Byłoniebyło - My Book by Jacek

There's not much left to say about this book after seeing the photos... except how beautiful and unique it is. A wonderful piece of art, perfect in every way. I just can't wait to touch it, to open, to explore it...

Thank you, Jacek. I will treasure it forever!
 

 

   

Jacek's Book: Finished!

Day five

... and the last day of work, although the book must still rest in the press for a few days before going away to its new home.

 Title is hand written - in translation, "Byzantine Manuscripts in Collections from Bucharest"

 Detail of the custom handmade brass book-clasps and painted edges

On the front cover, a small detail of a bestiary. Painting is done in egg tempera on golden leaf and varnished.

 

There are 15 blank page inserts with hand writing or hand painted decorative details on small pieces of handmade paper

 

Tomorrow I'll be back with photos of the book Jacek made for me. It's a gem.
  

Jacek's Book: The Cover

By now Jacek's book is long finished. But I'm still behind on posting about its making...

Day four

For the covers I thought to make something simple, using natural leather, not dyed, and to apply only a bit of patina on it in the end. The only decoration that would give it a precious aspect would be a detail of a Byzantine manuscript which I would paint myself on golden leaf.

Preparing the boards, the spine stiffer, mounting them together and cutting out a recessed rectangle shape in the front cover where the painting will later be placed.

Mounting the clasps using "hinges" made of thick wire and covered in leather.

 

Mounting the clasp into the cover by cutting out the shape to avoid creating a relief on the inside. This is followed by fixing it with epoxi glue (for metal).

Preparing the leather for the covers - paring it at the edges

Tooling the cover

And painting a detail of a bestiary with egg tempera on golden leaf, followed by varnishing.
    

Jacek's Book: Making the Book Clasps

Day Three

I plan to mount three clasps on this book. The main one, made of two pieces, on the fore edge and two smaller ones on the lateral sides. I wanted it like this mainly for the sake of the geometric composition but I also think it's good to have some sort of reinforcement of the cover on the longer sides of the book.

I made these out of 0.6mm (22 gauge) brass sheet that already had some nice patina on it.

First I cut the rough pieces with metal scissors. Then I make the drawing on them with a permanent marker. The decoration is what requires more patience and muscles... I only used a small metal saw and rasps of different size and shapes as I don't have any special electric tools for metalwork (yet...). 

The model is very simple, done by scratching, punching holes and making impressions into the metal (I hammered it using a nail).

Last step is to shape the clasps, pretty simple to do with a pliers for bending jewelry.

Tomorrow, the cover...
  

Jacek's Book: Painting the Book Block Edges

Day Two 

Things started to get more interesting... I love painting the book edges and I know that Jacek will also like it. I wanted a simple pattern for the decoration that would fit with the content of the book.

My improvised work-table-press :)

More on how to paint the book block edges here, in a post I made some time ago.

And on to sewing the headbands, made of green and ocher silk thread.
 

Tomorrow... the book clasps!
  

Jacek's Book: Sewing the Book Block

Day one

I decided to devote myself entirely to this project until I finish it. There are only a few days left until the 15th so I avoided taking other orders during this time. I'm happy, I have all the time I need to work without rush and make this book one of the best I've made so far :)

The day started with the removal of the existing binding and sewing the new book block.

  

As I already mentioned, this is my first project of this kind and I was not aware of some aspects involved in choosing an ideal book for rebinding. This one (as most of the books produced nowadays) is printed on thin glossy paper which does not react well with humidity and tends to get wavy. The adhesive used for the spine was insoluble and I had to remove it mechanically from each signature. Plus, the book is in horizontal format which (for me at least) is harder to handle. So I came with an idea which I think solves more things at the same time. I decided to add some interleaves made of thicker paper between part of the pages. These are made of black and cream Bristol board and by the way, I'm not planning to leave them empty :) This is how I work... when in doubt, just take the creative approach!

The inserts have also helped to increase the thickness of the book block, which was quite thin for the kind of closing system I have in mind.

 

Once the spine was glued I left the book sleep in the press over night and in the next morning I took it to the small printing house nearby where a very nice man always helps me cut my book blocks with the guillotine.

More to come... tomorrow :)
  

A Facebook Giveaway

Hey everybody,
I wanted to let you know that I'm having a giveaway on my Facebook page! Please check it out if you want to win a little book by TeoStudio :)

   

Good luck!!!

   

A Book Swap

I've been meaning to tell you about my friend Jacek Tylkowski and a very interesting project we are doing together. We actually know each other from the internet, but I tell you, he's one of the finest bookbinders out there whom I had the pleasure to meet. Imagine my surprise and excitement when he proposed me a book swap. We get to choose any book we want from our own country and turn it into a one of a kind binding which we then exchange between us. So we are on for January 15, when the book must be done and ready to meet with the other!

As you see, Jacek is already ahead of me - the developments are on his blog.

For now I only can show a little preview of what I chose for him - a book about books seemed somehow appropriate :)

More soon to come!
  

A Hand Full of Books

2011 ended with a commission for many tiny books. 2012 is starting with a huge book. Love making them both. I've always been fascinated by extremes...

Have a wonderful and prosperous year, everyone!!!