David Barber’s Sketchbook | Fine Binding

David Barber's Sketchbook

David Barber’s Sketchbook is a fine binding and was designed with specific requirements from the artist. The landscape layout allowed the artist to draw across the double page spread, it was also imperative that the binding opened well when completed giving access to the gutter of the book. The texblock was created from two different types of paper alternating between each section, one more appropriate for watercolour, the other for drawing in ink.

The text block was sewn onto five cords, which were then laced into the boards. The boards are lined to allow for the pull of the leather on the front and the leather left plain for the artist to decorate. The endpapers were made from the Surrey Cartridge paper, again, designed for use from the artist.

For more examples of fine bindings and newly bound volumes, have a look at bookbinding. For more information on the Artist, have a look at his interview on Worthing Art.
For information on purchasing a copy of the full sketchbook, go to David’s Facebook page.

David’s first drawing in his sketchbook

TREATMENT

  • c.2014
  • Flexible binding in full tan goatskin.
  • Sewn landscape onto five cords and trimmed
  • Handsewn endbands in beige and green silk.
  • Paper alternated between Surrey Cartridge and Windsor & Newton Sketching & Drawing Paper.
  • 276×207 (WH), 15 sections, 3 bifolios per sections
David Barber with his sketchbook
David Barber with his sketchbook

A book for my sister

You may recall from my last post that I have been making a book for my lovely sister, this has become as much a practice of the craft for me as it has been making a book for her.

It had some unfortunate slip-ups along the way. All starting well with pairing the corners, which are tricky, considering their size. Maybe I got over enthusiastic or it was late in the day, but the corners were swiftly followed by me ripping the leather spine in half. Not to be dismayed by my lack of skill nor the fact I had no more green, I stuck it back together with selotape and continued to pair. Unfortunately the spine was to see yet more trauma when I tried out my very first blind tooling, and spelt the blasted word wrong – TWICE. It’s a stupidly long complicated word anyway.

So despite its obvious pitfall, I plodded on, and now have some pictures of covering the boards and the completed thing. Phew!!

Acknowledgements Boards
Lining the boards

Acknowledgements Cover
Adding the cover paper

First came lining the boards on the cover to bring them up to the same level as the boards plus the leather. Then I covered them using a very nice map wrapping paper from Stanfords.

Acknowledgements Inside boards
The inside before trimming

Acknowledgements Turn Ins
After trimming the excess insides

Next came neatning up the insides of the book, which you can see above. Any excess leather and paper would look messy under the endpaper. Following this step I did line the boards as I did on the cover, but forgot to photograph that bit… And the final thing:

Hope she likes it! (better pictures will be added to the gallery this week!!)