At one time, encyclopedias were venerated as ultimate sources of knowledge. People saw the value in investing in these massive multi-volume sets and enjoyed the convenience and status of having a reference section in the comfort of their living room. Ordered through the post or from a door-to-door salesman, acquiring an encyclopedia was a commitment to education and learning.
These days, we have an overload of information at our fingertips and as a result, even the most well-known purveyor decided to halt 244 years of print production in favour of offering an online alternative. Certainly, with Pinterest and Instagram and blog posts and podcasts, there is no shortage of visual inspiration for creatives. But as makers, we appreciate—we yearn—for the tangible. And we crave high quality content that is lovingly curated instead of coming to us in random bits. Coveting, owning and holding a beautiful and informative ink-on-paper inspiring tome… now that’s something that can’t be experienced virtually.
the uppercase encyclopedia of inspiration
Beautiful Books to Inspire, Inform and Delight
Two new volumes are going to be announced soon!
Sign up for my newsletter to find out more and for the opportunity to be featured.
Print / Maker
inky, creative success
Profiles of designers, artists and craftspeople who use printmaking and print technology to make things for themselves and others. This book includes in-depth interviews with printers, stationers, publishers, zine-makers, homeware and clothing designers through studio pictures, portfolios and sound advice from print/makers from around the world.
Dust jacket art by Katharine Watson, Starshaped Press, Clawhammer Press and Angie Lewin.
EPHEMERA
Top photo by Michelle Geller, Ephemera typeface by Louise Fili (Montecatini) and bottom photo by Margaret Schlecht.
Forever, Always & Now
Featuring collage artists, illustrators, type designers, graphic designers, creative entrepreneurs and more sharing favourites from their vast ephemera collections but also how their love of ephemera helps them create their art, express their creativity and earn a living. Ephemera is a beautiful book! It's a big one—448 pages—full of gorgeous old papers, intriguingly distressed found bits and pieces, astounding objects of design from years past, nostalgic mementos and typographic treasures. Each of the profiled collectors not only shares favourites from their collections but also how their love of ephemera helps them create their art, express their creativity and earn a living.
The dust jacket can be folded four different ways! Here’s a lovely review of the book.
VINTAGE LIFE
living in the past
These people and businesses have immersed themselves in the aesthetics, technologies and trends of bygone eras. Vintage sellers and dealers, collectors, interior decorators, stylists, writers, musicians and creative souls. When living in the past is the only way to be! 448 pages of gorgeous, exuberant inspiration. A must-have for lovers of vintage aesthetics.
The stack of Encyclopedias as of September 2019. Quilted will be added to the stack in early November!
QUILTED
Personal & Professional
QUILTED, Volume Q in the UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration is a celebration of the beauty of quilts and how they appeal to our creativity and emotions. From nostalgic heirlooms to celebrating quilting failures to designing, making, improvising, Quilted is a behind-the-scenes look at a tradition and an industry. Profiles of quilters are interspersed with stories of uniquely beautiful and impactful quilts.
SHIPPING IN NOVEMBER 2019
a library of inspiration
The first three volumes in the UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration
THE FIRST
3 books
1,344
total pageS
over 9,000 copies sold
Feed Sacks:
The Colourful History of a Frugal Fabric
written by Linzee Kull McCray (2016)
Reprint by Martingale Distribution, November 2019.
Stitch*illo:
Creative Expressions Through Textiles
written by Janine Vangool (2017)
Botanica:
A Mixed Bouquet of Art, Design & Ephemera
written by Janine Vangool (2017)
The first three volumes of the Encyclopedia. Each book has a dust jacket that can be folded in four different ways. There's also a paper belly band that wraps around the book to brand the series.
Making beautiful books and magazines is what I do. ♥ Every day.
SCHEDULE
It is because of your generous pre-orders that this book series continues. Quilted will be released in November 2019.
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PARTICIPATE
Auditions for Vintage Life and Quilted will be announced via my weekly newsletter.
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FOLLOW ALONG
I will keep you up-to-date of the fundraising and project progress via my weekly newsletter.
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VISION
UPPERCASE has a clear passion for producing unique, high quality books. With my affection for books entitled “directories” and “compendiums”, the UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration is a natural progression. A book set released volume by volume is also a fitting companion to the subscription model we offer through UPPERCASE magazine.
TRACK RECORD
UPPERCASE has a great track record for creating quality books and magazines. The magazine has been published consistently every quarter since spring 2009. I've also independently published over 15 books in the past ten years, from small companions to gallery exhibitions to big hardcover books. In 2015, I released an epic hardcover book entitled The Typewriter: a Graphic History of the Beloved Machine as well as the 384-page multi-covered UPPERCASE Compendium of Craft & Creativity. The first three Encyclopedia volumes were completed and delivered within less than two years. UPPERCASE has a proven track record of getting things done!
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WHO IS UPPERCASE?
I'm Janine Vangool. I publish books and magazines for the creative and curious: products that spark the imagination and inspire creativity. My background is as a graphic designer and my desire to create books from concept to design to production stems from my complete love of books. Holding and admiring them as objects, and writing, reading, learning and loving the entire book experience. I love stepping into the worlds created within their pages.
UPPERCASE has the best readers in the world!
Thank you!
In April 2016, I embarked on the start of what I hoped would be an ongoing project: the UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration. Due to generous support of enthusiastic readers from around the world, the first three volumes (Feed Sacks, Stitch*illo and Botanica) were crowdfunded successfully through pre-orders. Because of you, these fine books were written, designed and published and have been well-received by readers around the world. Thank you!
Purchase the first three volumes as a set or individually in the shop.
"Your new Encyclopedias are a dream!"
— Kim J.
"I just received the gorgeous Botanica book and it is beyond anything I imagined. Thank you so much for such a lovely, inspirational tome — I know I will go back into the pages over and over for what very well may be the most beautiful and inspiring book I've ever had."
– Alice W.
"The history of feed sacks may sound dry, but McCray lavishly pairs spare but eloquent text with hundreds of illustrations and photos in this fascinating stroll through American domestic history."
—Publishers Weekly
"I want to savour it slowly and make the pleasure last — I am sure this book is my absolute dream come true. Thank you for doing a divine job, for your warm enthusiasm in all you do and for the outstanding quality of your work."
— Mireille F.
"This book is used for browsing, spotting a style of work that is of interest or totally different to the one you are used to using and then learning a little more about it. The aim of the series speaks for itself." —Gillian V.
