Bookbinding For Beginners

Rajiv Surendra was filming Mean Girls, playing the beloved rapping mathlete Kevin Gnapoor, when a cameraman insisted he read Yann Martel's Life of Pi. So begins his "lovely and human" (Jenny Lawson, author of Furiously Happy) tale of obsessively pursuing a dream, overcoming failure, and finding meaning in life. “This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. I found myself standing dangerously close to the edge of a cliff. Far below me was an incredible abyss with no end in sight. I could turn back and safely return to where I had come from, or I could throw caution to the wind, lift my arms up into the air . . . and jump.” —From The Elephants in My Backyard What happens when you spend ten years obsessively pursuing a dream, and then, in the blink of an eye, you learn that you have failed, that the dream will not come true? In 2003, Rajiv Surendra was filming Mean Girls, playing the beloved rapping mathlete Kevin Gnapoor, when a cameraman insisted he read Yann Martel’s Life of Pi. Mesmerized by all the similarities between Pi and himself—both are five-foot-five with coffee-colored complexions, both share a South Indian culture, both lived by a zoo—when Rajiv learns that Life of Pi will be made into a major motion picture he is convinced that playing the title role is his destiny. In a great leap of faith Rajiv embarks on a quest to embody the sixteen-year-old Tamil schoolboy. He quits university and buys a one-way ticket from Toronto to South India. He visits the sacred stone temples of Pondicherry, he travels to the frigid waters off the coast of rural Maine, and explores the cobbled streets of Munich. He befriends Yann Martel, a priest, a castaway, an eccentric old woman, and a pack of Tamil schoolboys. He learns how to swim, to spin wool, to keep bees, and to look a tiger in the eye. All the while he is really learning how to dream big, to fail, to survive, to love, and to become who he truly is. Rajiv Surendra captures the uncertainty, heartache, and joy of finding ones place in the world with sly humor and refreshing honesty. The Elephants in My Backyard is not a journey of goals and victories, but a story of process and determination. It is a spellbinding and profound book for anyone who has ever failed at something and had to find a new path through life.

Making books by hand has never been cooler, with this inspiring guide to 30 top bookmakers working today, plus 21 tutorials for essential techniques to make your own books. Crafters, artists, writers, and book lovers can't resist a beautifully handbound book. Packed with wonderfully eclectic examples, this book explores the intriguing creative possibilities of bookmaking as a modern art form, including a wide range of bindings, materials, and embellishments. Featured techniques include everything from Coptic to concertina binding, as well as experimental page treatments such as sumi-e ink marbling and wheat paste. In addition to page after page of inspiration from leading contemporary binderies, Little Book of Bookmaking includes a practical section of 21 easy-to-follow illustrated tutorials.

DIVExpert, illustrated guide to creating fine books by hand. Materials and equipment, basic procedures, rebinding an old book, more, plus 8 projects: dust jacket, folio, music binding, manuscript binding, 4 others. /div

A time-honored craft, bookbinding protects and enhances written and printed documents. Many of the diverse techniques of the improve a book's functionality and appearance are described in the these thoroughly illustrated pages.

Considered by many bookbinders and librarians to be the clearest and most valuable exposition of hand bookbinding in English, this volume concisely covers virtually every aspect of the craft — from folding and collating pages, trimming and gilding edges, to preparing covers, designing and inlaying on leather, and creating clasps and ties.

The craft of bookbinding has a long history and tradition. It has developed through the ages and is now enjoying a period of renewed popularity and creativity. Whether you are a beginner or an established bookbinder wishing to refresh your memory, this practical book introduces the techniques with step-by-step instructions and photographs. It explains how to transform a few sheets of paper and some thread into a book to be proud of. For the more experienced, the author also covers how to work with leather to create classic, professional bindings.Topics covered include single-section bindings; paperback and hardback; multi-section bindings; full cloth case, photograph album, quarter leather binding with paper or cloth-covered sides, and wrap-around structure; containers; phase box, slipcase and portfolio case. Lavishly illustrated with over 300 colour photographs.

The purpose of this book is to guide the reader through the sequence of operations involved in creating a book bound in leather, or a fine binding. The author defines a fine binding as a book fully covered in leather, with leather-jointed endpapers, gilt edges, and leather doublures. Although a basic knowledge of bookbinding terms and techniques is assumed, this book is meant for both novice and experienced bookmakers.The book is intended to be used as an active guide during the process of fine binding. It is arranged into sixteen sections, listing the sequence of operations, beginning with preliminary work and ending with preparing and putting in leather doublures. Each section includes appropriately numbered instructions allowing the user to find his or her place in the sequence of operations with a reference for what step is next. There are also numbered explanatory sections that include a rationale (why you do it) and technique (how you do it). The work includes close to 300 black and white illustrations, four appendices, and a bibliography.

This is a modern, stylish and practical guide to the traditional craft of bookbinding, written by the founders of the London Centre for Book Arts, a destination workshop space that attracts visitors from all over the world.