Making your own sketchbooks?
polycounter
I was talking to Muzz today about our old art, and he brought up the topic of making your own sketchbook. I'd thought of doing this before, but now that I started carrying a sketchbook around with me and drawing much more often, I would really love to do this. I can make it with the kind of paper I want, the size I want, and I can customize the living crap out of it.
I've found a few tutorials on bookbinding, these were some of my favorites:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-bind-your-own-Hardback-Book---My-Results!!/?ALLSTEPS
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Create-a-Hand-bound-Sketchbook/?ALLSTEPS
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Bind-a-Paperback-into-a-Hardback-single-sh/?ALLSTEPS
Anyone here have experience with bookbinding to make your own sketchbooks? I'd love to hear some of your tips/tricks, and see what you made.
I've found a few tutorials on bookbinding, these were some of my favorites:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-bind-your-own-Hardback-Book---My-Results!!/?ALLSTEPS
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Create-a-Hand-bound-Sketchbook/?ALLSTEPS
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Bind-a-Paperback-into-a-Hardback-single-sh/?ALLSTEPS
Anyone here have experience with bookbinding to make your own sketchbooks? I'd love to hear some of your tips/tricks, and see what you made.
Replies
While i haven't made a sketchbook, I've made two books for my wife, which is a little more involved because you've gotta be specific about pages & signatures when printing (admittedly, InDesign & Acrobat do most of the organization). When making a blank book, it'd be much easier.
Would recommend starting with a kit from lineco:
[url=http://www.lineco.com/cart.php?m=product_list&c=2155&primary=1&parentId=&navTree[]=2084&navTree[]=2100&navTree[]=2129&navTree[]=2155]Lineco Journal kit[/url]
They provide all the materials you need, short of glue and some other miscellaneous things. You don't need clamps or anything crazy, can do without for something small like this. It should get you going with the basic concepts of stitching signatures, gluing, etc, so that you could get your own materials and make one from scratch.
I've also bought materials from Hollanders
http://www.hollanders.com/
I've been wanting to experiment with riveting and leather to make some cool books, just havent had the time.
first book: straight up the above link
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70127
second, more kitbash & my own materials (though i did buy some precut paper from lineco)
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131345
from doing it, some things ive learned:
- be careful of fancy papers if you want to apply to the cover. If they're too thin, the glue will leak right through. I botched a cover once by thinking the paper was thick enough, but it turned out horrible.
- Don't go too thick with your signatures. I think 2 pages per signature is good, 3 is ok, 4 may be pushing it. Definitely go by how thick your paper is. 2 requires a bit more sewing and may be a bit more loose, but feel like it makes more even pages.
- have stuff ready to clean your hands as you work with the glue: wax paper, towels, water, etc. as it dries it can stick to paper and rip it (derp). Wax paper is nice but the glue will eventually stick to it, so it is still error prone.
- get a bone folder, save your fingernails. I burned the hell out of my finger by constant folding, got a folder and was happy.
- when you measure your thread to sew, cut twice as much as you think you'll need