The Exquisite Book is a project based on the Surrealist game called the Exquisite Corpse. The book is a modified version of the game, played by one hundred contributing contemporary fine artists, illustrators, designers and comic artists.

There are ten groups of ten artists who participated in the process. Each artist contributed one page to the book. The first artist was given a few words to inspire their drawing. Each of the following artists only saw the page that immediately preceded their own. Each artist used images (and optionally, words) to create the continuation to the story, and the inspiration for the next artist in line.

Besides continuing the story of the last artist, there is another, more visual, connection between the pages. Each artist had a horizon line in their image that starts on the left side of the page and ends on the right. Where the horizon line of the first artist’s page ends, is where it begins for the next artist.

Each artist was given two weeks to complete their page. The process took approximately five months. The book was designed by ALSO and published by Chronicle Books in Sept 2010.

About the Authors

ALSO is the design company collaboration of graphic designer Jenny Volvovski, animator Matt Lamothe and illustrator Julia Rothman. ALSO mostly creates websites for small independent companies. They have gained acclaim for the animated Charmingwall website, the re-design of Design*Sponge, and the Reform School store site. Also has been featured in books and magazines from around the world. Most recently ALSO won the prestigious Young Guns Award from the Art Director’s Club.

Julia Rothman is an illustrator and pattern designer. She was part of the Urban Outfitters Artist Series and created numerous products with them for their home division. Her illustrations have appeared in The New York Times, Details magazine and on series of puzzles for Kid O. Interviews with her have been published in Paper and City magazines and her work has been featured in a number of design books. Julia has a blog called Book By Its Cover which features a different art related book every weekday.

One of the most admired and respected publishing companies in the U.S., Chronicle Books was founded in 1967 and over the years has developed a reputation for award-winning, innovative books. The company continues to challenge conventional publishing wisdom, setting trends in both subject and format, maintaining a list that includes fine art titles in design, art, architecture, and photography.