Materials List
A bone folder
Paper scorer (an old butter knife works well)
Paper slitting knife. (fettling knives work well)
A 12 to 18 inch stainless steel ruler suitable for cutting and measuring
A 6 inch stainless steel ruler is also very handy (not provided in class)
Rulers should be flat stainless steel at least 1 inch wide
preferably unbacked (no cork or rubber non-skid surfaces - this is hard to find)
Dividers (optional, if you have some bring them)
A pair of scissors (must cut down to the tip)
X-acto knife handle and #11 blades.
Good quality utility knife and extra blades.
An awl (with a very sharp point and relatively consistent shaft diameter)
Cutting board
Masking or artists tape and clear magic tape
4 - Needles. (crewel 1/5)
A good quality white glue (PVA or similar type glue)
Two or three glass containers with tight lids (baby food jar sized) for storing glue mix.
A stiff at or round brush to use to apply glue.
Right angle triangle. (one large 12” and one small 6”)
Linen thread (various thicknesses)
Bees wax (for waxing thread)
Binder clips (various sizes)
Rubber bands (various sizes)
Something to carry your stuff in.
If you need a visual as to what some of these things look like here is a link to a bookbinder supplier. http://talasonline.com/ select “bookbinding tools and supplies"
⁃ Various types (color and weight) of paper and board as assignments dictate.
Binder’s board will be supplied but decorative / colorful paper is in short supply in the lab. I encourage you should seek out materials you will like to make your books with.
This could be a collection of souvenir pamphlets, maps, posters, old catalogs or books or other printed material you don’t mind tearing apart and using to make your books. You need only to avoid very light weight papers that tear easily. You might collect some old wrapping paper or unused scrapbook materials, even old artwork on paper you would like to turn into a book. Even old scrapes of stout fabric might be useful for making coverings for books.
If you have access to an art or paper store you might buy some decorative Japanese papers for covers and sheets (18 inches x 24 inches or larger) of inexpensive drawing paper you like for the interior of the section based books. The lab will have paper but most of it is bright white so having access to other types or materials will give you more options when construction your book structures. If you have questions about a given material feel free to email me.
Downloadable handout x- LINK -x
Suggested reading & texts:
A bone folder
Paper scorer (an old butter knife works well)
Paper slitting knife. (fettling knives work well)
A 12 to 18 inch stainless steel ruler suitable for cutting and measuring
A 6 inch stainless steel ruler is also very handy (not provided in class)
Rulers should be flat stainless steel at least 1 inch wide
preferably unbacked (no cork or rubber non-skid surfaces - this is hard to find)
Dividers (optional, if you have some bring them)
A pair of scissors (must cut down to the tip)
X-acto knife handle and #11 blades.
Good quality utility knife and extra blades.
An awl (with a very sharp point and relatively consistent shaft diameter)
Cutting board
Masking or artists tape and clear magic tape
4 - Needles. (crewel 1/5)
A good quality white glue (PVA or similar type glue)
Two or three glass containers with tight lids (baby food jar sized) for storing glue mix.
A stiff at or round brush to use to apply glue.
Right angle triangle. (one large 12” and one small 6”)
Linen thread (various thicknesses)
Bees wax (for waxing thread)
Binder clips (various sizes)
Rubber bands (various sizes)
Something to carry your stuff in.
If you need a visual as to what some of these things look like here is a link to a bookbinder supplier. http://talasonline.com/ select “bookbinding tools and supplies"
⁃ Various types (color and weight) of paper and board as assignments dictate.
Binder’s board will be supplied but decorative / colorful paper is in short supply in the lab. I encourage you should seek out materials you will like to make your books with.
This could be a collection of souvenir pamphlets, maps, posters, old catalogs or books or other printed material you don’t mind tearing apart and using to make your books. You need only to avoid very light weight papers that tear easily. You might collect some old wrapping paper or unused scrapbook materials, even old artwork on paper you would like to turn into a book. Even old scrapes of stout fabric might be useful for making coverings for books.
If you have access to an art or paper store you might buy some decorative Japanese papers for covers and sheets (18 inches x 24 inches or larger) of inexpensive drawing paper you like for the interior of the section based books. The lab will have paper but most of it is bright white so having access to other types or materials will give you more options when construction your book structures. If you have questions about a given material feel free to email me.
Downloadable handout x- LINK -x
Suggested reading & texts:
- Arthur W. Johnson, The Thames and Hudson Manual of Book Binding, Thames and Hudson, 1981
- A.W. Lewis, Basic Bookbinding, Dover Publications, 1957
- Keith Smith, Books Without Paste or Glue, Sigma Foundation, 1999
- Keith Smith, Structure of the Visual Book, 4th Ed., Keith A. Smith Books, 2003
- Franz Zeier, Books, Boxes & Portfolios: Binding, Construction and Design, Step-by-step, McGraw-Hill Professional, 1990
