Optimum Art Category:  Arts/Entertainment Publisher: Self Indulgence, Lake Forest, CA Type: Non-Fiction Pages: 75 Copyright: Jan 1 1999 The main purpose of this series of books is the incorporation of artworks into hand made leather book bindings. Artwork, illustrations, writings and the complete production of the books are executed by the author. These books are designed, produced, printed and bound by Alex Nodopaka. They stem from the need to compact and record in book form a large body of artworks created by the author. The exotic leather covers are made from recycled exotic animal skins. These skins are given a new life and may preserve for a longer time the feel and look of once beautiful living creatures that sadly met their fate to satisfy the fashions and fads of a hopefully bygone era. Today, the same look and feel of leather can be duplicated with modern textile technology, forever eliminating the need to kill a living creature to satisfy passing fads.   Excerpt ONCE upon a time there were an exotic and learned eel, a snake and an alligator that decided to travel around the world. To disguise themselves, they wrapped themselves around magic books containing fairytale images of far away lands, their peoples and customs.

You Can Judge a Book by its Cover
You Can Judge a Book by its Cover as reviewed by the Menlo Park Almanach, CA

Leather Custom Book Binding
You Can Judge a Book by its Cover as reviewed by the Palo Alto Daily, CA

Book Binding Exhibit
FAIRYTALE STORY
about Exotic Book Covers.

By
Alex Nodopaka ~

ONCE upon a time there were an exotic and learned eel, a snake and an alligator that decided to travel around the world. To disguise themselves, they wrapped themselves around magic books containing fairytale images of far away lands, their peoples and customs. In such innocuous disguise they traveled far and beyond their birthplaces. They were safely and lovingly handled by children and learned people of all lands and extended their life span beyond their wildest dreams. These covers have seen the frozen Arctic Circle, the tropical jungles and the most awesome libraries and bookstores where they settled and lived in harmony.