Prototype developed by Billie Reuen 2021, workshop developed by Mick Byrne and Sarah Winter, October 2022
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their continuing connection to land and as custodians of stories for millennia. We respectfully acknowledge the land on which we all meet today, and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.
This workshop was originally developed as part of the Great and Grand Rumpus in 2021. Applied Creativity team members Mick Byrne and Sarah Winter have redeveloped the workshop for delivery in 2022. The workshop series is delivered over 3 sessions of 4 hours each.
In typical Edge style, we have taken the traditional handcraft of bookbinding, and combined it with the contemporary skills of digital fabrication. At the end of these three sessions, participants created their own A5 journal with a hand sewn signature block using traditional methods learnt from the in-house State Library preservation team. During the workshop participants also learnt how to design a custom cover using Inkscape, which was cut using the Edge's laser cutter.
Through the 3-part workshops series you will learn how to:
We will be working through these slides in the first session. You will also need the following materials:
Today we will be folding and sewing our text block.
We will be creating a journal that is made up of 6 signatures in total, with 6 folded A4 pages making up each signature. This means that we will have a total of 72 pages in our journal.
Gather your pages into 6 lots of 6 pages. Fold each lot of 6 in half to create a signature. Use your bone folder to reinforce the crease and give a crisp fold.
Once you have folded your signatures, take your awl guide, and positioning it in the fold of the paper, puncture holes in each of the diverts on the guide. We found that having the paper on something like cardboard allows more give for a cleaner hole punch. We also suggest that you punch at a 45 degree angle to ensure the holes line up in the paper.
We have put together a video that guides you through the process of sewing your text block. Please note that this video is silent.
Video to be linked when hosted elsewhere
We will be using the following template to design our book insert insert_bookbinding.ai
The dimensions of your square/insert are locked at:
W= 154.803mm H = 112mm
In this workshop we will be using Adobe Illustrator to design your cover - but the principles of what you learn on this program is very similar to what you would do on a free software such as Inkscape.
There are two options for designing your front cover. You can start your design from scratch, or you can use an AI text to artwork generator. We've detailed the approach in each of the steps below.
You will first design your own front cover in A5 in Inkscape, and then copy across into the laser cut template below. To get you started with Inkscape, we have provided some introductory videos to get you familiar with the key tools.
Adding simple shapes often makes up the foundation of a graphic.
Sometimes you want a shape or graphic that you can't find, and there are a few ways that you can make your own.
Adding colour, borders and changing widths and weights of line allow you to personalise shapes more.
To work with the laser cutter, you need to produce vector files. Some considerations when turning pixels into vectors.
In creating our pirate ship book prototype we used Night Cafehttps://nightcafe.studio/. We entered the description “Vector image of an ancient decorative book cover with a giant octopus attacking an old ship in 3 colours”. The laser cutter needs the file to be set up using: 1. Red assigned to cut 2. Black assigned to etch 3. Other colour assigned to deeper etch (if required). We therefore reduced the image down to 3 colours in Inkscape and cleaned up the picture using the “trace bitmap” function
//Stencil Catalogue for the use of practical men//
250 Stencil Designs From India
Our colleague Billie Ruben's book covers pintrest board
https://stock.adobe.com/au/ Adobe Stock has a lot of free images and line drawings that you can use
The Public Domain Review The Public Domain Review is dedicated to the exploration of curious and compelling works from the history of art, literature, and ideas – focusing on works now fallen into the public domain, the vast commons of out-of-copyright material that everyone is free to enjoy, share, and build upon without restrictions.
https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/the-art-of-book-covers-1820-1914
We will be working through these slides in the second session. You will also need the following materials:
In this session you will be gluing together your text block and attaching your book ribbon, headbands and mull. You will also be inducted on the laser cutter. There is a lot of glue in this session, and you will be task switching a fair bit to work between the glue drying, and working through your laser cutter induction.
In this session you will be beginning to construct your book using the signatures made last session. It is important to understand the elements of a book, and how it is constructed.
Today you will be gluing your signature block to reinforce it. You will be then gluing on your ribbon and headbands which sit at the head and tail of the spine, underneath the scrim (also known as mull).
You will also need a book press for this session. At home you can use two pieces of thick (12mm +) ply wood and a woodworkers clamp. Alternatively, we made the following book clamps for the workshop.
Purchase 19x90mm hardwood decking timber (less likely to bow) and some M6 100mm nuts and bolts to create a prototype of a simple book press. Press is very simple with 2 bolts for tightening Designed and 3D printed a M6 Sleeve ( stop timber jaws of press catching on thread of bolt and Thumb knob to go over the nut for hand tightening down the press. There is a chamfered side on one face for gluing and getting in close to the work. and a Flat side to stand the work up when required. Also features a lap knock for hooking press against bench when trimming text block manually with a chisel.
Today you will be gluing your signatures together to create a text block
While the spine of our book dries, you will next choose your materials and colours. You will need to choose:
Consider how the image on your front cover can be complimented by your choice of colour.
While your signature block dries, you will go and complete your laser induction.
The mull needs to be cut so that it fits between the two headbands, and the width of the timber engraving.
Using paper towel and isopropyl we are going to remove some of the charring that happens with the laser.
Apply the isopropyl to the paper towel, and rub against the timber to remove the charring and clean the timber ready for applying the ink.
It is helpful to experiment with the ink before applying it to your cover to test what the best application would be for the timber you are using, and how dark you want the stain to be.
Consider where you might want to gold leaf next session
We will be working through these slides in the third session. You will also need the following materials:
In the workshop we did a deep etch on 3mm Plywood from Plyco in a light Coachwood. Ensure that the grain is running in portrait mode (length ways) in order to avoid as much cupping in the timber.
Power 90% Speed 90% 3 passes = 20 mins per A5 cover
Power 100% Speed 1.6%
These files are used in the workshop.
When using the laser book binding template the process is: 1. Participant adds artwork and saves 2. Load artwork in ruby and etch cover and cut (deselect majenta etch for inside of cover) 3. Flip (horizontally) over cover and place back in ply sheet. 4. Deselect artwork and etch magenta etch (inside front and back covers). This is for the binding tape and mull to sit within.
scaled_assembly_diagrama5journal_2_.ai