Critical Analysis

by E. Rettberg

Design Features

typographic: Besides the title page information and colophon, the volume's sole text comes in the curved phrase, "motley's the only wear."

imagery: Images of flowers and lizards intersect with abstract-futurist images of grids, spheres, and pixels.

graphical: The structured look of the grids and game-of-life-like squares contrast with the colored-pencil nature images.

turnings: Each turning reveals a new set of images revealed by the translucent stock.

sequence: The book has two title pages and can be read either front to back or back to front.

scultpural features: A circle in the cover reveals one of the intersections on the "dustjacket."

arachne/amaranth

Agents

Joan Wolbier

type: initiating

role:
artist

nationality:
active: United States

Publication Information

edition type: editioned

publisher: True Grid Editions

place:

dates:
publication: 1983-00-00

edition size: 290

Measurements

horizontal: 9 inches closed

vertical: 8.75 inches closed

depth: .23 inches closed

Appearance

format: codex (AAT)

cover: U.V. Ultra Heavyweight folded over #17 U.V. Ultra II paper. Printed on the covers are red grid lines; the page underneath has a circle punched out of the middle.

color: yes

Content

pagination: unpaginated 52 pages

numbered?: numbered

signed?: signed

Colophon

The drawings were all done on mylar and then burned directly onto positive plates. The main section of the book is printed on 17# U.V. Ultra II paper. The title page, end sheets and cover are all on Strathmore Pastelle. The outer cover is U.V. Ultra Heavyweight. The press used was a Hamada 800 DX. Arachne/Amaranth was produced with the help of a National Endowment of the Arts grant received by the Writer's Center. I would like to thank the Writer's Center staff for their encouragement and enthusiasm. Thanks to Kevin Osborn for his guidance and making it all happen. A special thanks to Gerald Claiborne for his patience and excellent presswork. And to Lyle Rosbotham, I give my gratitude for living through the experience with me.