In the beginning of January, iBookBinidng.com started updating a constellation of its most popular posts — lists of bookbinding workshops and classes in different countries. The first one that is almost updated already is Bookbinding Workshops / Classes in the UK (2016).
That was a good but rather complicated year for both iBookBinding.com and myself. Here are some of the important events for the website:
Last week I’ve tried to use a makeshift plough to trim several books. It took me more than three hours to create that plough from a chisel with sandpaper. Several days ago, I had to visit a hardware store, and found there a cheap Chinese bench grinder (like $20 cheap). After a moment of hesitation, I bought it along with several different chisels to experiment with.
I’ve spent some time searching for examples of bookbinding inspired by Star Wars. Unfortunately, it looks like there are no fine bindings in a galaxy far, far away. However, there are really nice books made by hobbyists.
This weekend I had to work on a small project that is not so typical for me. A friend of mine gave me several books to separate the pages, scan, and rebind them together once again. These are adhesive binding books, so almost no harm is done by cutting off the spine. There was only one problem: I do not have any instrument to trim the book block besides my utility knife.
Box making is one of the skills a bookbinder should master. There are many types and styles of boxes: slipcase boxes and clamshell boxes for books; small boxes and boxes with many compartments and drawers for jewelry, gifts and small things; portfolios, trays and curved boxes for different needs. Every box has something special about how it is made. Boxes are also very important for archival and conservation projects.
One of my students have recently shared with me a photo of her instruments lined up alongside each other. Of course that’s not a full kit she uses — there is some heavier machinery. I know that for sure. Anyway, it gives some understanding of her bookbinding habits and preferences.
It is almost holiday season. Still, there is some time to choose a gift for your fellow bookbinders, friends, and colleagues. Luckily, there always is something new to learn about bookbinding. Even from the books you already have for a long time. Becoming more experienced you may find further small details and techniques (nevertheless important) in texts you read a long time ago.
Smithsonian Institution Archives has just published a Vine showing the use of special enclosure for a historic photograph. That’s the first video posted on their channel and I hope we’ll get many more interesting illustrations for the smart ideas used in that institution. To find the full story (and diagrams) of the photo and specially tailored portfolio, you can visit their official blog.
Book sculpture isn’t a new thing. Many artists butcher books in attempt to make something new. Usually they treat them just as a carving material, without giving any notice to the contents. At best you’ll find the carving to correspond to some elements of the cover. That’s not the case for Brian Dettmer (New York, USA) and Alexander Korzer-Robinson (Bristol, UK.)
We have prepared a video instruction showing how to make a headband on one core (one bâtonnet, or one cord, if you’d like it better that way).
Find below a list of bookbinding courses and workshops in Portugal. All courses listed are available to the public, some are day courses, others are multi-day courses and some are full time.
Paring leather is a very important stage of bookbinding process. Leather should fade away starting at some point 3 or 4 cm from the edge to the edge, and be quite thin at turn-ins. It should be pared evenly, otherwise all the little bumps would show on the surface and ruin the otherwise perfect (hopefully) book.
Find below a list of bookbinding courses and workshops in Italy. All courses listed are available to the public, some are day courses, others are multi-day courses and some are full time. With just a rare exception all the courses are taught in Italian.
Find below a list of bookbinding courses and workshops in Chile. All courses listed are available to the public, some are day courses, others are multi-day courses and some are full time. With just a rare exception all the courses are taught in Spanish.
