Adventures in Bookmaking (Part 4)

     For my coptic bindings I wanted to get a little experimental. Since the binding is exposed I wanted to try and decorate the edges with decorative washi tape. I picked a tape that matched the paper I was using for the cover boards.

     You can see the tape on the inside of the book, since it was layered on the outside of each signature, between the holes I punched for the binding stitches. I didn't design the inside of these books, so the pages are all blank!

Pink end papers

     For this next book I was even more experimental. I played with different page sizes and shapes. The goal was to create a book that had smaller independent 'books' inside of it. I wasn't as precise as I could have been in cutting out the pages, so while everything sewed together fine and functions as one whole piece, the pages don't turn as easily as I had imagined.

     I also played with 'windows' cut into the cover boards for the book, as well as different colored end papers, and a variegated rainbow cording for the binding.

Adventures in Bookmaking (Part 3)

     This book was made using a fabric cover and a bound using the longstitch method. As seen in the image above, the stitches that bind the signature together form a decorative pattern on the outside of the spine.

     For the inside, I chose a vibrant color that related to the blues and greens on the cover. I also sewed in a ribbon into the cover that wrapped around to hold the book together in a nice package.

Adventures in Bookmaking (Part 2)

   
     This book was made using a traditional binding method - sewing on tapes (shown below). Out of all the books I made this was the one that I went the most in depth with. At one point I had to redo the cover because of a structural issue.

     Inside the book required even more work because I also created content for the book. Using the topic of modern fashion icons I curated a selection of women in the last century that have been looked up to for their style, either in being timeless or in pushing the boundaries of fashion. I fashioned a paper doll model using the help of my teacher who is well practiced at drawing the human figure. For the book I wanted to focus on diversity and beauty across different times, ethnicities, and body types. To help illustrate this I made my figure to be a plus size model. 

     The paper doll pattern I cut out of the pages of an old book I found at the thrift store. I liked the neutral color of the paper and the way the text interacted with the rest of the image. I also think it related well to the paper I used to make the cover of the book. After researching the fashions of my icons, I recreated some of their most famous pieces. These I pasted onto my paper doll model in layers to add depth to the illustrations and finally placed them in the pages of the book. I also included several facts and timelines regarding such things as how long each person lived and when, and how many times they had been married.

Adventures in Bookmaking (Part 1)

     It has recently occurred to me that while I have had this blog for several years and have named it "Taking Life a Page at a Time" because of my love for books, I have never shared the handmade books I learned how to make when I took a bookmaking class over a year ago! Well, that is going to change starting today! I won't share everything all at once. I will instead do several installments where I share one or two books and then talk about them individually.

     The first book I wanted to talk about is a flip book made using vintage patterns and a Japanese stab binding method. In retrospect, the stab binding isn't the most user friendly in flipping through the pages. But it still gets the job done! You can alter the girl's outfit on the top, bottom, and middle sections of her body (shown below).

   
     If I could do this book again I would probably use a different binding method. However, I am really pleased with the overall look of the book and how the different patterns line up to create the effect I was looking for.

     Since the book doesn't have a cover, I created a more heavy-duty backing for the book using some heavier card stock and layering pattern papers to allude to the vintage patterns used inside of the book.

Real Books, Reel Lines

     Recently a friend asked me to think of my favorite books and when they hooked my attention. To facilitate this I pulled several of my favorites from my personal library and wrote down a few quotes from each. Some of the quotes are the first lines of the books, or something in particular I liked. Here is the result:

Eddie’s Blue Winged Dragon by C. S. Alder

“Eddie considered hiding the five dollars in his orthopedic shoes, but why should he? He had nothing to be afraid of. He was just a regular kid going to a regular school now” (p. 9).

Poppy by Avi

“At the very edge of this forest stood an old charred oak on which sat a great horned owl. The owl’s name was Mr. Ocax, and he looked like death itself” (p. 1).

“The and there Poppy vowed she would never leave home again. The difficulty was that at that moment she was far from home, frightened and alone” (p. 15).

Shakespeare’s Secret by Elise Broach

“It was the last day of summer” (p. 3).

“That was the strange thing about moving so often. It forced you to think about starting over every time, whether you wanted to or not” (p. 4 - 5).

Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix

“The fire had gone out and I didn’t know what to do” (p. 1).

