Making Cases for Photo Journals.

Paul Gummer's class of 5 year 3 students from UCOL, Palmerston North having the annual bookbinding day at Homeprint. Paul has been bringing talented students for 12 years. Heather is measuring bookcloth to fit around the boards.

 Tucking in the ends before folding over.

Heather is painting the bookbinding glue  (CVA) with a stabbing action.

 Turning the case.

 Glueing and folding down the head and tail. Paul Gummer guiding Victoria.

Completed case with board spine alowing for the thickness of the pages to be used in the final project.
A speciality of this class is the next step where heavy lead or wood type is chosen to create a title or feature for the journal. John sets up the Hunters proof press for the students and guides them through first a sample print and then a firm blind emboss onto the outside of their Journal cases.

Isabelle Veilleux

These journals are the A5 but a bit larger ones with 160 pages. Isabelle followed on from the work Sam was doing in sewing in a variety of endpapers then making hard cases for them. Isabelle also completed valuable set of photos of the wide variety of binding materials for our records.

Sam Link from Minneapolis.

Sam spent time sewing the 10 sections of 4 folded leaves together. The paper is 'Eden Grove Laid' 90 gsm with a lovely crown watermark. In my research I find the paper mill where this paper was made is in Scotland. It started its life as a tannery in 1822 then converted to a paper mill about 1858. The mill has been closed down for 10 years but has been restored as a working papermaking museum.

Riverdale School Book Making group

The students have folded their chosen end paper (card), folded with bamboo folder, now gluing onto the front and back of the section. Pressure is applied by pressing down while leaning over the pages and pushing with the heel of your hand.

Riverdale School Book Making group

'Here is my sewing.' The knot is tied in the middle and you can bend the pages to have the knot showing on the inside or hidden on the spine.

Riverdale School Book Making Group

The students were set the task of folding their paper with a bamboo folder. This gives a sharp strong edge on the spine. After folding, 12 sheets are tucked into each other,  that becomes a section. The section is then drilled with a brad awl 3 times and the pages sewn and tied in the middle.

UCOL Students' Book Binding Visit

Paul Gummer has been bringing his students to Homeprint for 12 years now. I was impressed with the students  interest in our environment and their practice of taking photos. One student, Johanna posted me an original thank you card and a disc of photos taken on the day as a gift.

Paul Gummer and students

Alderson Album.

Rowan Mc Alpine punches 3 holes into each sheet of the album using the sharpest rotary hole punch.

Alderson Album.

Just checking the butterfly nuts (wing nuts) on the plywood cover. Amanda Alderson tried 3 different ways of folding the bookcloth corners on a sample piece of ply then chose the method that gained the highest vote by the Alderson family.

Alderson Album.

Amanda, Rowan show the completed Alderson Album.

bamboo paper folder

On my second visit to Korea in 2009, Narae Kim took me to her artist book supply shop. Wow the wonders to behold. I could have spent all day there. Some bamboo paper folders for bookbinding took my eye because the bone ones I normally use and sell had climbed up to $18 each.
These bamboo ones were lovely to hold and use and a fraction of the price. I bought 50 of them as a start. I have since reordered 3 times, they are so popular!

The Village Gallery - Bookbinding Workshop

The first stage in the bookbinding process is to fold your paper. We used Eden Grove,white, 90 gsm, A2 sheet. It was very nice to work with and had a laid pattern and a watermark.
Michaela Stoneman had worked very hard to organise this successful workshop in conjunction with an 'Impressions' a fine exhibition of contemporary printmaking.
I was impressed with the enthusiasm and skill of the 9 participants.

The Village Gallery - Bookbinding Workshop

Folding paper. We used plastic, beef bone or bamboo (bone folders) the bamboo folders were popular!

The Village Gallery - Bookbinding Workshop

Preparing bookcloth to fit the boards.

The Village Gallery - Bookbinding Workshop

Gluing the end paper ready to press onto the case.

The Village Gallery - Bookbinding Workshop

The sections are positioned on the case.

The Village Gallery - Bookbinding Workshop

The sections are glued into the hard case.

Marci Tackett Printmaking Tutor at 'The Learning Connexion'

The edges of the buckram bookcloth are being glued with CVA (book binding glue that has more tack than PVA and dries more slowly than PVA.) The gluing action is a striking one rather than a painting stroke! The 5 section book that Marci completed in yellow buckram was a very nice job.

Marci Tackett Printmaking Tutor at 'The Learning Connexion'

Marci is sewing the sections she has folded from Eden Grove Laid, 90 gsm paper, onto string cords tied onto the 120 year old sewing frame.

Jan's binding.

A special book for the Mayors office in Palmerston North needed attention. Jan (Yinghua Jiang)made a beautiful job of rebinding the sections to the covers. While Jan had the chance at the homeprint Studio she made a 26 section journal using coptic stitch, and blocking the book cloth on the spine with some brass type she selected from the collection.