"Remember what Bilbo used to say: It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."

The first book I ever created a fore-edge painting on was The Hobbit. My tools were rudimentary: old clamps from the garage, two pieces of cardboard, and a makeshift stand. I sold the finished piece for €50 in a local Facebook group, and that's where it all started.

Dune Phase

In the beginning, I painted on books I already owned. Once I picked up Dune, however, a long streak of Dune paintings followed. These remain some of my favorite pieces to this day. They became birthday presents, anniversary gifts, and family heirlooms. Who knows, perhaps this year I'll enter another Dune phase!

Special Serbian Edition of Dune
Croatian Edition of Dune
circular shapes and faces are the trickiest things to paint on books, making Dune an amazing exercise in both
Random House Publishing Edition
I often get asked if the pages stay glued together - they don’t! Watercolors are a non sticky medium, perfect for this craft
some of my favourite details are only fully visible in person
the fearless spirit of the Fremen as a constant source of inspiration
another detail: Muad’Dib hitching a ride
Orion Publishing Co Edition. Sandworms are also a lot of fun to paint!

Tolkien Collectors

Soon after my Dune work, my first collectors and custom orders began to arrive. One of my favorite stories to this day is knowing that my pocket edition of The Hobbit got younger generations interested in reading. Tolkien's books are one of those stories that I could never get tired of painting. This is also when I started recording my process more and share it on social media.

The Hobbit

I love rescuing second-hand books and giving them a new life through art. See my process for this beaten up edition of The Hobbit.

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Why The Peculiar Bunch?

Sewing is another one of my passions, and the name The Peculiar Bunch was originally intended for my doll shop. In the end, I liked the name so much I decided to keep it. You might, however, see a peculiar creature accompany my books from time to time, like this pumpkin head I made for my Coraline fore-edge painting. Coraline is one of those stories you read in childhood that feels like a fever dream years later, making it the perfect book to pair with its own peculiar. The story is also full of fun elements to paint.

Whodunnit?

As an Autumn lover, I enjoy a good mystery. I was drawn to the beautiful collection of Agatha Christie's novels published by the Croatian publishing house Novella. Fore-edge painting isn't just about painting an image on the book edges. Just like an oil painter chooses which frame will best elevate their work, fore-edge painter selects their "frame", and their canvas, with equal care. What makes this craft unique is that the texture of canvas changes with every new piece. Some paper edges are very absorbent and grainy, others are waxy and resistant to paint. The thickness of the book matters too. The thinner it is, the more challenging the painting becomes. Still, I enjoyed painting the charming English village behind Miss Marple, despite the tiny surface!

Watch PoirotWatch Miss Marple

"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." - Gustav Mahler

Tradition with a Modern Touch

Fore-edge painting is a craft that dates back to the 10th century, first appearing on Bibles and religious texts. And yet, I discovered it through social media. In my work, I embrace both the old and the new, so it felt only natural to return to its origins and paint a Bible. This time, however, I chose to depict a modern adaptation of the story of Jesus, inspired by the beautifully human TV seriesThe Chosen.

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Supernatural Streak

Supernatural being my all-time favorite TV show, it was only a matter of time before it appeared in my fore-edge paintings. The painting of the Impala on the Nevermore book was the first video I made that gained popularity on TikTok.

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Supernatural 20th Anniversary

Not long after that video, Supernatural celebrated its 20th anniversary and opened an art competition for the occasion. I applied with my fore-edge painting of the episode "Baby," which encapsulated the relationship between Sam and Dean and the place the Impala holds in their lives. For the smaller edges, I chose the first and last scenes Sam and Dean shared together, a tribute to their journey from beginning to end. A side of content creation I truly enjoy is selecting the right soundtrack, and with music being such an important part of the Supernatural universe, I opted for Jensen's cover of "Simple Man," my favorite song. I was selected as one of the winners, an achievement I'm very proud of.

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What’s Next?

In 2026, I started creating my own designs for fore-edge paintings (featuring a sneak peek of ACOTAR in the image) and expanding my ever-growing collection. Upcoming designs include Sherlock Holmes, Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, more Supernatural and Tolkien works, and others that remain a secret for now.

If you'd like to see one of these paintings on your own bookshelf, I offer made-to-order commissions. Have a specific book in mind? Reach out to me at thepeculiarbunch@gmail.com or fill out the contact form for more details.

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