Artist Book

Custom Leather Green Book

Custom Artist Book

About the Project

Working with an artist is always a treat! My client contacted me and wanted to commission a book where she can focus her artistic vision in one place – which is something I am acutely aware of. In my life, I’ve found that it’s hard for me to just have one journal for everything I think of or want to express. Thus, this client wanted a place where she can just draw, paint, write, etc. Anything that helps her grow as an artist. 

We started with that mission statement and evolved from there. Using the highest quality Morocco leather (emerald green) I decided that a cuir-ciselé approach would give us what she was looking for. Capturing of the fine details and giving an esoteric, tactile experience. For the spine I decided to try something new in a free-placement of stamps. Since the tower design emphasized “decay” (renewal), I found stamps that give a look of a flower wilting and the petals gathering at the bottom of the book.

The Process

The Book of the World

Book of the World

About the Project

Late in 2020 I enrolled in an online course offered by Atlas Obscura about Facts Based Worldbuilding and taught by Moiya McTier, an astrophysicist and folklorist. I was immediately enthralled by the content and loved being a part of building my own world. Since space and other planets are so varied, it was a lot of fun building something completely new and populating it with species specifically adapted the the harsh conditions being set by my fellow students. The challenge was both fun and creative.

At the beginning of the course, I was pretty confident that I’d want to make a special journal to take notes in and continue my own set of worldbuilding creations. I am an ardent fan of J.R.R. Tolkien and have loved his work since I was a small child. I knew when I was very young that I’d wanted to make my own world and write stories about it and this journal will probably be the place I centralize those ideas. 

Methods

I decided to keep the design and structure as simple as possible, all while using the extent of the skills I’ve learned over the years. Fine Morroco leather cases in this book, decorated with 24k gold leaf on the spine with decorative stamps and a fillet. A ‘forest green’ title panel was stamped with the book’s title and volume number (knowing that I will make more in the future). Since this book is meant to contain creative material, I felt it best to keep it simple so as to focus my creativity on the contents within, rather than the outside of the book. A silk blue ribbon, the signature color of Boston Harbor Bookbindery, is attached to the inner-spine to mark the pages of progress.

Inspiration

As I mentioned above, one of my main inspirations is Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, however, I’ve encountered many worlds over the years that have captured my attention and they all have inspired me in some way. The maps you see below are only the latest, of hundreds, I’ve drawn over my life and are the foundation of the world being built. The first map was made using Wonderdraft while the second map was drawn by hand. All the calligraphy in the second map was done by me, after taking a college course in calligraphy in 2017. I created it for my final project of the course.

Fantasy map of the Northern Realms

Gallery

The final result turned out spectacularly and I’m very happy with it. The thick paper is very comfortable to write on and I love having a single place to compile my ideas. I can often flip to a previous entry to ensure continuity, but I mostly use this as a place for notes and drawings. It’s starting to get full already and I suspect Vol.2 will be coming soon!

Going to Wings

Going to Wings

About the Project

This year kicked off with a fantastic project that was commissioned as a gift for the author! In early January, I received an email asking if I’d be willing/able to create a one-of-a-kind edition, designed specifically with the author in mind.

I am always thrilled to get work like this because I feel that this is one of the foundational motivators for me as a bookbinder. I work on countless books throughout my day, often for personal libraries of special collectors. While it does not happen very often, I personally love creating special books for the authors who wrote them. There is something hermetically balanced about doing this and I always derive great joy in the finished work.

Design

Geometric illusion for custom book cover.

Methods

To achieve this design, we rely on an old and seldom practiced technique in the worlds of both traditional & contemporary bookbinding: cuir-ciselé. Working with veg-tanned sheepskin, we’d carve the design on the front cover, then dye it Forest Green. The client also requested a decorated border to be stamped on both the front and back covers.

One of the main reasons cuir-ciselé is often avoided is simply due because of how time-consuming it is. While the design is relatively simple, drying and wetting the leather repeatedly takes a few days to fully work itself out.  The leather needs to be 100% dry before any coloring is applied.

 

Finished

The result was a book that was both elegant and tasteful, with a boldness that strikes character in any shelf it sits on. As a large-format book, approx 8.5″ x 11″, it sits well in the hand and feels lovely. This book was commissioned as a gift for the author’s personal library. We were honored to work with the raw manuscript that the author worked on herself. She’d already sent the manuscript to her publisher, however, this book was created as her own special edition.

How to Relax

How to Relax

About the Project

This project was commissioned as a gift for a dear friend of the client. 

