Stop and Watch the Clouds Pass By
Stop and Watch the Clouds Pass By
An analog pop-up book about reconnecting with your inner child.
Timeline: Spring 2026, 12 Weeks
My Role(s): Photographer, Writer, Designer, Printer, Paper Engineer, and Book Binder
Program(s): Photoshop
My Role(s): Photographer, Writer, Designer, Printer, Paper Engineer, and Book Binder
Program(s): Photoshop
Stop and Watch the Clouds Pass By didn’t start with a clear idea, just curiosity and the urge to make something as analog as possible. Inspired by a classmate, I layered woodblock type over a poorly wiped copper plate etching, and was incredibly excited by the result. I let that print sit over winter break, during which time I bought an old pop-up from a used book store. It was falling apart, many of the mechanisms didn’t work, so I repaired it as best I could. That process drove me to learn more about pop-up book construction and the possibilities of turning 2D prints into 3D interactive elements. And that’s how my guiding question for this project formed: How can I combine copper plate etching, letterpress typography, and basic pop-ups or paper engineering into one piece?
I wanted the series of prints to become some kind of book – an analog pop-up inspired by my growing collection of children’s books, and by the wonder I experienced in Ireland. With the clouds I photographed and reflecting on the excitement I felt in that landscape, I began forming the concept of a children’s book for adults about reconnecting with your inner child. A direct reflection of my personal experience.
In this project I explored composing with woodblock type, rather than writing. I approached text spatially, treating each letter as a visual element. Pages often developed from a few initial characters, and words would emerge naturally. The phrase “stop and watch the clouds pass by” developed this way, without preplanning. Writing has always been a struggle for me, so working with words in such a physical and visual way has become one of my favorite processes. It helped me grow my typographic skills as a designer.
This has been one of the most involved and labor-intensive books I have produced, but it’s also a strong example of the care, intention, and values I want to express through my micro press: engagement with place, the impact of lived experience, the importance of handmade and analog processes, and the weight small moments can carry in daily life, if we take the time to notice them. And sometimes that can include stopping to watch the clouds pass by.
I wanted the series of prints to become some kind of book – an analog pop-up inspired by my growing collection of children’s books, and by the wonder I experienced in Ireland. With the clouds I photographed and reflecting on the excitement I felt in that landscape, I began forming the concept of a children’s book for adults about reconnecting with your inner child. A direct reflection of my personal experience.
In this project I explored composing with woodblock type, rather than writing. I approached text spatially, treating each letter as a visual element. Pages often developed from a few initial characters, and words would emerge naturally. The phrase “stop and watch the clouds pass by” developed this way, without preplanning. Writing has always been a struggle for me, so working with words in such a physical and visual way has become one of my favorite processes. It helped me grow my typographic skills as a designer.
This has been one of the most involved and labor-intensive books I have produced, but it’s also a strong example of the care, intention, and values I want to express through my micro press: engagement with place, the impact of lived experience, the importance of handmade and analog processes, and the weight small moments can carry in daily life, if we take the time to notice them. And sometimes that can include stopping to watch the clouds pass by.
