Blog - Upon a Fold

pop-up alphabet co-op

2010-09-08T22:41:13Z

As promised, here are images of works exhibited at the recent Pop-Up Alphabet Co-Op at Object Gallery. Thanks to Sarah K for curating this awesome show and to Alex Lawlor too. You guys did such an amazing job! xx

For those who sent emails regarding our own typographic puzzle – it’s now available for purchase here :)

Enjoy the show!

Benja Harney, A4. (I love, love, love, love, love these soooo much!)

Clockwise from top left: Sam Larwill, O / Sarah Maxey, I DId This… / Kirsten Fredericks, KITSCH / Angus Foggo, Type Jewels.

Bridie Dyson, Book Uchin Necklaces.

Clockwise from top left: Me + Matt Cullen (upon a fold), 6 / Mobilet, Monstrousse Pencil Cases / Yumi Takahashi, Alphabet Cards / Catherine Griffiths, AEIOU cards.

Liane Rossler, Wow – Love – OK.

Clockwise from top left: Books Actually / A Friend Of Mine, Play / Sarah Maxey, You’re Lovely, So Are You (Pillow Case) / Maynes Germon, Handstitched Patchwork.

Liesl Hazelton, Alpha Beta Rings.

Clockwise from top left: Ben Blakebrough, Russian Constructivist L / ? Cross Stitch Kit / Letterbox, Typotoys / Bird & Co, Pencils.

Clockwise from top left: Sarah Maxey, Hey / NAEF, T – Toy Blocks / Emily Seresin, Languor Football Shirt / Chris Norman, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Clockwise from top left: Benja Harney, A4 / Shannon Lamden, Ampersand Cushion / Me + Amber, First Impression Print / Cynthia White, Alphabet Block Sets.

A Pop-Up Special, Not Your Type.

Clockwise from top left: Gussie + Sarah King, Alphagetti Poster / A Pop-Up Special, Natural B / Fink, F Anodised Aluminium Brooch / Tammy Maynes, Cross Stitch Letters.

Left to right: A great selection of typography books / Crystal Palace, Cabinet

paper town friends by robin rosenthal

2010-09-05T12:45:15Z

Check out this awesome app I just bought. It’s called Paper Town Friends and yes it’s made entirely of paper. LOVE!

Choose from six characters – a baby, monkey, cat, dinosaur, duck and frog. Now comes the fun! Mix and match clothing from many different categories, with lots of very cute and groovy fashion bits to choose from. Just scroll and scroll until you’ve found the perfect outfit.

There is an amazing 150 items of clothing to choose from, each and every one lovingly handmade with paper by graphic designer and illustrator Robin Rosenthal.

Once you’ve made the outfit you love, you can save it to show all your friends what a super stylist you really are – hehe :) Love your work Robin and thanks for giving my phone a much needed touch of handmade goodness!

6 / a typographic puzzle

2010-09-03T01:21:07Z

When Sarah K invited us to take part in a Pop Up Alphabet Co Op she was curating for Object Gallery in Sydney, we said YES! It’s not everyday one gets to work on a brief that offers infinite possibilities.

The Pop Up Alphabet Co Op is a temporary type-o-centric shop/installation where every letter, number, word or phrase exhibited is available to own.

Matt and I put on our thinking caps and bounced ideas off each another before deciding we wanted to make something that was made of paper (surprise, surprise), a little bit crafty and a lot of fun!

6 is a typographic puzzle kit. It comes with 5 double-sided cards and a pre-scored tracing paper base strip, all of which make up a strand of 6 pyramids. Once made, the puzzle can be folded in many different ways to form every letter of the alphabet.

Working out those letters was kind of tricky but lots of fun too. We made sure to include an A-Z colour coded chart (or cheat sheet) to act as a guide in case you get stuck, because it’s not that easy you know!

So the last few nights, we’ve been up late scoring strips of trace and making wax paper pockets for the kits to sit in. Luckily, I brought back a stack of waxed paper from Tokyo recently, having no idea at the time what I’d use it for. I’m happy I did though, because it certainly came in handy this week!

The Pop Up Alphabet Co Op opens tonight and runs all weekend. All the works on show are limited editions and available to purchase. So come and say hi and get your dose of design – there will be loads of good stuff to see.

To view more of the type inspired works that will be on show tonight, click here.

