Recently unveiled at Venice’s Biennale Architettura 2012, The Detour Book is a collection of more than 250 notebooks that have been “decorated, hacked, and sketched” by an impressive list of creative types that includes Spike Jonze, Sigur Rós, Christian LaCroix, Dave Eggers, and Paula Scher. These visuals are paired with text from the likes of Paris Review editor Lorin H. Stein, art curator and critic Hans-Ulrich Obrist, and novelist Padget Powell.

“The book allows readers to compare notebooks at a glance and discover common elements in an architect’s and a writer’s works,” explains its editor, Raffaella Guidobono. “We hope it gives rise to intimate discussions about the creative process, and that its multifarious images give a perspective on creativity as a whole.” We’ve got a sneak peek at some of the visuals included in the book — which hits shelves today — after the jump! … Read More

Our friends at Moleskine just launched a new social ecommerce platform where fans can purchase one-of-a-kind, customized, notebooks directly from artists — think Etsy, but without all of the sad boyfriends. After taking a quick jaunt through the site, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite creations after the jump — from a Harry Potter-inspired notebook to a Moleskine that’s masquerading as a computer. … Read More

Some exciting news for those of you who swear by your Moleskine: The company is launching a new product line by Giulio Iacchetti that’s inspired by “the contemporary nomad” and promises to pair well with the simple design of its beloved notebooks. The three separate collections (Writing, Reading, and Travelling) will include bags, pencils, pens, reading glasses, computer cases, a USB rechargeable reading light, and an e-reader stand. While we won’t get to see the actual products until Salone del Mobile in Milan next month (when they’ll also hit select stores), in the meantime you can kind of get the gist from a selection of Iacchetti’s sketches after the jump. … Read More