Bookbinding Update | Week 21

Yesterday I finished my second practice disappearing spine practice, and managed to do the same thing wrong as I did on the last one, AND additional things wrong! I didn’t trim the end papers, so they were much too long when I stuck them down, meaning I had to trim them afterwards. Luckily, the paper on the boards was coated which meant the paper came off without ripping it. However I still managed to get the spine wider at the bottom than it is at the top so, yet again, it is a bit skew-whiff, its not as bad as the last one, and I managed to neaten up the end papers. But it’s not great – obviously a technique that needs a bit more practice at my end.

You’ll see it’s quite mini!


Bookbinding Update | Week 17

Well last night was a mixture of emotions, good and bad!

The bad bit was not disastrous, but not fantastic either really – we were making the slip cases for our project 1 limp bindings (the one with the ribbons) and we had to trim the edges, which on mine are very narrow. The edges on mine should really be 12mm all round, but I think they are out a bit which is really annoying, especially as two of them seem to be 12mm at one end and 12.5/13mm at the other, so I think my box may end up being a bit skew-whiff. More worryingly than that, we were told to use the front and back of our boxes as a guide, which mean that my covers are a bit out. Mmph – am not impressed.

On some happier notes, I took all my stuff in that I’ve done so far, and it was all ticked off as OK – I think I may make another disappearing spine book (that was the one with the owl on the front) as the one I did was a little skew, and I should be better at it by now. I’ve also got to do some more art work, printing, mark making, voids etc, all the stuff I’m not that good at!

Most excitingly of all, we were given our project 2’s, which we’ll start this term and do next as well – so a massive project which will end in a proper bound book. The project uses books provided by the Folio Society – they initially give unbound books to the society of Designer Bookbinders for their annual competition, the ones we have are left overs of these. I’ve got Journey to the Centre of the Earth, which I’ve photographed below and you’ll see has PICTURES!! Amazing pictures – its very exciting! I have to design end papers, and the cover, so need to read the book – has anyone got an old tatty copy? It won’t be done using leather as I have no experience in leather, but still very exciting all the same!

C&G Week 8 | Disappearing Spine Pamphlet Binding

So eight weeks in and I’ve been a bit more productive. You’ll see that I now have the corners on my 1/2 bound flat back book – very neat and tidy if I do say so myself, and have finished my disappearing spine pamphlet (called as such because you can’t see the spine). The latter is covered in more National Geographic collages and the 1/2 bound will be covered in some drawings I’ve done.

Unfortunately, when I was ‘casing in’ (sticking all together) my pamphlet (with owl), our teacher was also talking about the corners of the 1/2 bound (pink). She said if we were doing what I was doing to ignore her and she’d tell us again later, but considering I was the only one doing what I was doing, I got a bit distracted by listening to her as well, and now my beautiful owl pamphlet is wonky and I’m going to have to start from scratch. Hmph. Apparently this is a good thing (???), as the marking people like to see mistakes that are practiced and then rectified, still, I like the owl and I’m not sure I’ll find such a nice cover, so I am a little disappointed. Nevermind – practice makes perfect!

My last pamphlet is bowing a little, but apparently this is absolutely fine and is very acceptable in bookbinding, so that one is alright (that was the one with the trees on the front).

C&G Week 6 | Beginning Bookbinding

Bookbinding is going well and is SO much fun! I’m in the process of making two pamphlet bindings and one with a dissapearing spine, and a flat back 1/2 cloth binding, which should all be finished around the same time, so I’ll be able to photograph and upload them. I think I’ll make a smaller flat back one at home as the book I am reading states that you should be making about 6 of the same thing at one to really get practice in, so might do that!

…and so it begins!