Object Gallery – Main Gallery, 417 Bourke Street, Surry Hills.

favourite online finds

2010-09-02T13:26:52Z

Guest post day 4 on The Design Files showcases many of my favourite online shops that are based in Japan. So if you love all things Japanese but can’t make it over there, this is the next best way to discover all the good stuff on offer!

cochae

2010-09-01T11:26:21Z

Love origami? Well head over to The Design Files for day 3 of my guest blogging! It’s all about Cochae from Tokyo and their amazing graphics and folds.

design hub tokyo

2010-08-31T14:45:23Z

Guest post day 2 is all about Design Hub Tokyo and Design to Change the World. So head over to The Design Files guest blog to see exactly how design can really change the world!

oedo markets

2010-08-31T01:18:28Z

Wondering why there is just a single lonely image here? Well, that’s because the rest of this post can be found over at The Design Files guest blog. Lovely Lucy has invited me to be a guest blogger on her beautiful blog and of course I said YES! Expect to find a new post everyday for 5 days. First up, is a look at the amazing Oedo Markets in Tokyo. Enjoy!

paper & tokyo - kamakura

2010-08-22T18:55:13Z

Kamakura is such a beautiful place to visit. It takes just under an hour by train to get there from Tokyo station, so it’s an easy day trip if you feel like escaping the hustle and bustle of the city. Another good reason to visit is this charming little shop called Cloud Bldg. It stocks a wide range of goods from antique bits and pieces to fashion, stationery, books, homewares and more.

It’s so pretty inside and the staff are so friendly and welcoming too. Everything is presented beautifully and you’ll find lovely little treasures wherever you look.

And unique paper goods like this wonderful bag made of paper.

I also discovered works here by local artists and designers – this is definitely a great place for buying unique, made in Japan gifts to take back home.

Just down the road from Cloud Bldg. is a paper shop called Yohira. It has a great range of wrapping papers, cards, origami supplies, letter sets, writing tools, gift packs and more.

In the busy part of town is an amazing paper shop called Shatoh. It specialises in all things washi paper and on display is the most impressive selection of washi in many different colours, textures and patterns too. Sorry guys, I didn’t take any photographs of this shop – it was too dark inside but trust me, it’s definitely worth a look!

Kamakura is a popular tourist spot with many temples, shrines, walks and historical monuments to discover including The Great Buddha of Kamakura, pictured below.

CLOUD BLDG.
2-5-20 1F Yuigahama Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture
Tel: 0467-25-2065 Email: moln@cloud-bldg.jp
www.cloud-bldg.jp

YOHIRA
1-15-20 Hase Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture
Tel: 0467-25-4700 Email: info@yohira.jp
www.yohira.jp

SHATOH
2-7-26 1F Komachi Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture
Tel: 81-467-22-2601 Email: shop@kamakurashatoh.com

our latest finds

2010-08-18T10:13:10Z

Click here to see the newest arrivals to the Upon a Fold shop, including these beautiful paper leaves by Appree Design.

recycling: washi tales

2010-08-10T15:45:53Z

Recycling: washi tales is a performance based project that explores the aesthetic and spiritual values of recycling paper. I came across this site via the always inspiring Awagami Factory, and it really blew me away. I have always wanted to see how washi paper is made and now I have, thanks to the team behind this production.

Four tales of paper making from different periods of Japanese history unfold on stage, alongside a magical set created by renowned paper artist, Kyoko Ibe. To find out more about the performances click here.

Ever wondered how washi paper is made? Well, wonder no more. On the Washi Tales website is a section on papermaking and it provides a fascinating look into the world of washi paper making. The images below will take you through the 7 steps to making washi paper by hand and it’s truly amazing stuff!

STEP ONE – SCRAPING

Washi paper is made from the inner bark of three different plants: Kozo (mulberry tree), Ganpi, and Mitsumata (paperbush). Kozo can be cultivated, while ganpi grows wild in the mountains. Cutting branches does not kill these plants, so washi is a renewable resource. The bark is stripped from the cut branches, then after a cooking process, the lighter inner bark is separated from the outer bark.

STEP TWO – SOAKING

The inner bark is then soaked and any impurities are removed by hand. With Kozo fiber, a thickening agent of Tororoai (hibiscus root) is also prepared and strained. Pictured is master paper maker Tamura Tadashi.

STEP THREE – BEATING

The clean inner bark is then beaten with a wooden mallet for quite some time.

STEP FOUR – MIXING

After the bark has been beaten to a pulp, it is put into water and further broken down and mixed. With Kozo, the thickening agent is slowly added. Paper makers can often tell when paper is ready to be formed, by the sound of the water.