From the book’s description: How to Relax is part of The Mindfulness Essentials series of how-to titles by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, introducing beginners and reminding seasoned practitioners of the essentials of mindfulness practice. Pocket-sized, with original two color illustrations by Jason DeAntonis, How to Relax shows how critical it is to regularly interrupt the hub-bub and routine of our lives to stop, relax mindfully, and recharge.

Thich Nhat Hanh says that when we relax, we become calm water, and we will reflect reality as it is. If we’re not calm, the image we reflect will be distorted. When the image is distorted by our minds, it’s not the reality, and it causes lots of suffering.” Relaxation is essential for accessing the tranquility and joy that lead to increased personal well-being. With sections on healing, relief from nonstop thinking, transforming unpleasant sounds, solitude, being peace, and more,How to Relax includes meditations you can do to help you achieve the benefits of relaxation no matter where you are.

Scientific studies indicate that meditation contributes tremendously to well-being, general health, and longevity. How to Relax is a unique gift for those who want a simple guide to achieving deep relaxation, controlling stress, and renewing mental freshness and clarity, appropriate for those practicing in any spiritual tradition, whether seasoned practitioners or new to meditations.

Design

Methods

To begin this design, I started with color and materials first. The recipient’s favorite color is red, so I chose a fine Morocco from Russels Leather, considered to be some of the best leather available in the bookbinding world. 

With a little effort on Adobe Photoshop, I  quickly worked out a simple design that was both clear and effective. The Hammock is often associated with relaxation and I feel it worked well for the project at hand. 

With such a small spine to work with, I decided that a verticle display would be best for the title and author panels. While it requires a few more steps to achieve, it is no less beautiful when executed correctly.

Finished

The result was a very nice, compact book that is both beautiful and easy to access. Able to be carried in a bag or purse, this book will prove to be a lovely companion during times that require a bit of meditation or thoughtfulness to get through. I’m very happy with how this turned out and the client was, too! In fact, the client decided to give the gift in my bindery when the project was completed. They both came together and I gave them a quick tour. It was truly lovely to be a part of, as I normally just deliver the finished product and start on my next project.

Bible Recovery

Bible Recovery

About the Project

Recovering a special heirloom is one of my favorite duties as a bookbinder. In some ways, I feel a certain responsibility to help bring life back to objects like this, if at all possible. This project was no exception.

Desiring to restore a book that meant the world to him, the client reached out with a vision in mind and I was happy to help in any way possible. I was not the least bit surprised to learn that the client was advised by some other binders to just “get a new book” and that rebinding this would “not be worth it”. I’ve heard many binders say things like this in the past and it is a bit disheartening.

Books hold a special place in our hearts, the value of which cannot be determined by most measures of cost or labor. To me, it did not matter what the book was made out of or if I felt it was “worth it” because it was worth it to the client. He loves this book and I could immediately feel that love radiating throughout the text-block. I’ve worked on many bibles in the past and rarely have a seen one with notes on almost every page (~2,500 pages or so)!

The result of our design turned out beautifully. Choosing a simple “Copperhead” brown Morocco, selected both for its quality and supple feel in one’s hand, gives it a timeless elegance that is guaranteed to stand the test of time. For the front decoration, 24k gold leaf was used to reflect the original gilding. I also opted not to guillotine the edges, desiring to keep a remnant of the original and its design. The marbled endleaves are handmade and colored for this project. After asking the client for their favorite colors, a set of papers are produced for the front and back.

Design

IXOYE

Methods

This was a fairly straightforward process and meant to reflect the simple beauty of the book itself. Using copperhead-brown leather and 36pt typeface for the gold stamping, the finished product is both smooth and elegant.

While the original text-block was in shambles, the client was a bit worried if we could do the work without damaging the book in the process. I assured him that we can make this work possible without incident.

Before

As is very common with much-loved books, this bible had seen it’s many fine days of reading and study. Seeing a book in this condition is not at all uncommon for a bookbinder to be asked to repair, and the needs of the book itself do not differ much from fundamental tasks. As you can see on the sine, much of the binding is still somewhat intact, though fraying near the head and tail of the book.

Process

As carefully as possible, each signature is separated from the text-block and the glue is removed. The quality of the paper has much to do with the method needed for glue removal, as the thinner the paper is the more fragile one needs to be to accomplish this task. Additionally, if any paper decides to run or begins to tear, then methyl-cellulose and Japanese tissue paper are needed. Thankfully, I was able to remove everything and resew it all without incident. After the boards are measured, then the case is made to fit the book perfectly, allowing for proper mechanical function of the text along with comfort in the reader’s hand. It is important to remember what the intentions of the customer is for the book after it is all finished. In this case: rigorous use and daily study. Thus, we went with materials and methods that could withstand the passions of the customer’s academic and theological pursuits.