Tuesday, February 23, 2021

More pocket progress

 More progress on the pocket book.

In the end, the bottom line is that a handprinted a book takes time.  There is a lot of time spent planning the size and the layout; choosing the words to write and the order in which they will proceed. Then comes the typeface; and the size.  And then the question - do I have enough of that typeface in that size? My mind turns to paper and how that will work out, and so on.

Here I am after setting a couple of pages - trying to work out which paper works best.

I decided on the lower as I felt there would be too much bleed through on the top paper - even tho I loved its tactile nature.

Yep, too distracting to see through to the other side as much as this.


And so of course to setting - working out where to position the type on the pages so that they are consistent throughout the book. How to work out which lines are the longest; and how many lines are needed. These pages reflect a 5 line verse and a 7 line verse. Tricky spacing to manage.


But I printed 15 of each hoping for an edition of 10 by the time I could have stuffed things up along the way.


The final page is set.  

 
And so the covers are covered and the inside cover papers 'stitched' and glued.

The Title page is printed in green and the other pages are printed, all ready for collation.

And stitching.


And then just because I love the shadow play of these flowers and leaves. You would almost think somebody had painstakingly snipped each of those leaves to make the serrated look so brilliant, but no, just nature!

4 comments:

  1. some time back I met a professional book designer ... something that in my many years as a librarian, I had never considered ... how a publisher will send out an otherwise "finished" book in digital form to be "designed" ... fascinating

    all that by way of saying I truly appreciate the many steps taken to get you from concept to finished product ... but in your case, how there is physical evidence of the choices made (and in some cases discarded) along the way ... fascinating

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    1. There are definitely lots of decisions along the way - and I am getting better at recording them!

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  2. beautiful book and love the shadow play in your photograph of Banksia baxteri?

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    1. It is a goodie this little one; and yes that is banksia baxteri! It is amazing. Go well.

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