STEP FIVE – FRAMING
Pictured above is paper artist, Kyoko Ibe.

This is the most challenging step! Handmade frames are dipped several times into the suspension of water, fiber and tororoai. Tiny particles bind and remain on the screen and when peeled off, reveal a wet sheet of paper. The wet sheet is set in a stack to drain, and the water pressed out.

STEP SIX – BRUSHING

After a stack of new paper has drained, each damp sheet is individually peeled off and brushed smooth onto a flat surface to fully dry. It is sometimes then polished with a dark green camellia leaf.

STEP SEVEN – DRYING

Larger sheets of paper are hung up to dry in addition to being laid out on boards.
To find out more about washi paper visit the Awagami Factory website. They are the experts in handmade Japanese papers and their website is full of interesting facts about washi paper too.

burger with the lot

2010-08-07T22:26:36Z

OH. MY. GOODNESS! Look what I just found!!! It’s a paper burger and box filled with lots of yummy bits to write messages on. Its cuteness is killing me. So now begins a new mission, I must find it and bring it to Oz. Excuse me Mr Burger, Upon A Fold NEEDS YOU!

paper & tokyo - ito-ya, spiral + more

2010-08-06T16:21:35Z

If you only have time to visit one paper shop in Tokyo, make it Ito-ya in Ginza. It’s nine levels of stationery goodness and most definitely the mecca for paper lovers all around the world, so make the pilgrimage people!

Ito-ya have several stores around Tokyo but their Ginza store is the best and it offers the largest selection of stationery you’ll have ever seen before. It’s mind blowing and I’ll confess, that my recent visit there lasted almost 7 hours! Truly, I’m not joking, not at all :) I think the staff thought I was crazy. You might think 7 hours in one shop is crazy too, but this place is huge and there are thousands of paper products to be discovered and admired.

I wasn’t able to take photos inside so I’ve taken pictures of the items I bought instead. Ito-ya’s selection of papers is amazing and surprisingly affordable too.

Another must-visit shop in Tokyo is Spiral Market in Aoyama. It has a great selection of cards and designer paper products and there is always loads happening on all floors of the Spiral building. Inside there is a cafe, record shop, garden, a very big spiral staircase, events hall, lounge, exhibition space and more. On the day I visited there was a student exhibition showcasing some amazing architectural models. Take a look below, they’re incredible.

And here are some of the paper goods I bought from the shop.

And if you’re wondering where this cute little blackboard signage came from, I shot it inside Tokyu Hands. Yep another must-visit shop in Tokyo. Tokyu Hands sells pretty much everything, but their range of craft supplies, stationery and model making is extra special and superb! It’s the ultimate in DIY and a great place to go to find quirky little gadgets to bring back home as gifts. The sushi erasers and sticker sets I brought back, were definitely a hit with my friends.

There are many shops and department stores in Tokyo that sell a great range of paper goods. Below are three more you should definitely visit, if you have the time.

Loft – A cool department store in Shibuya with a good selection of stationery, especially cards.
Parco – This one is also in Shibuya. Just go downstairs to BF1 where you will find a great selection of craft books, stationery and a mini Claska Gallery shop & “DO”.
Haibara – A really lovely selection of Japanese papers and paper goods.

paper pencils

2010-08-05T18:50:46Z

For nearly six months we have been busy bees here at upon a fold, folding paper hearts to send out with each and every order. Just our way of saying thank you to all our lovely customers who have shown support and given us lots of encouragement along the way. But it’s time for a change!

So how does a cute little paper project sound? It’s time you guys got folding too you know : ) As of today this cute paper pencil card will be sent out with every order!

And nope, it’s not just pretty. The top of the pencil opens up so you can fill it with little sweeties too – tic tac anyone?

Or perhaps you could write someone a lovely message and pass it on?

How about an imaginary scribble or two?

Or maybe just add a bit of colour to your desk?

It’s really just a little something cute and fun we hope you will enjoy. And for those of you who will miss the hearts, don’t worry! Just click here to download your ‘how-to’ guide and fold until your heart’s content. xx

nomo-gram

2010-08-02T22:27:54Z

Just a quick entry to say that I love these two illustrations by Nomoto Naoko from nomo-gram soooooo much. And also to let you know there is more Tokyo and Paper goodness, on the way!

