Brony Bookbinding - Pony Themed Journals

[MisterBull]

Hey, guys, I've recently taken a break from my work on Spikes Quest to start on some other projects thats been on my mind.

One of these projects is the study and practice of bookbinding, meaning I'm looking into crafting my own hard back books.

I've been practicing the craft for the past month or so and needless to say, I'm getting better at it

Now I'd like to take what I've learned and use it for the comunity in some way. So I'm going to start binding together some custom made journals, giving these journals such nice material such as leather (when I can afford it)covering and some nice elegant detail.

I've recently started on the first of these journals and I have been posting my progress over at Ponychan (thread: http://www.ponychan.net/chan/collab/res/37703.html)

I figured I should start a thread here too and post such updates If this project is a success I have an even BIGGER project in mind that the whole creative brony comunity could join in, but more on that later!

[MisterBull]

A bit of an update (continuing from the progress as posted in the ponychan thread)

After a bit of press work and whatnot, I've done a bit of glue work to the spine area and now I'm sanding down the edges of the paper in an attempt to make everything all nice and even. A plus about doing this is that the edges of the paper now has a feathery cloth-like feel to it which makes it feel all the more like a book and less like a bunch of folded sheets of computer paper

I may even go as far as to gold-leaf the edges to make it look more ornate but I'll need to do a bit more research on how that's done and maybe a few experiments.

I'll continue to post more updates as I progress

[MisterBull]

So I went and did the foolish thing and took a risk...

I tried applying some liquid gold-leaf to the paper's edges. The result?

>fig #1

It did its job, in only that it looks a bit rugged. Kinda like its been used before (I could try applying a secnd coat, but I'm kinda liking the rugged look here...)

>fig #2

And here's the con of my experiment. The liquid gold leaf actually sort of bled into the edges. But it kinda gives the paper a somewhat antique distressed look.

But who am I kidding? I need opinions... Is what I did here a bad choice? Does it look like something I can keep working with or should I scrap this and start new, avoiding the gold edging until I have the proper equipment for it?

[MisterBull]

Thanks to the few who left their opinions on the flawed book (over at the ponychan thread this is a copy&paste update). it was very much appreciated!

I've decided to go with the last reply's opinion (again, Ponychan) and use the flawed book specifically for experiments. That means I'll be starting all over again. But there's an upside and a good reason for my decision, and its not only related to the gold leaf error.

I've had another regret about how I sewed the signatures together. I was using a simple method for the sewing that is actually best used for smaller books. In using this method I neglected the use of linen tape (which is supposed to be held tight by the thread on the spinal area which helps to keep the signatures together) because I did not use the linen tape approach, the book has continually had a problem about staying perfectly flush. No matter how much I worked the sand paper along the edges, the more I tampered with it afterwards the more it just kept losing its balance and looking untidy.

I'm hoping to correct that with the next attempt here.

On a note, I did like the sewing method I was using on this book because it did a somewhat good job of binding each signature together. So I'm thinking about using that method with the linen tape somehow to ensure a max strength bind. We shall see how that turns out!

[RashallFiremane]

I'm liking what you got done so far, really looks like an antique.

[MisterBull]

Finally got around to folding and puncturing the signatures last night. This time I'm going for 32 signatures each (front and back signatures have two pages (one from each will be glued to the covers and then covered up by some inner cover decor) and the rest have six pages each. Do the math.)

And now I'm about to cut up the tape needed for sewing.

I cant mess up this time!

[MisterBull]

25 sewn signatures later...

its 2 in the morning, maybe I should boil a pot of coffee... o_e

the method I decided to go for in the sewing process does seem to give the book a nice sturdy binding, but its a much longer and much tedious task. You can see where in some ares the thread kinda tangled up on me. That and there were some areas I skipped (not on purpose)

But all in all, its still holding together pretty stongly.

Also, no, that's not linen tape, its black card paper. Its just as effective in my opinion

Just seven more signatures to go! I'ma go fix that pot of coffee now

[MisterBull]

Finished sewing. Applied some backing to the book. Sanded the edges.

I'm exactly where I was at before I screwed up the last project with the gold leafing!

Now I can go and work on the cover.

But I'm going to take a break... I've been wanting to play some Skyrim for a while so maybe I'll go do that. c_c

Or heck, I sorta miss working on Spikes Quest, so maybe I should revisit that project again.

So much to do!

[MisterBull]

Here you see the early stages of putting together the cover. I'm using black card paper here to combine the cover boards.

I'm a bit concerned about my measurements here (as well as some of the badly trimmed bits of the board) but I feel it'll come together well

I should note that the black paper is not the final material for the cover, it just helps to bring the boards and the book's spine together (forming the base of an actual book). I'll later apply cut pieces that will act as raised (embossed) edges and then work in the final cover material.

But even then, I still wont be finished with this project.

[MisterBull]

Victory! ...

Okay, its not totally perfect, one of the cover boards came out just a tinge off (I'm trying to work that out) but overall, its not bad.

>fig #1

Here you see the cover boards fully assembled. Do I really need to explain more?

>fig #2

And here's what it looks like when you combine it with the book. No, its not glued together just yet as there are some other things I need to do beforehand.

I think I should sand the pages down a bit more, and then start applying the stencils for the raised (embossed) edges of the finished cover material.

But hey, its coming together! I'm rather excited!

[MisterBull]

I'm on a roll today!

Finished cutting up and piecing together the embossing bits for the front cover! (now I have the back cover and the spine to do, but those should be a bit more easier since I dont have much planned for those areas. )

I'm using cardboard from cerial boxes for this portion of the project since its nice and thick (but not too thick). Basically how this will work is that when I start applying the finishing fabric, I can simply go over it with an embossing stylus, pushing the material into the cut regions which in the end will make the book look more interesting.

