Hand made book instructions and fun with drawing

My graphic design class was awesome this last week. We created hand made books. I LOVE this method and will be doing more for Christmas gifts as mini albums.

Here are the instructions. It is a really fun project and they turn out great!
Inside Pages (the pages will all be connected by tiling – taped together to form an accordion fold):

• text weight paper U.S. legal size 11" x 14" or U.S. tabloid size 11" x 17"

Covers:
• 2 pieces of chipboard- each piece is size 6" wide x 9.5" high
• 2 pieces of cover weight paper, patterned or solid color, one for the vertical front cover and one for the vertical back cover (recycle anything colorful including calendars, posters, magazine covers, or any cover weight decorative paper); each piece is size 6" wide x 17.5" high
• 2 pieces of text weight paper, patterned or solid color, one for the horizontal front cover and one for the horizontal back cover (for contrast, pick something different from the vertical cover materials above); each piece is size 10" wide x 9.5" high

Spine:

• 1 piece of light cover weight or text weight paper, patterned or solid color, used as spine of the brochure (for contrast, pick something different from the vertical or horizontal cover materials above); size is 4.5" wide x 9.5" high

Other tools/supplies needed:

• ruler
• burnisher
• cutting mat
• X-acto knife with spare blades
• double stick tape

Creating Brochure Pages

When ready with your materials, follow these steps:

Step 1: Create the brochure pages. Use a U.S. legal size paper (14" wide x 11" high). Score and fold in half the 14" wide side. Each side is now 7" wide x 11" high. Measure and trim only the panel on the left at 6" wide. The panel on the right should be matched with the left panel so it folds on the 6" width. Fold down. Add a half-inch on the right and trim. While the pages are still folded together, trim the height to 9.5". You will end up with two pages each at 6" wide x 9.5" high with a half-inch flap on the right side. (The half-inch flap is what you’ll use to connect with the next piece; later you will either use double-sided tape or magic tape to connect with the next brochure page.) Make sure to fold down the middle fold of the left page and the right; fold up the half-inch. Your brochure pages will have accordion folds.

Step 2: Repeat step 1 to create another inside page.

Step 3: Create an inside end page. Use a U.S. tabloid size text weight paper (11" x 17"). Using the longest side of the paper, measure and mark 3 panels: the first panel is size 3" wide, next to it is the second panel (size 6" wide), and next to that is the third panel (also size 6" wide). Add a half-inch flap next to the third panel. Score and fold where the measurement marks are. Between the 3" first panel and second panel (6"), fold up; between the second panel (6") and the third panel (6"), fold down. The last fold is between the third panel (6") and the half-inch flap: fold up. Your folded paper should now resemble an accordion. While this is folded, trim the height to 9.5".

Step 4: Repeat step 3 to create another inside end page. Turn around this piece. The only difference is that this second inside end page should not have any half-inch flap; trim this off. You will end up with 6" wide page; fold it down next to the other 6" wide page; fold that up next to the 3" panel.

Step 5: You should end up with 4 pieces of folded papers. Organize. First position one end page on the left (3" wide will be on the left side, followed by 6" wide page, another 6" wide page, followed by a half-inch flap). Next to the end page, position an inside page (6" wide page will be on the left side, followed by 6" wide page, followed by a half-inch flap). Next to this inside page, position another inside page (6" wide will be on the left side, followed by 6" and a half-inch panel). Finally, next to the second inside page, position your last end page, (6" wide page, another 6" wide page, and a 3" panel).

Step 6: Use your double-sided tape to connect the pieces of paper. Tape on the half-inch flap (make sure you tape it edge to edge and conceal it). Burnish down flat. Arrange the folded pages like an accordion. The left end page should start with the 3" panel, followed by the 6" wide pages, and the right end page should end with the 3" panel. Set this aside.

Step 7: Prepare the cardboard shell for the front cover and the back cover. Use at least 2-ply cover weight. You may recycle the back cardboard of your tracing paper pad. Trim two pieces of cardboard each to size 6" wide x 9.5" high. Set this aside.

