Episodes
Tuesday Feb 05, 2013
Episode 98: Working vs Planning
Tuesday Feb 05, 2013
Tuesday Feb 05, 2013
I just read a book about being a professional vs an amateur. One point the author made that was interesting is that a professional, no matter how successful she is, studies with a teacher. I thought about that. Tiger Woods, one of the best golfers in the world, has a golf teacher; Sir John Gielgud, one of the best actors of his generation, worked with an acting teacher, too. Another point the author made was that professionals never assume they know everything about their craft. Because they know they don't know everything, they have teachers.
Another item the author pointed out, was that amateurs can always find ways to procrastinate: cleaning their keyboards, organizing piles of paper, taking care of sick children. Professionals, he stated, worked. Which gets me to the planning stages. Amateurs can plan forever. Professionals take what comes and try to make the best of things.
Which gets me back to my bookbinding. I'm planning (ha!) on taking a couple of classes next month. One for rounded back binding (pictures here are not of my doing); and one of making book cloth. The books I've made in a workshop seem to be better than the ones I make by myself. Why is that? Is the presence of a teacher - even if that teacher is not teaching anything remarkably new - enough to raise the level of my bookbinding? Is that why Woods and Gielgud took classes? To improve? Great idea.
Monday Dec 03, 2012
Episode 92: Dos Dos-a-Dos
Monday Dec 03, 2012
Monday Dec 03, 2012
After having made my first (primero) double book, I decided to give it another shot; try again, so to speak. The first one came out good so why not, eh? This second (segundo, or in Arabic: ثان) double book is made up of misprints and mistakes from making the previous 2013 schedule books which can be seen below in Episode 90.
The Red Side is made up of ten signatures of five sheets each for 200 pages. It comes with Chinese lettering on the cover and a reddish orange bookmark. And a picture of Cai Lun - inventor of paper circa 105 AD.
The Yellow Side is made up of ten signatures as well for about 200 pages making the combined book a total of 400 pages. It also has a yellow bookmark and random pictures of Kanazawa.
What do we take away from this exploration into bookmaking? First, making dos-a-dos was not as difficult as I first thought. Intimidation was my main stumbling block which, upon reflection, causes many a person to stumble.
Second, these types of books were often used for double novels, especially science fiction, in the past. I think they'd make for easier reading than as a blank journal. They're a bit cumbersome to write in.
All-in-all a good experience that I enjoyed having but I doubt I'll make more unless I have a novel or two to print and sell. (Hint, hint: Tristram'sPrinter and The Venetian Slime Woman - both available at Smashwords.com for reasonable prices: $2.99 and $1.99, respectively.)
See you next week with two more 2013 Schedule Books!
Coming Soon to Smashwords - Calvado: A Deadly Love Story
Tuesday Nov 27, 2012
Episode 91: Confidence vs Competence
Tuesday Nov 27, 2012
Tuesday Nov 27, 2012
After a long train ride my confidence in sewing increased. Now, after a weekend of casing in books, my confidence in casing in has increased. Practice, as it turns out, helps. Confidence, it should be noted, is not the same as competence. I'm sure I could get better at casing in but my confidence is less a hindrance than before. I cased in four books this weekend but two were a new binding for me: the dos-a-dos. Here is the first one.
One cover has red and gold Chinese writing (meaning 'Good Fortune') and nine signatures of five sheets each for a total of 180 pages. With a black bookmark and headbands made out of the same paper as the paper used on the other cover. Both books are A6 in size (pocketbook size or 41/2" by 6+" for you Americans). It took my bookbinding teacher and I a few minutes to figure out how to apply the cover papers but we worked it out quite nicely, I think.
The other book has Nepalese writing on it, I think. It has eleven signatures of five sheets for 220 pages. It has a red bookmark and headbands that are made of the same papers as the paper used on the other cover. My teacher's idea, by the way.
What did I learn about this experience? A few things. First, it's nice, frustrating, exciting, and rewarding to push my personal envelope. Second, gluing the top paper to the bottom paper is better than the opposite. If you glue the bottom paper first, you're not going to get the edges of top paper glued properly. Third, it would be nice to have two brains. Fourth, more time to make more books would be a real confidence builder. And maybe competence at the same time.
Speaking of competence, the interview on this episode is with my bookbinding teacher: Masayo Wakai of MameHonKobo- Wakai. Here, very roughly, is a translation of the interview. Very rough, so if you're a talented Japanese-English translator, don't judge me too harshly.
When did you first become interested in bookbinding?
About seven years ago.
What was the first book you made?
About 20 years ago I made a book about color for an art class I was taking in college.
Did you make any books between 20 years ago and seven years ago?
Nope.
How long did it take from the first book you made to the first good book you made?
About six months. I got a book about bookbinding and studied it while I made a book. I would make three books in one day.
When did you start selling your books at craft fairs?
About two years ago.
What advice do you have for people who are interested in bookbinding as a hobby?
Start making books and study what you made. If you study it you will find what is good and what is bad. Eventually, you will get better and better at making books.
Thanks for listening. Next week: The Second Dos-A-Dos book.
