Hidden Book Paintings Revealed

Secret Fore-Edge Paintings Revealed in Early 19th Century Books at the University of Iowa In one of the most popular articles we've seen on Colossal in nearly a year, the University of Iowa shares a unique collection of early 19-century books with Colossal. A peek inside reveals a series of hidden paintings.   Artist Collaborates with her 4-Year-Old Daughter to Create Amazing Illustrations In perhaps the coolest bit of teamwork ever seen on Colossal, professional illustrator Mica Angela Hendricks collaborates with her 4-year-old daughter to produce these wonderful drawings. Passing back and forth between mother and daughter, each piece reaches an unexpected and completely fascinating final form.       Surreal Drawings, Paintings and Murals by Rustam QBic Kazan, Russia-based artist Rustam QBic brings a wildly surreal imagination to his massive murals and drawings. Fish adorned with houses and windows, elephants sprouting giant buildings, and a goose with feathers made from an ocean of angry waves are just a few examples of the details and ideas you'll find when you get up close to QBic's work.   A Mercedes V12 Engine Built with Hand-Forged Components of Bone, Wood, Fossils and 50 Other Materials Hand-forged and crafted from a staggering list of materials and reaching an excruciating level of detail, V12 Laraki by artist Eric van Hove is a reimagining of a Mercedes V12 engine. In collaboration with 35 master craftsmen from Morocco, van Hove created reproductions of all 465 parts and 660 bolts. While it doesn't produce the 600+ horsepower of the real thing, it is certainly one of the most beautiful engines ever created.   Bird Flipbook Machines by Juan Fontanive [VIDEO] Artist Juan Fontanive has been exploring moving images and kinetic sculpture since graduating from the Royal College of Art. These flipbook machines were created from drawings, acrylic paintings, and collages of birds.   Drawings Made with Fingerprint Patterns by Nicolas Jolly Artist Nicolas Jolly draws using a kind of crosshatching reminiscent of the patterns in fingerprints. The thousands of tiny black ink lines found in his work vary in length, direction, and thickness to create landscapes, portraits, and other scenes that seem to be pulsing with energy.   Norway Captured by Bard Larsen Colossal updates this month with a new header photograph courtesy Bard Jensen who shared this idyllic photo of Sundal, Norway with us for the month of September.