HEADSPACE 1

2010-08-02T13:44:36Z

HEADSPACE 1 was a project embarked on by students of the University of Melbourne as part of their Bachelor of Environments degree. The project invited each student to take an idea from within their head, and to re-create that idea in paper form, to place on their head. Take a look at the results, they’re amazing.

All images thanks to Stanislav Roudavski’s video, via here. If you have 15 minutes to spare it’s really worth watching!

holland paper biennial 2010

2010-07-31T00:27:19Z

On now until September 13 is the 8th Holland Paper Biennial, being held at both the Museum Rijswijk and CODA Museum, in Apeldoorn. On display are the works of 27 renowned paper artists, including some of my favourites such as Noriko Ambe and Christophe Piallat. I wish I could visit in person and take lots of photos to show you, but no can do. Here are some images that were kindly sent by the galleries, so we get to see some of the amazingness too!
Above: Noriko Takamiya

Amparo Sard

Katharina Dettar

Javier Leon

Peter Clark

Josef Baier

Birgit Knoechl

Anouk Kruithof

Christophe Piallat

Lu Shengzhong

Peter Clark

Janna Syvänoja

Lydia Hirte

Boukje Voet

To mark the conclusion of the 2010 Holland Paper Biennial, a grand paper fair will be held on Sunday, September 12 at Museum Rijswijk. Here, artists, paper-makers and paper merchants from the Netherlands and other countries too, will be displaying and selling their wares.

ribbonesia by baku maeda

2010-07-28T11:53:12Z

Artist Baku Maeda has launched a new site www.ribbonesia.com, and it’s amazing. These are some of his origami style animals, made with ribbon. There are many more on the site, so head over there and take a look. I’m so in love!

via HITSPAPER

art space tokyo

2010-07-25T23:43:49Z

By the overwhelming response I received from my Tokyo By Tokyo book post, I got the impression you guys would like to know more about discovering the real Tokyo? So I thought I’d share with you another great Tokyo guide that’s sure to point you in the right direction to finding the best creative spaces and hidden gems this amazing city has to offer.

Art Space Tokyo is an in-depth guide to 12 contemporary Tokyo art spaces and their surroundings. The spaces explored within the book not only provide visual arts appeal but also focuses on other areas of creativity such as design, anime and architecture too. Below image: 21_21 Design Sight illustration of Tadao Ando’s signature building.

After scouring the city and visiting hundreds of venues, Ashley Rawlings & Craig Mod had the difficult task of selecting the 12 best art spaces to feature in their book. They believe the spaces chosen for the book are the most inspiring art spaces Tokyo has to offer and after having visited most of them, I’d have to agree.

Expect to find detailed and easy to navigate neighborhood maps, insightful interviews, 50+ ink illustrations by Nobumasa Takahashi, useful website references and a handy appendix of terms, places and events. And did I mention how beautiful the book itself is? It has a beautiful screen printed cloth cover, 272 pages of lovely Japanese paper and a sewn in bookmark too.

Art Space Tokyo took us to many amazing places, that we otherwise would not have discovered. The fun is in the journey and with great suggestions throughout the book for places to eat and shops to see along the way, you’ll soon discover that each one of the 12 destinations is easily a full day of exploration. So if you have 12 days in Tokyo, then you’re set!

I thought I’d share three Art Space Tokyo inspired day trips with you, to give you an idea of some of the good stuff you’ll see if you follow the guide and explore the neighborhoods. The first one is Gallery éf in Asakusa and although the gallery itself is quite young (established in 1998) it is housed in a 140 year old wooden warehouse, that has miraculously survived the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the firebombing of Tokyo in 1945. It’s tucked away at the back of a cosy little cafe, so be careful not to walk past it. You don’t want to miss this, it’s such a beautiful space.

Not far from the gallery is a noodle house that comes recommended in the book. And if you’re a fan of ramen and gyoza, you really must visit this place. Fresh noodles are hand rolled as you wait and watching them get made is truly remarkable. How one large strand can be turned into hundreds of smaller strands, so perfectly and quickly is still beyond me. I was so impressed and even though I had packed away my camera and taken off my tourist hat, I couldn’t help but to bring it out again to take some shots of this noodle making master in action. He was quite amazing to watch.

Next stop was Senso-ji temple also in Asakusa. It’s Tokyo’s oldest and most significant Buddhist temple and on offer were Omikuji or ‘sacred lotteries’. These folded paper slips are randomly drawn and contain predictions ranging from ‘great luck’ to ‘great bad luck’. By tying the piece of paper as shown in the images below, ‘great luck’ will certainly come your way or ‘great bad luck’ will be averted. Phew!

