxes, inks, or graphite

YA-A guide to creating permanent and semipermanent mementos using pencil, paper, and an engraved artifact. Firestein describes her own casual and uninformed entrance into the craft of rubbings, then goes on to explain how to create T-shirts, note paper, and framed pictures from these simple site-gathered souvenirs. Background information details the history of this ancient craft, dating the oldest rubbing back to approximately 300 A.D. Photographs illustrate this art form from many cultures, some ancient and some obtained by the author, ranging from simple leaves to elaborate cathedral doors. The author provides practical tips and step-by-step instructions, including necessary materials, suitable subjects, and adequate preparation. YAs should find this craft an impetus for hands-on historical study.-Pamela Cooper-Smuzynski, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc.