Monday, August 23, 2010

Books with Painted Edges


These days I was playing a bit more with painted book edges. I thought I'd show you a few pics during the process. I really like painting them, it's fun and relaxing.

 The first thing to do is fixing the book with clamps. It must be as tight as possible so that the color stays on the edge and does not slip between the pages.

Followed by sanding the edge with sand paper of different size, from rough to fine. I use four sizes. 

After this, I apply a thin layer of egg white which I immediately spread on the edge and absorb with tissue paper, polishing the surface until it becomes glossy. This creates a layer that protects the paper from soaking any color.

Applying the color in different layers. This one here is brown decoration 
painted on golden background.

Getting addicted to it :)

  Details

14 comments:

p said...

hey you! can i post some of this on friday what are you working on? :) fascinating!

Amy said...

Wow- absolutely stunning!!!!!! I love seeing you work- just fascinating. :D

Baghy said...

I've always wondered how the painted edges were done... this is so interesting and you really made the most of this technique! Lovely designs, I can't wait to see the finished books!
I really have to try this myself some day :)

Teo said...

:) Thank you so much guys! I'm so happy you like them. Paula, thanks for the offer! Sure you can, but you think these photos will do? I didn't take many others.

Gize bookbinding said...

Teo,
I have been wondering about painted edges. Love the way you make it so beautiful and easy!
Great work and congrats
Hugs :0)))

Vanessa said...

Amazing and beautiful! I loooove book arts.

Anonymous said...

Have you thought of making endpapers with these designs?They're really beautiful and I would definitely buy them!
Good work!

Teo said...

Dimitri, thanks for your comment! The idea is wonderful but on the practical side it would take a awful lot of time to paint by hand such details on large surfaces. Perhaps just custom made for small or miniature bindings, and not something I'd sell.

I've seen your work and what a high quality it is. It's hard to believe you are autodidact. Congratulations, you do beautiful bindings!

Anonymous said...

Thank you Teo,you're quite the creative binder yourself!

It doesn't have to be large.The average endpaper is around 30x20 when not folded.Plus you can just make it once and then print the design.From what I see a whole lot of people would probably be interested!

Anyway,keep up the good work!

Anonymous said...

How do you get your signatures to be so uniform? Mine are never completely even on the side you open the book?

Teo said...

Hi! I torn my paper by hand, sew the book block, back/round the spine, then I cut it straight on all three edges by guillotine. That's why they are all so straight. Then follow sanding and painting. If you need an exact size for your book you must start with a slightly larger book block since cutting it straight by guillotine will trim an area of a few millilitres around the edges. Hope this helps!

Made-by-may said...

I'm fascinated! I also tried to paint the edges by myself. But i think i had the wrong colour. Which colour did you use to make the painted edges? And how to fix ist?

;-) Heike

Unknown said...

Hello.
Your work is so beautiful and i think is wonderful that you rescue this art. I'd like to know what kind of paint do you use?

Teo said...

I mostly use acrylics but I also tried colored ink and it holds well too. I found that transparent glazes and uniform color layers work best. When too much color is used it may end up forming fine cracks.