Other rituals include writing prayers on pieces of paper or wooden plaques and rubbing incense smoke onto one’s head.

On the way back to get the ferry home we past so many interesting places and people too. Asakusa is great for street strolling and people watching, there is so much to see here and I recommend you allow a full day to see it in.

Getting the ferry back into town is a really nice way to see the city and all its colours. Take a look at some of the colourful bridges we passed under, and the ferry itself was so vibrant too.

Next up is a place that is sure to bring out the inner child in you. Set in the woods of Inokashira Park, the Ghibli Museum is a truly magical place. Founded by Hayao Miyazaki in 1985, Studio Ghibli is the production company behind many anime classics. Inside you’ll learn all about the history and science of animation, there are spinning tables, flickering stroboscopes, original sketches and storyboards, spiral staircases, a very popular playroom for the kiddies, a cafe, a bookshop and a beautiful little theatre too. And btw, your entry ticket includes a free short-film of the cutest kind inside the theatre, so everyone gets a look!

The book suggests the best and most picturesque way to get to the museum is via Inokashira Park. And I agree! It’s such a beautiful park to walk through, so lush and green and tranquil too.

No photography is allowed inside the museum, so all I can show you are a few shots from the outside. There are so many quirky and colourful details everywhere. Inside resembles something from the Willy Wonka world of interiors – so surreal, full of colour and the closest thing to kiddy heaven I’ve ever seen!

Book your tickets well in advance, especially for weekend visits. The museum reaches full capacity on the weekends, so if you rather a less cramped visit then go on a weekday instead, but take note on Tuesdays they are closed.

Ah and lucky last, SCAI The Bathhouse in beautiful Yanaka. This bathhouse turned gallery in 1993 stands where there has been a bathhouse for two hundred years. Internationally renowned artists such as Genpei Akasegawa, Louise Bourgeois, Anish Kapoor, Julian Opie and Tadanori Yokoo have all exhibited here.

The area around the gallery is full of interesting sites and actually it’s probably one of my most favourite places in Tokyo to just wander around. I’m not normally a keen cemetery visitor but The Yanaka cemetery is quite beautiful and a peaceful place for an afternoon stroll. If cemeteries aren’t your thing that’s ok, because there is much more to see and taste around here. Like Tabi Bagels! Oooo, these are very yummy bagels and don’t the locals know it. A queue out the door and down the street is always a good sign that what’s inside must be worth waiting for. Tabi Bagel stays open until they are sold out of bagels, which isn’t very long. We were there when they opened and less than 1 hour later when we returned for more, they were closed. So best get there early!

Next to Tabi Bagel is a stretch of small and gorgeous shops, all definitely worth visiting including the lovely shop pictured below. And perched on the corner is another delicious find called atelier de florentina (pictured above). Here you’ll find the most delicious selection of handmade florentine bite-sized sweets to die for.

Below Shop D.cuir

Once you’re done there, just walk around the corner and check out Classico. It’s a beautiful shop that sells antiques, clothes, crafts and everyday objects. I bought a charming little ceramic bowl and was delighted with the way it was wrapped. The honeycomb paper wrapping not only looks good but acts as protective padding too. I must have shown excessive signs of enthusiasm for that wrapping because I was so generously given a few extra sheets to take home with me that day. Yay, one can never have too much paper, right?

There are quite a few craft stores in and around Yanaka so keep an eye open for them when you’re wandering around. And do wander around this place, the streets are full of interesting shops and lots of lovely little details.

Thanks so much to Ashley Rawlings & Craig Mod for taking the time to create something so useful for those of us not already familiar with the Tokyo art scene. If you would like to buy a copy of Art Space Tokyo you can do so via their website, here.

12 NEW goodies in the shop today

2010-07-20T21:15:16Z

To see the newest arrivals to the Upon a Fold shop, including these beautiful paper vases by Torafu Architects in Japan, click here.

paper places by jeff nishinaka

2010-07-15T10:33:44Z

I love Jeff Nishinaka’s paper sculptures, and it had been too long since I last visited his site. Then this week I was reminded of his amazingness over at The Cool Hunter and by my twitter pal Flávia too. When revisiting his site today, I found this seriously cute series of paper scenes I thought was pretty special. Each and every one so perfectly constructed and just take a look at those glamorous dolls. Just dazzling!