Paper: Material, Medium, Magic

Wide-ranging and multi-faceted this intriguing and beautifully produced book will change the way you relate to paper in an increasingly "paperless" society.

While sheets of paper are disappearing from our homes and offices, the medium is experiencing a renaissance in the worlds of art, design, and architecture. Suddenly, paper is everywhere--but not only in the old familiar places or forms. This fascinating book looks at every aspect of paper: its history, composition, production, application, and trade. Beginning with the anatomy of paper and its earliest forms, this book looks at paper as a symbol of political and economic importance and as a carrier of ideas, from literature to art, design, and music. It looks at the different surfaces, opacities, weights and volumes of paper and how it is used for printing, typography, graphics, and maps as well as a vehicle for origami, architecture, and fashion. Sumptuously illustrated with photographs and drawings, this book includes a variety of papers for readers to examine and feel, highlighting the sensual aspects of this seemingly ordinary product. Engaging, entertaining, and informative, this book contains a wealth of useful and surprising information on every printed, colored, and textured page.

NEIL HOLT is a book designer and teacher of typography in Schwerte, Germany.

NICOLA VON VELSEN is a book editor and proprietor of "Pop Up Paper" in Cologne, Germany.