a close-up of the title lettering from the book cover of "Come Let Us Adore Him: An Illustrated Christmas Hymnal"
One of the most enjoyable aspects of Christmas time, for me, has always been the music. I begin listening to Christmas music in the autumn- sometimes in early fall- and have been this way unapologetically since I was a teenager. Sacred Christmas Carols, to me, are some of the most beautiful, uplifting, and joyful pieces of music in existence. I always eagerly anticipate the start of the holiday season, in which our family can open our Christmas hymn books and sing together... starting around Thanksgiving.
It is for this reason I was inspired to create a collection of carols, with all of my family's favorites. But this book is not only a compendium of favorite Christmas carols; it was a precious opportunity to create illustrations on a subject that never fails to give inspiration: the joyful celebration of Christ's birth.
the front of the slipcover
interior hand-lettered illustration from "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"
front cover of the spiral-bound hymn book
What kind of hymns can be found in this book? First, there are the classic, well-known carols from our church hymnals. Additionally, I’ve included some of our family favorites- carols I grew up with- and hymns that I felt couldn’t be left out. Another one of my goals was to include lesser-known alternative melodies of some classic hymns, as well as some alternative harmonies.
interior graphics on the spread for "All My Heart This Night Rejoices," including title treatment, facing page illustrations and florals to finish
title treatment for "Angels from the Realms of Glory" and "Angels We Have Heard on High"
a floral, Medieval-themed title illustration for "Coventry Carol"
Each hymn title is intricately illustrated with drop caps, flourishes, or florals. Some pages feature illumination, lettering, and flourishes in the space below the music, or surrounding additional verses.
illustrations on the bottom of the pages featuring variations on "Away in a Manger"
another closeup of the cover of the spiral-bound hymn book
a wintery Medieval theme for "Ding Dong! Merrily on High"
Largely, the art is inspired by the text of the hymn, or the time period in which it was written or composed, or the country of origin of the hymn or composer. Researching the illustration themes involved study of typographic forms used in the time period, as well as the contemporaneous flourishing style and subject matter. The time spent poring over illuminated manuscripts, Baroque patterns and flourishes, styles of calligraphy, and floral elements to obtain inspiration for the art in this work was a real indulgence.
large spaces under short hymns provide a fun opportunity to incorporate both lettering and flourishing around the extra verses (as seen on "Ding Dong! Merrily on High")
a decorative calligraphic verse to adorn the page for "From Heaven Above to Earth I Come"
the title treatment for H. Praetorius's 8-setting motet of "In Dulci Jubilo" was inspired by the rich flourishing scripts of the Renaissance
the facing page of "Good King Wenceslas" is illustrated with twining holly motifs and also features alternative lyrics
title treatment for "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing"
here are some wintery elements in the title treatment for "In the Bleak Midwinter"
the title illustration for "Let All Together Praise Our God" was inspired by chorales by my favorite Baroque composer: J.S. Bach
the victorious "Hallelujah Chorus" has illustrations to match: the title and illustrations span each spread
I've illustrated one of the uplifting verses from "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"
illustrations for "Methinks I See an Heavenly Host" were inspired by engraved illustrations on 18th century American currency
I also created a slipcase for a quartet set to be given as a very special gift. It was the perfect way to gild the lily... and learn about book finishing along the way. It was a challenging and immensely rewarding sub-project!
the back cover design of the slipcase
no side goes unturned: the bottom of the slipcase got my branding and stamp of love!
the spine design of the slipcase, designed to look at home in any collection of old books!
the top of the slipcase
My hope is that those who open this book can be blessed by each part: inspired by the art, soothed by the harmony, uplifted by the poetry, and most of all, thrilled with the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To God be the Glory!
About the project:
Client: (None - Self-initiated)
Compilation, Research, Layout, Design, and Illustration by Beth Rufener