Some of those cut regions are placeholders for decorative hand made embellishments (For these, I'll be using polymer oven bake clay coated with liquid gold leaf.)

Anyway, time to get back at it!

[MisterBull]

>fig #1

Finished applying the cardboard for embossing. The written numbers are to help in reference to where I'll be applying the embellishments. this image is saved for future references.

>fig #2&3

Here you see the front and back view of what the cover looks like on the book itself. Its still not all put together just yet as I still have much more to do. But these images are just to give you a visual idea.

>fig #4

And also for future reference for working on the embellishments, I've kept a few of the cut pieces to help give me a scale guide to work with.

I have 8 hand made embellishment designs total that I'll need to make for the books outer cover.

Once done with the finished designs I'll make a mold from each of them and use them to make all the needed pieces from polymer oven bake clay.

[MisterBull]

So I've started on the next portion of the project: working on the decorative pieces for the inner covers. The piece in the picture is for the inner front cover.

The cut panels are actually spaces for some illustration work that I plan to do. The four corner panels may just be ink drawings of different flowers or wildlife. The large center panel will be a pretty picture of a pony. I'm thinking either Fluttershy tending to some cute wildlife or Twilight Sparkle reading a book.

I also plan on doing some emboss work on the black frame. Right now I'm trying to work out a good design for doing just that.

The inner work for the back cover will be similar but with only one big panel with an antique-ish map of Equestria.

The artwork will be inked and maybe water-colored (or some other coloring medium, I'll have to experiment)

Concerning inner covers in general, most people would simply just glue the very first and very last pages to the cover boards and call it quits.. But here, I'm taking it a few steps further. I really want to make this journal look as ornate as I possibly can.

[MisterBull]

Sweet Celestia, gel pens are fricken' awesome!

Facts to be, I'm kinda having second thoughts about the emboss work on this piece and instead just continue doing this sort of design all the way around it. c_c

[MisterBull]

I've tried getting a good screenshot of this but the limited light in my living room made it kinda difficult. Oh well, this will do for now

The frame design for the inner front cover is almost finished as you may can tell. This is the result of several hours of sketching and then inking with the gel pens. I'm rather proud of how it came out. I just need to fill in those last two blanks. I'm thinking for the top one I'll do a tapestry style illustration of Celestia and Luna on both sides of the sun/moon with a bit of decor around it. For the bottom, I'd like to write some meaningful quote in Equestrian style alphabet.

Anyone got any good ideas for a quote?

[MisterBull]

Taking a break for today. Just pigging out on some junk food and watching LP videos. I at least deserve one free day a week, don't I?

I'm still open to ideas for the quote that I am to use for that bottom panel. It doesn't have to be entirely show centric (I just need something thoughtful, like what you'd normally see written on the cover of your standard 'feel good' journal)

I know this thread is generally dead if not for my continual activity with this thing. But I'd like to hear a comment or an opinion every now and then, so please feel free to give me your input about the project so far

thanks in advance!

[Dunes]

I hadn't commented so far because I couldn't come up with anything more coherent than sitting slack-jawed at how great that looks. Is it going to be a sketchbook? That would be the most amazing sketchbook ever.

[MisterBull]

I hadn't commented so far because I couldn't come up with anything more coherent than sitting slack-jawed at how great that looks. Is it going to be a sketchbook? That would be the most amazing sketchbook ever.

It'll be whatever the user wants it to be

I plan to make these and maybe sell them on e-bay (if there's a good demand for them) if that fails, I may just use this as a journal for recording dreams or something

[Dunes]

I can just imagine a pony-inspired illuminated manuscript in there, with lavish little paintings and calligraphy explaining Equestrian mythology.

[MisterBull]

I can just imagine a pony-inspired illuminated manuscript in there, with lavish little paintings and calligraphy explaining Equestrian mythology.

lol, actually such manuscripts are what inspired me into looking at bookbinding in general. I love old ornate books that house important or cryptic documents

[Dunes]

That's cool! The drawings were always what inspired me. I saw a movie recently -- the Secret of Kells. All the animation's inspired by the style in the Book of Kells. It's gorrrgeous. If you're interested in that kind of thing, it's a great movie to watch.

Out of curiosity, what weight is the paper you're working with?

[MisterBull]

That's cool! The drawings were always what inspired me. I saw a movie recently -- the Secret of Kells. All the animation's inspired by the style in the Book of Kells. It's gorrrgeous. If you're interested in that kind of thing, it's a great movie to watch.

Out of curiosity, what weight is the paper you're working with?

weight?

I'm not totally sure off hand. The majority of the bulk is just regular computer paper but the end pages are a bit more thicker like card paper (I think it was resume paper or something like that)

If your wanting the overall weight of the book, I'll have to see about weighing it to check for ya. though I dont have any proper scales on hand atm

[Dunes]

I meant how thick the individual pages were, yes. Computer paper answers that question just fine though.

Have you bound books before? This looks really neat and nice. (Not that I know a lot about bookbinding...)

[MisterBull]

I meant how thick the individual pages were, yes. Computer paper answers that question just fine though.

Have you bound books before? This looks really neat and nice. (Not that I know a lot about bookbinding...)

well, to be honest, this is my third go at it.

The first two attempts came out terribly warped but I blame that on the poor choice of glue. As they say, you learn as you go

[MisterBull]

I seem to have misplaced my silver gel pen, so for Celestia I decided to try using the gold one. Bad choice. She now looks like Alicorn Fluttershy.

If ever I find my silver pen before the completion of this project I'll try making corrections. Until then Alicorn Fluttershy dethrones Celestia as the sun goddess.

Oh, did I ever mention my webcam takes damn good closeup images?