“I was cold. I was lonely. I was engaged to be married in two short months to the most handsome man I’d ever see - the prince of the land, the heir to the throne. But I had never felt so alone in all my life, not even shivering in rags in my garret the day they came to say my father was dead. This was happiness?” (p. 9 - 10).

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

“Miri woke to the sleepy bleating of a goat” (p. 7).

“Marda always said she could not resist Miri’s low, throaty laugh and defied the mountain itself not to rumble as well. But Miri liked her sister’s laugh better than a belly full of soup” (p. 10).

The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell

“Three days after my thirteenth birthday, Armas, the Executioner and Chief of Prisons, came for me while I ate breakfast” (p. 1).

“Pa was very patient: He jerked me out from behind the tapestry and dragged me across the great hall, outside past the hub gardens, and through the castle gates into the plum orchard before yelling” (p. 10).

A Memory of Dragons by Annabel and Edgar Johnson

“I’m putting all this on file, just in case. Call it insurance. I don’t know exactly what these guys are up to, but on cold nights, it is wise to cover you own aspidistra, especially when somebody invites you to become a spy” (p. 5).

Prisoner of PSI by Annabel and Edgar Johnson

“The house was almost as old as Denver itself - one of a row of brick boxes” (p. 7).

“I was gripping the scorched lump of steel hard enough to sprain a few fingers. All at once I heaved it as far as I could throw. That produced a tangible tremor of dread from the aspen grove. I put the lid on my pot of emotions and tried to simmer them down before I went across to renew old enmities” (p. 24).

Savvy by Ingrid Law

“When my brother Fish turned thirteen we moved to the deepest part of inland because of the hurricane and, of course, the fact that he’d caused it” (p. 1).

The Facts and Fictions of Minna Pratt by Patricia MacLachlan

“Melinda Pratt rides city bus number twelve to her cello lesson, wearing her mother’s jean jacket and only one sock” (p. 1).

Holes by Louis Sachar

“There is no lake at Camp Green Lake” (p. 3).

What are your favorite books to read?

Firebird Anthology (Parts II and III)

     It has been a while since I have posted something about books. Part of this is because I have not had the time to read due to the combination of school and work (which I seem to be surviving so far). Recently, however, I was able to go to the library, my favorite place to get new books.

    I have a method that I often employ in searching for new titles. Starting at the section of authors whose last names start with 'A' I scan the titles and book bindings for something that catches my eye. If it looks interesting I will pull it out and read the summary to gather more information. You would be surprised how much you can tell about a book by it's cover! Usually I only cover one shelf of books per visit, so each time I come back I gradually progress through the library (usually the teen fiction section). The only hard part is remembering where I left off!

     On my most recent trip to the library I picked up a fantasy and sci-fi anthology of short stories called Firebird. I was very pleased with my discovery because fantasy/sci-fi is my favorite genre and the stories are the perfect length to read one or two (or three or four) before bed. Apparently there are three volumes in the anthology, though I was only able to check out the second and third.

     I very much enjoyed reading these anthologies. They were a refreshing break from my usual form of book matter, novels. Most of the stories were enjoyable and fun to read. There were a few, however, that were a bit strange. Still, I would recommend this series of anthologies to anyone who is looking for a good sci-fi/fantasy read!

Remember: Bald is Beautiful

     On Fridays I often go to the library. The books I pick out are either old favorites or new possibilities.

     This Friday when I went to the library a series of retold fairy tales caught my eye. I enjoy the fantasy genre immensely and I like to read different versions of old stories. So I checked them out.
   
     One of the books was a retelling of Rapunzel. Except this one had a catch - Rapunzel was bald! You must be wondering, 'How does that work?' Well, the main character, Rapunzel, was taken from her parents at birth because her father stole from a sorceress's garden. However, there is another girl who has long golden hair and is trapped in a tower.

     Rapunzel is bald because she has a condition called alopecia areata. This is an autoimmune disease that results in hair loss on the scalp and other areas of the body. In spite of this condition Rapunzel is a fun character with lots of spunk and a quick wit. She is not afraid to speak her mind!

     I thoroughly enjoyed reading this retelling about different kinds of beauty and the power of love. At 200 pages I found it to be a quick read. I also enjoyed how the author wove together the tales of the original Rapunzel and the girl we know her to be. It is easy to believe that this is the true telling of Rapunzel, and that we have been getting it wrong all along.

