Binding Construction
A rambling photo-essay regarding the process of my commissioned bindings.

Thank you to Mich, of The Art of Faery for allowing me to use her commission for this essay. Line drawings are copyright to her.
Please be aware that this is *not* a tutorial, just a general essay on how I work to give clients an idea of the process. A lot of steps and details will be left out. You didn't think I was going to give away all my secrets, did you? *wink*.

All my materials (including linen thread and tape, board, glue, paper etc) are acid-free to ensure a long-lasting binding.

The binding shown is a German Springback binding, and although this is my preferred method, there are many others I will do also. Each book is different, and I may employ different methods or progress slightly differently with each book I create.

First of all there is an exchange of emails between the client and myself. I like to get a feel forwho they are and what kind of book is just right. Creative thinking abounds! Sometimes, the first thing I ask (regardless of what they've said they are after) is "What is your DREAM book?". I really encourage clients to think expansively. Often, clients are unaware that what they really want IS possible!

So, we exchange ideas, offer possibilities, and decide upon our materials/colours/style etc. Also at this point we agree on a price, taking material costs and approximate time into consideration.

Mich has given me an image to work with that she would like on the cover of her book. We decide to go 3-Dimensional, so I sculpt it in polymer clay.

 

Photos are then sent, and a few refinements are made to the sculpture as requested.

Next, I take care of the paper. A pack of Fabriano Watercolour is cut down to size, folded, and then hand-dyed. This process alone can take a few days. After all the pages have dried, I organise them into signatures then work on the endpaper construction. This includes reinforcing the endpaper folds for extra strength.

Now the the binding itself.

Signatures are sewn:

Done:

Next, I carefully round the spine, clamp it all up, and glue with a special, acid-free PVA. Although the adhesive dries quite quickly, I leave it at least over night to assure a firm set.

Next comes the spine linings:

Then, I add in the waste sheets, and the first of the boards.

A quick nip in the press:

Spine linings and tapes are glued down:

 

Next, I take a break from binding and work on some of the other parts of the book.

Finished (undyed) handsewn endbands:

I also send off some images to Mich of the leather colour for a final OK, and some choices for stones.

With the endbands completed, I add them into the book and start work on the Spring.

The book spine is lined, and the spine-lining carefully measured up and glued in, tapes are trimmed, and the rest of the thin boards are added in. Next comes the Spring itself. Layers of card are glued down, one by one, to the spine. The size and weight of this book means that it takes many... many... many layers to build up a strong spring.

Completed Spring:

Next, the thick boards are glued down and briefly clamped in the press.
Finally, all the boards and the spring are trimmed down to size, and sanded *cough choke*.
We have a finished (although uncovered!) book.

See the finished, bound book.