Step 8: Create the vertical front cover and the vertical back cover. Both are identical so you may produce two pieces the same way. Use text weight paper (patterned or solid color). You may use a light cover weight for this. Trim two pieces (could be the same or different color); each piece is 6" wide by 17.5" high. Each piece should be placed in a vertical position. Score and fold up from the top: 4" high x 9.5" high x 4" high.

Step 9: Create the horizontal front cover and the horizontal back cover. Both are identical so you may produce two pieces the same way. Use text weight paper (patterned or solid color). You may use a light cover weight for this. Trim two pieces (could be the same or different color); each piece is 10" wide by 9.5" high. Each piece should be placed in a horizontal position. Score and fold down from the side: 2" wide x 6" wide x 2" wide.

Step 10: Create a spine (use to connect both the front and back covers). Use text weight paper (patterned or solid color). You may use a light cover weight paper for this. For added contrast, find a paper completely different from the above. Decide what weight of paper works best based on the front cover and inside front cover materials you are using. Overlapping heavy papers together often times will not work. You will need to create a “dummy” to test your paper weight-combinations.

Trim one piece of paper size 4.5" wide x 9.5" high. Score with the burnisher the center of your paper (vertical side). You may need to adjust the score in the middle of your spine based on the thickness of your brochure. Set this aside.

Step 11: Assemble the front cover and the back cover. Take the vertical cover paper and wrap around the cardboard shell (no tape needed). The scores of the vertical paper should wrap around the cardboard shell. One side is exposed. It will not completely cover the cardboard on the back. Take the horizontal cover paper and wrap around to cover the exposed side of the brochure cover. Tuck in the flaps of the horizontal paper inside the vertical paper. This should keep the cover flat even without the use of tape. Repeat this on the second cover.

Step 12: You should have two covers and loose accordion pages. You will now connect the inside pages with the covers. Tuck in the first 3" panel of the inside pages inside the vertical front cover. Tuck in the other end, the last 3" panel of the inside pages inside the other vertical cover (back cover). 

Step 13: The last step is to add the spine in order to create a clean look to your brochure. The spine will also keep the assembly strong. On the outside, tuck in one end of the spine inside the front cover and the other end inside the back cover. Use your burnisher to keep it flat and even.

For extra credit, we made paper vases. This one is mine. I did not have large enough paper on hand, so I used the funny papers.

This last assignment - you know the "challenge" I spoke of was super intimidating at first but it quickly transformed into a delight. I can't describe the "high" I got from drawing. It felt amazing to live in that part of my brain. It recharged my batteries and after a session of drawing I had so much more to give to my kids and I was totally present for my life. I LOVE ART!
The drawing is a two week assignment. I think it is coming along but after stepping away from it, I can see I have some troubled areas to work out. The chin needs to be extended out on the right. The nose is the wrong angle and is not wide enough. The ball at the tip needs to be enlarged. The eyes are too close together and I think the ear may need to go to the right providing a little more area on the right cheek. Also, the hair is off, but those are final rendering details. The BIG bummer here is that I used my charcoal pencil so I may not be able to erase. I'm posting it in the workshop so I can get some tips on how to move things with the least amount of reconstruction. I'm nervous that I may have to start all over - but then again, it was so fun the first time that if I have to, I'm OK with it.

I made my first payment towards Inspired this week. Thank you to those who have contributed to my fund!!! I am thrilled that I get to attend again this year. I'll be roomies with my fellow art school student and the woman who started me on my adventure - the talented and skinny Heather. You can see her amazing work at Runs with Trimmer. We were in the same group at last April's Inspired and she kept me in stitches the whole time. Among her many talents (including a pilots license lol) she has the best sense of humor! Sooz and Aimee just signed up too so I think Jen is our only WASSIMA sis who hasn't enrolled. We are crossing our fingers!