Pop-ups! Children go crazy for them. Adults collect them. They've been around for more than 700 years and their enchantment and intrigue is as certain today as it was when philosopher Ramon Llull, a Catalan mystic and poet, used revolving discs to illustrate his complex philosophical search for truth in the early 13th century.
Who better to explain this curious phenomenon than two of the most popular pop-up designers, Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart?! Both these artists have a history of flat and three-dimensional illustration and have recently have collaborated on the first book in a new series, Encyclopedia Prehistorica. This new release, Dinosaurs (Candlewick, $26.99, all ages) features over 35 pop-ups, information on fifty different species of dinosaurs and this is only one of several titles they'll author, illustrate and foster in the next year.
In a recent interview, I asked these paper construction pros all about pop-up popularity. In a generation governed by gaming, Sabuda thinks pop-up success may be a "backlash against technology and electronic things surrounding us, movable books allow you to sit down, take a book in your own hands, and make it happen." Reinhart agrees and notes that the interactive media world is usually goal-oriented and with a book, "it's all about enjoying the journey, the amazement of how a tangible, three-dimensional illustration can appear and go away with only paper doing the work."
The pop-up profession is small, but enthusiastic. "There's probably only three dozen paper engineers on this planet," Sabuda believes. But there is a Moveable Book Society and every two years about 500 members from all over the world meet in what Reinhart refers to as "a big pop-up geek fest" of collectors, dealers, individual artists who make editions of only two or three books, as well as commercial artists and librarians.
Both Sabuda and Reinhart are graduates of Pratt Institute where "they always pushed us to try new things and approach something from a different perspective." Now the two have a New York City studio, one of the few devoted to this genre. They engage anywhere from two to eight paper engineers, many of them Pratt graduates. Their projects are built on collaboration. "We try to be as open as possible," Sabuda says, "anyone who has two cents to throw in, we're happy to collect that money."
The pop-up process poses interesting challenges, most often technical than artistic. Creating in three dimensions has limitations that flat illustrations don't. A paper construction has to obey the law of physics, sometimes the paper might not work in a certain way, or be strong enough to support an idea. Production causes concerns, too. "You have to get pop-ups to work, and then make sure that they will work easily over and over again so that when books are in production they will function properly." Sabuda clarifies with an example. "When you consider that there were over a half million copies of Dinosaur in print even before it was released, that's a lot of quality control!"
Pop-up artists can struggle with one construction for over a month, taking it through as many as twelve prototypes and drafts. One of Sabuda's most recent tests came in making the Golden Gate Bridge in his America the Beautiful (Simon and Schuster, $26.95). Reinhart still remembers several difficult construction from his coming October release, Cinderella (Simon and Schuster, $26.95). One was constructing Cinderella's spherical carriage drawn by six horses with silver reins, each of which raises its head.
These artists are prolific and innovative. This October, Sabuda will publish a pop-up story he's written and constructed called, Winter's Tale (Little Simon, $26.95) and Reinhart is working on flat illustrations for No Biting Louise, an upcoming title from author Margie Palatini. And in addition to collaboration with each other and the studio artists, Sabuda and Reinhart have a new imprint with Scholastic. They will foster and work with illustrators and paper engineers to get a line of non-fiction pop-ups published. The first book, Castles, will be coming out next summer. For those who want to learn more about pop-ups, there's lots to explore at RobertSabuda.com where you can find interviews, information, and detailed instructions on how to make eighteen simple pop-ups!
Parents often wonder what to do about the fragility these fairly expensive books. Stow them away in a child-safe place and take them down for special sharing. What better way to demonstrate the preciousness of books! Here are a few recent and new pop-ups to share!
At School: A Lift-the Flap Learning Book by Pittau and Gervais (Chronicle, $14.95, ages 2-4)
Actively prepare your child for preschool with this book that makes learning fun and playfully introduces early concepts in the context of common preschool practices from painting to creativity.
The Christmas Pop-up Present by Rives (Simon and Schuster, $27.50, ages 8 to adult)
This October release will have you ready to count down to Christmas with a Rubik's cube like series of cubes that move in all kinds of directions and offer brainteases and an amazing finale!
Derby Day: A Pop-up Celebration of the Kentucky Derby by Pam Pease (Paintbox Press, $36.00, ages 7- adult)
Just published by the Chapel Hill artist, this book covers history of horses, racing, the Derby itself with flaps, tabs, and pops!
Follow That Fly! by Mike McClintock (Random House, $8.99, ages 3-6) By Mike McClintock
McClintock's 1958 story finds new expression with moveable, pop-up pages. The book's bouncy cumulative rhymes are full of actions that make perfect departure for moveable tabs.
Galileo's Universe poems by J. Patrick Lewis, Illustrations by Tom Curry, Paper Engineering by Bruce Foster (Creative Editions, $17.95, ages 7- adult)
A fabulous blend to show the dynamic connection of art, science and pop-up.
One Red Dot by David Carter (Simon and Schuster, $19.95, ages 3-6)
The man who made bug pop-up books famous takes a new inventive direction in a counting book pop-up that features amazing abstracts.
Opposites by Robert Crowther (Candlewick, $12.99, ages 3-6)
Happy and sad faces appear with the spin of a dial, an alligator's mouth dramatically snaps open and shut. A host of other wheels, tabs and flaps cleverly, cheerfully portray early concepts.
Who's Under That Hat? By David Carter (HBJ, $13.95, ages 2-5)
Coming in October this rhyming book describes hidden characters who are only part of the surprise in an inventive blend of shiny, textural pop-up treats!
Wizardology as told by Master Merlin (Candlewick, $12.99, ages 8 - adult)
Coming in October is a book whose crystal ball on the cover fortells a magical text of hidden messages, spells, potions and more!