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Guy Creatively Arranges His Massive Library of Books Into Imaginative Scenes

Book Display by James Trevino

Bookstagrammer James Trevino uses his massive library of books for more than just reading. With a shelf arranged like a rainbow, he pulls from his collection and transforms the texts into imaginative displays. Each book cover acts like a stroke of paint; when they are placed together in specific formations, they produce images that are best viewed from above.

Pop culture often finds its way into Trevino’s book display ideas. He’s a fan of the Lord of the Ring trilogy as well as Game of Thrones, Pokémon, and Star Wars. Many of his arrangements include nods to these series as he recreates their emblems or symbols from their stories—often with the help of some digital editing.

Trevino doesn’t stop at pop culture, though. He regularly creates entire landscapes out of books that envision him as a laidback lifeguard, wand-wielding magician, and fierce pirate. Each charming book display showcases the power of imagination while being an homage to the texts that spark it.

In addition to running his popular Instagram, Trevino also co-curates My Book Features. It shares delightful photos from book lovers around the world.

James Trevino has a large collection of rainbow-colored books.

Book Display Ideas

He uses them to create charming book displays that are best viewed from the top down.

Book Display Ideas

Book Display by James Trevino

Many are inspired by popular culture…

Book Display Ideas

“Star Wars”

Book Display by James Trevino

“Scooby Doo”

Book Display by James Trevino

“Pokemon”

Book Display by James Trevino

“Lord of the Rings”

Book Display Ideas

“Harry Potter”

… but other arrangements are a celebration of Trevino's creative mind.

Book Display Ideas

Book Display Ideas

Book Display by James Trevino

Book Display by James Trevino

Book Display by James Trevino

James Trevino: Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by James Trevino.

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Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met and Manager of My Modern Met Store. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned her BFA in Illustration and MFA in Illustration Practice. Sara is also an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, a studio where she stitches pet portraits and other beloved creatures. She chronicles the creativity of others through her website Brown Paper Bag and newsletter, Orts. Her latest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread, published in 2014. Sara’s work has been recognized in Be Creative With Workbox, Embroidery Magazine, American Illustration, on Iron and Wine’s album Beast Epic, among others. When she’s not stitching or writing, Sara enjoys planning things that bring together the craft community. She is the co-founder of Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops in the Seattle area.
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