Night Tails
a Pop-up Book
Night Tails is a 10-page pop-up book about the nightly adventures of two cats. The story is inspired by my childhood in the countryside and all the cats I have ever had the pleasure of living with.
Each page incorporates different pop-up mechanisms and techniques, from pull tabs to complex v-fold constructions. The illustrations were done digitally, while still maintaining a traditional hand-drawn appearance.
Night Tails is a silent book, which allows the images to take centre stage and tell the story without using text. The lack of language also allows the story to be told internationally and understood by cat lovers everywhere.
MEDIUM
Digital illustration
Matte digital print
Pop-up
YEAR
2022
Weißensee Kunsthochschule BA final project.
“What do cats do at night?
One night, Shalky, the little black cat, decided to leave his bed and his beloved human and go on an expedition. Where, you might ask?
Anywhere the night’s spirit would take him!
So, after a good stretch and a long yawn, Shalky straightened himself, got dressed, and had breakfast. After he was all ready to go, he jumped out of the window and into the dark of the night.
As he ran through the grass, he noticed something quite unusual: another cat! But who was this fellow feline in Shalky’s garden?
Shalky hurried forward and jumped on this innocent kitty with all his force, asserting his strength!
But as soon as he saw the poor, startled kitty, he instantly felt sorry for attacking him.
The other kitty looked at Shalky with caution and anger, but when he saw the remorse on his face, he raised his arms and offered a forgiving embrace. And so, together with his new friend Maurice the cat, Shalky went exploring.
In the woods, they found a secret party with all the local neighbourhood cats. There was music, drinks, singing, dancing, and one huge bonfire! Together with their friends, Shalky and Maurice danced around the bonfire until they both fell to the ground, almost crying with laughter.
As they lay down together, Shalky noticed that the sun was rising! They snugly sat together as they watched the light of the new day wash over the village.
After saying his goodbyes and promising to meet again the following day, Shalky climbed back up the tree in front of his house and jumped through the window, crashing onto the bed and waking his human.
What a night!”
