Be a Nose!

Be a Nose! consists of three facsimile-style sketchbooks from Art Spiegelman's personal collection, spanning different periods between 1979 and 2007. The sketchbooks come packaged in a hardcover slipcase that preserves their raw, intimate nature. These volumes capture Spiegelman's process and evolution as he worked on projects including Maus and In the Shadow of No Towers. The pages contain preliminary drawings, character studies, and visual experiments in various media. The format allows readers to experience the immediacy of Spiegelman's creative practice, with unfiltered access to his working methods and artistic development. The reproductions maintain the sketchbooks' original size and include details like paper texture and marginal notes. The collection serves as both an artistic document and a window into the cartoonist's mind, revealing the intersection between personal expression and the craft of visual storytelling.

Readers appreciate the behind-the-scenes glimpse into Spiegelman's creative process through his sketchbook pages and note that these provide insight into how Maus evolved. Several reviews mention the unique box set presentation with three hardbound volumes. Common praise focuses on: - Raw, unfiltered access to the artist's thoughts - High quality printing and binding - Value for art students studying technique Main criticisms: - Price point ($30) feels high for the amount of content - Many sketches feel too rough or incomplete - Limited written context for the drawings Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (52 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (12 reviews) One Amazon reviewer noted: "Great for seeing how ideas develop, but don't expect polished artwork." A Goodreads user commented: "More like browsing someone's private notebooks than a proper art book." The small print run makes finding current reviews and ratings challenging.

Maus by Art Spiegelman This memoir, told through raw sketches and notes, chronicles the creation process of Spiegelman's groundbreaking Holocaust narrative.

Making Comics by Scott McCloud The artistic process behind sequential art unfolds through sketches, drafts, and technical breakdowns of comic creation.

Comics Sketchbooks by Steven Heller This collection presents the private sketchbooks and developmental artwork of 80 comics artists from around the world.

An Artist's Life by Robert Crumb The sketchbooks and personal drawings reveal the development of an underground comics pioneer through decades of artistic evolution.

Artists' Sketchbooks by Matthew Marks The compilation documents the private visual thinking of contemporary artists through their unpolished sketches and working drawings.

🔹 The title "Be a Nose!" comes from a phrase Spiegelman's father used to encourage him to draw when he was young, telling him to "be a nose" - meaning to observe and capture details like a detective. 🔹 This book is actually three sketchbooks published together in a custom-designed slipcase, offering an intimate glimpse into Spiegelman's creative process between 1979 and 2007. 🔹 Art Spiegelman won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992 for "Maus," making it the first graphic novel to receive this prestigious award. 🔹 The sketchbooks contain early drafts and concepts for "In the Shadow of No Towers," Spiegelman's response to witnessing the September 11 attacks firsthand from his lower Manhattan home. 🔹 Many of the sketches show Spiegelman experimenting with different drawing styles while dealing with depression following the success of "Maus," revealing the personal struggles behind his creative work.