Trying to Succeed

Over the years many great authors and other prestigious members of the human race have attempted to describe success. Emily Dickinson claims that, “Success is counted sweetest by those who never succeeded.” By this she means that those who have succeeded do not value success as much as those who have never attained their goal. “Do or do not, there is no try,” is an oft-quoted line from Star Wars: Episode V. In some ways Master Yoda is correct; either one succeeds or he fails, however his logic does not hold completely true. Theodore Roosevelt points out the fallacy of Master Yoda’s words in his speech “Citizenship in a Republic.” The efforts of attempting a pursuit are extremely valuable.

 Roosevelt’s famous speech is often referred to as “The Man in the Arena” because one of the passages describes a gladiator fighting in front of an arena full of spectators. He begins by saying that those standing on the sidelines, watching, should get no share in the glory. While they observe they laugh at the mistakes that are made and scoff at the successes, saying, “I could have done better.” They claim to be better than the strongest man when he fails, even though they are weak and have never accomplished such feats. They have no right to criticize the competitors because they have never fought in the arena and do not know what it is like. Scared of failing, they have never tried. 

The man they are mocking does not look like he is successful, even though he is in the arena making an attempt at victory. He is bruised and battered and his clothes are stained with blood, sweat, and dirt. Yet, there is something that sets him apart from his fellow competitors, who have tried and failed. After each failure he gets up and tries again. He knows something that those before him who have failed and lost heart do not. Success is rarely ever gained on the first try and ‘there is no effort without error.’ In order to succeed an effort must first be made. The man in the arena has devoted himself to trying. Each time he falls he picks himself back up again, ready to go another round, while the spectators merely watch and goad him on as if they know better than him.

Every time the man makes an error and comes back he betters himself. He learns from his mistakes. These two things are essential to why he is able to rise above his peers. After being knocked down he does not stay down. Also he does not try the same strategy each time, as if repetition would be the deciding factor. If his opponent cuts through a weak point in his defense he makes sure to shield himself better. In order to succeed one must first try.

This technique should be applied to all areas of life. Even if the first attempt is unsuccessful much value can be gained by attempting again. However, to try one must be willing to take the first step. It can be intimidating to stand up from a comfortable seat in the stands and descend into the arena. The future is not always planned out. This often immobilizes those who have the potential to succeed, but after taking the first step they find that the pathway ahead becomes clearer. Each step makes the way forward seem more obvious. That first step is essential in order to first try and to later succeed. Life does not always go as planned, but no matter what happens the man in the arena sets an example by continuing to take steps forward and try to succeed.

Comments on Fahrenheit 451

   The title of this blog originated from my love of books, so it is only fitting that my first post be about a book. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, to be exact.

 
   This book has been sitting on my bookshelf for almost a year now. I bought it at a Goodwill with the intent of taking it to read on the plane to Moldova (for those of you who did not know I went to Moldova on a mission trip last summer). I did take it (it's world-famous!), but never opened it. And so it's lonely existence of not being read was extended. I finally picked it back up because it was one of the books on my reading list for school. Usually classical novels like this intimidate me, but I was able to get through it in just a couple days (it's only 165 pages total, so that helped).

   Being a potential graphic designer I really appreciated how the cover looks like it has some wear and tear (books are not treated as nicely in the novel). It looks like the book has a dust jacket that has been ripped to reveal the hard cover underneath. Pretty cool, right?

 
   The first copy of Fahrenheit 451 was published in 1953. The story is set in a dystopian future (this is before dystopian fiction was cool), probably somewhere in the twenty-first century. Because the story is set close to our current time I found it interesting to see how the technological advances compared. Some go beyond what is possible today (fire-proof houses) or fall short of modern technology (sorry, no internet), and in a few cases, match up almost spot-on with what we have today (devices with Bluetooth capabilities!).
 
   In the book society has degraded to the point where books are considered illegal. This is a decision made by the majority of the population, not the government. Firemen in the traditional sense are no longer needed, thanks to the invention of fire-proof houses. Instead, their job is to burn books. I don't think that these kinds of Firemen will be needed in our current society, but Mr. Bradbury does provide criticism on some of our potential fatal flaws.
 
   I enjoyed this book much more than I was expecting to; it is an interesting insight into what could have been our future.