Book Binding

A book is an intimate format for displaying art work.

It combines structure, image and in many cases text. The reader may take a book into his or her hand and turn a sequence of pages, adding an element of time to the experience. The book may be displayed as a piece of sculpture, emphasizing structure. The goal of the book artist is to integrate all these elements into a unified whole, to explore the intersection of two and three-dimensional space, and to engage the viewer/reader so as to experience the artist's vision.

Accordion Book

Types of Folds

Paper Grain

The paper grain direction has much to do with the quality of the fold. Paper that is folded parallel with the grain of the paper will fold much more cleanly. A cleaner fold is produced because the paper fibers (grain) are running in the same basic direction as the fold. Only a few of the fibers provide any resistance to the folding action, which results in a high quality fold.

When a fold is applied perpendicular to the grain of the paper, the resulting fold may have a ragged appearance. A ragged fold is produced because all of the fibers are folded at one time creating resistance to the folding action. The ragged appearance of the fold is especially noticeable when folding heavy stocks.

http://www.typewritermuseum.org/collection/index.php3?machine=standardfolding&cat=kf#

http://www.ghh.com/elf/index.html

http://www.zumgaligali.com/projects/foldenvy/self_env1.html

http://www.graemedawes.co.uk/

Bookbinding for Beginners
by Florence O. Bean - Assistant in Manual Arts - Boston Public Schools
Published by School Arts Publishing Company 1914

Making a Booklet

The simplest form of a book consists of a cover and inside sheets in a single fold, sewed through the center.

METHOD A.

First determine the purpose for which the booklet is to be used, and decide on shape and size of page best suited to this purpose. If for spelling or pocket memoranda, it may be long and narrow; if for language a larger page is desirable; or if for map work, the size and shape of the maps should be considered. Take any sheet of paper and experiment in folding to obtain satisfactory size and proportions.

A single sheet of paper folded through the center is called a folio. This sheet will be twice the width of a page and of the same length. (Commercially, a folio is made from paper varying from 22 x 16 to 44 x 32. Therefore, books to which this term is applied are generally of large size.) With pencil and rule draw a plan of the open folio and properly dimension the drawing. (See Plate 1.)

If there has been no previous training in simple mechanical drawing, the use of extension and dimension lines, arrow heads, and the proper placing of figures should be explained. If some proficiency in this kind of drawing has been acquired, a freehand sketch may take the place of an accurate drawing.

Plate II. Shows some of the line conventions used in making a working drawing.

In the same manner as for the pages, draw a plan of the cover, which should project beyond the pages form 1/8 to ¼ of an inch. Layout and cut the cover and one sheet for the inside, keeping carefully on the lines.

Having cut one sheet of the inside, lay the sheet on as many pieces of the paper as are needed, (from three to seven make a booklet of desirable thickness); then make a hole with a pin or needle at each corner, piercing all at one time. On each sheet draw the four sides, using rule and pencil. This is easier than to measure each one. The folded sheets should be placed one inside the other to form the inside of the booklet, and the whole placed inside the folded cover, with the edges of the cover projecting slightly.

With a needle make a hole through the center of the fold, and another near each end of the fold (from one-half an inch to an inch and a half from the end) according to the size of the booklet, as shown in Plate III.

With thread or raffia sew through the center hole, from the inside out, back to the inside through an end hole, outside through the center hole, inside through the other end hole, and tie the ends in a square knot (see illustration, Plate IV) near the center of the fold. Other equally satisfactory methods of sewing may be worked out.

B. Determine the purpose of the booklet first and then its size and shape. As in A draw plans of the inside and cover. With rule and pencil lay out parts on materials to be used. Cut and sew as in A.
Simple lettering on the cover adds much to the appearance of the booklet. Choose a title appropriate to its contemplated use, as "NOTES," "SKETCHES," etc., which should be executed in rather large Roman capitals. On a separate sheet, mark out an oblong of
height and width desired for the title and practice on this. If title is long, make letters narrow, if short, letters may be broadened, to fill up more space. When satisfactory results are obtained, cut out and place on the cover, moving 'up and down to determine its
best position. The base line of the title should be placed below the top at one-fifth to one-quarter of the entire distance from the top to the bottom of the cover. After the position is determined, the title should be transferred either by tracing or copying. The pupil's name in much smaller capitals should be worked out in the same manner and placed below the center with a somewhat wider margin at the base than at the top. Do not enclose the title in an oblong or other figure. A single or double line as a border around the cover looks well, if carefully done. (See illustration, Plate V.)

 C. For the cover use gray drawing paper, tinted, other materials as desired.
   Draw plans as in A and B. A larger surface than required for the cover should be tinted
before it is marked out, so that any streaking along the edge may be cut off. To mix a wash of the color selected, put two or three tablespoonfuls of water in the water-cup and
add a little paint until the desired tone is produced, being quite sure to have enough to cover the whole surface. Try to have the wash clean, not muddy, and beware of too much paint! The colors should be soft, not crude, and somewhat neutralized by the addition of the complementary color. The best results are produced by the use of green, pale yellow, brown, dull orange, and red. Blue is very likely to streak and is seldom satisfactory.

When ready to apply the wash, place the paper on an inclined surface--45° or more from the horizontal. A sheet of heavy cardboard or a book answers this purpose admirably. With a full brush make a horizontal stroke across the top of the paper. The second stroke should be just below this leaving no dry spots between. Being careful to keep the brush full of paint, continue in this manner until the entire surface is covered. The surplus amount of paint which will settle along the lower edge should be taken up with the brush, which has first been squeezed dry between the thumb and finger. When the paper is dry, mark out the cover and cut. Cut out the leaves and sew as in A. The cover may be lettered as in B.