Jacob's Ladder Workshop

Create a fun vintage inspired toy using bookbinding techniques! The Jacob’s Ladder is a 2,000 year old Chinese toy that has wonderful applications for contemporary books. This book can stand up, but is most fun to watch the illusion of the panels falling down.

The simple toy … is very illusive in action. When the upper block is grasped by the edges … and turned so as to lift the second block in the series to the same height, the upper end of the second block falls into an inverted position, and appears to pass downward on the other members of the series, first upon one side of the ladder and then upon the other until it reaches the bottom. But this effect is only apparent, as the second block in reality only falls back into its original position in the series; but in the operation it becomes reversed, what was before the lower end becoming the upper end, the front having exchanged places with the back. This change of position of the second member brings it parallel with the third block, which is then released, and the third member drops over onto the fourth, when the fifth block is released, and so on throughout the entire series.

— ”Jacob’s Ladder”, Scientific American, Vol. 61, No. 15 (October 1889)

FIND OUT MORE & REGISTER HERE:
https://wnybookarts.org/event/jacobs-ladder/
$75 / $65 Members
Teaching Artist: Laura Chenault

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• This Saturday, 2nd August, 11:00 am, Collagraph Printmaking Workshop in Buffalo
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Also check out other Workshops in Buffalo, Arts events in Buffalo.