The Armenian script: 500 years in the making

The Library of Congress has invited us to design a companion book to an upcoming exhibition chronicling the history of Armenian book arts. As our first order of business, Dan and I visited the African & Middle Eastern Division of the Library to meet Dr. Levon Avdoyan (author), Lee Ewing (photographer), and Claire Dekle (conservator) to discuss and direct our vision for the book.

Looking through ancient manuscripts and medieval scrolls while Dr. Avdoyan explained the importance of each example, was a fascinating history lesson. We were immediately struck by the smell of ancient paper and leather, and instinctively held our hands behind our backs when an object like the Hymalit—too fragile and important for any layperson to handle—was brought out. We huddled over Claire as she slowly unrolled yards upon yards of magical wood block prints depicting biblical scenes. Dan broke the silence with a "Holy— did you retouch those colors recently!?" They had not. The colors had retained their startling brilliance, despite the passing of many centuries.

What is even more incredible about the Armenian written language is that it may be one of the only alphabets developed by one man—Mesrop Mashtots—a Christian monk looking to simplify the translation of the Gospel for Armenians, who were using an ineffective combination of Greek, Persian, and Syriac scripts. This new alphabet strengthened the national identity of the Armenian people, preserving their culture and preventing them from being absorbed by neighboring nations. As Dr. Avdoyan, curator of the accompanying exhibition, writes: "the Armenian Church and the Armenian language have been crucial for the retention of a separate Armenian identity up to the present day."

The book and exhibit are part of a celebration of the 500th anniversary of the advent of the Armenian book, which will take place in April 2012.

New Year’s resolution: Check out “What’s on Your Plate?”

Did you know that if you want to snack on some nuts, the recommended serving size is probably a lot smaller than you think—about 12 almonds, or 7 walnut halves? Or that a healthy portion size for a serving of meat or poultry is 3 ounces, roughly the size of a deck of cards? We didn’t know either, and after designing What’s on Your Plate? Smart Food Choices for Healthy Aging, all of us at L&A feel enlightened regarding the nutritional decisions we make on a daily basis. The 80-page book, written by the National Institute on Aging (in conjunction with NIH and DHHS), provides helpful tips for the 50+ crowd—serving sizes, food groups, nutrients, shopping information, sample menus, and many other tips, all specifically addressing the needs of an aging audience. It’ll come in especially handy during this post-holiday season, when we’re all regretting a month of bad food choices and growing waistlines. 

 
In designing the publication, we decided that a lot of the information was much more powerful if readers could actually see what’s mentioned in the text. What does a serving of mayonnaise look like? What about a half ounce of pumpkin seeds?  Because we knew that stock photography would not give us the necessary variety, specificity, and consistency, we took all of the images in-house. That involved making multiple trips to Whole Foods, turning the studio kitchen into a food styling and preparation lab, and shooting the nearly 80 unique images that make the book a useful, informational, and appealing guide to healthy eating for the senior set.