Monday Jun 18, 2012
Episode 82: Miyazaki Chicken Curry
Monday Jun 18, 2012
Monday Jun 18, 2012
Anger and frustration are wonderful motivators. Sometimes. Bookbinding is not the place to vent your anger, though. And what is anger but frustration at yourself for not accomplishing in real life what you see in your mind and heart? Last week I had a beautiful vision in my brain of a moleskine-esque blank notebook. It had a yellow spine, black cover, and a yellow band to keep the thing closed when you're running out of a bank you just held up. Yellow and black. Black & Decker or heavy equipment operators would love it. But... Yes, there is a 'however'.
First, I mis-measured the black book cloth so the back had more than the front. The yellow spine book cloth was okay but then the big mistake. The big BIG mistake. I attached the endpaper on the back OVER the strap that keeps the book closed during your bank robbery escape. Yes. OVER the strap. Covered the strap Completely! Then the front endpaper smacked too much glue on the text block and kept it closed. Even without the strap. STRIKE THREE!
Tossed the book across the room. Kicked myself (figuratively) and kicked the garbage can (literally). Picked the book up & ripped the covers off. Ripped the spine off. Ripped the book cloth off the back. Ripped the endpapers off. All in about two seconds. Rapid ripping, after which I went and had dinner. Slowly and with a bit of humor about the chicken. Chicken jokes.
That was a good week ago or more. Last night, after a glass and a half of organic South African red wine that came with a dinner of chicken curry, I returned to the pile of material that was, at one time, a ripped up book. I carefully measured and cut black book cloth for the covers. Then I cut the cover off the curry packet and used it as the spine cover. Except, well, anyway, uh, yeah. I cut it to exactly the height of the book. Yes, the exact height. No bit to bend and glue. Oh, well. No frustration here, eh? It has eight signatures of five sheets for 160 pages and is B6 in size (about 51/2" by 71/2"). The spine reads: Miyazaki Chicken Curry. (Miyazaki is a prefecture in southern Japan.)
The end result is a fun-looking blank notebook called Miyazaki Chicken Curry. Retained from the vision in my head: the black book cloth, the yellow strap, the off-yellow paper. Added since my blow up: the curry packet spine, yellow endpapers, pictures of Miyazaki, leftover string & a scrap of endpaper paper on the cover. Plus the exposed spine at the head and tail through my miscalculation of cutting the spine paper to the exact height of the book. But fun. Humor. Laughter this time instead of anger and frustration. They might be wonderful motivators but they inhibit the enjoyment of bookbinding that I have in my mind and heart.
Tuesday Jan 31, 2012
Episode 70: 大和綴じ - Yamato Toji Bindings
Tuesday Jan 31, 2012
Tuesday Jan 31, 2012
For Christmas past I got a copy of Keith Smith's Volume III Exposed Bindings and a serious cold. In said book is a Yamato Toji (大和綴じ - Japanese binding) binding which Smith calls, I believe, a Butterfly binding.
Now, I'm not much of a fan of Japanese stab bindings (especially Yotsume Toji - 四つ目綴じ - four-hole binding) because of the way they inhibit the opening of a book. Some people put a hinge on the spine to ease the opening but that just means they've found a workaround for the binding. The best way to use a 四つ目綴じ binding is to use thin paper and a thin cover. Many 四つ目綴じ books are Buddhist prayer books and they have extremely thin paper.
But the 大和綴じ (Yamato Toji) is different. It is elegant, smooth, a four-needle job, and looks like a Coptic binding's little brother. Using the four needles (for four holes, six needles for six holes) you climb up from the bottom to the top while crisscrossing between pairs of holes. It is quick, elegant, and the book opens wide; especially important if you're binding a sketch book.
The picture above is of Asa No Ha Toji (麻の葉綴じ - Hemp Binding) - from Billie's Craft Room - which I feel is more beautiful than the straight Four-Hole Binding (Yotsume Toji - 四つ目綴じ) but still doesn't allow the book to open flat - at least not as flat as either the Yamato Toji or a Coptic binding.
Why am I telling you all this?
Because first, I made two 大和綴じ (Yamato Toji) books while recovering from my bad cold and second, I have the content for a 麻の葉綴じ (Asa No Ha Toji) binding coming up soon. Photos of the two 大和綴じ books will be coming soon. As soon as the 麻の葉綴じ is finished, photos of it will be up, too.
Just a word on the words. Four is Yotsu (四つ); technically, 四つ目 means 'the fourth' or something similar. Yamato (大和) is an older word for Japan. Asa no ha (麻の葉) means hemp leaf. Toji (綴じ) is binding. Therefore, 大和綴じ is, I suspect, Japanese binding, 四つ目綴じ is Fourth Binding while 麻の葉綴じ is Hemp Leaf Binding.
Thursday Nov 24, 2011
Pictures of Lili + Piling Up
Thursday Nov 24, 2011
Thursday Nov 24, 2011
This is not my expertise on display here but comes from a blog called Lili's Bookbinding Blog. Also, it is not a Japanese binding being used here but a coptic binding designed to mimic a Japanese stab binding. Obviously the thread parallel to the spine does not connect to the threads that hold the book together. Achieving, as it were, the opening capabilities of the coptic binding while the aesthetically pleasing Japanese stab binding is assured. Lili has many other examples of coptic binding at her blog plus many other art works. Check it out.
Life is definitely for the fun-loving, eh? I've got a lot of things to do but life such as work or family has prevented.... and my own laziness, of course ... prevented me from accomplishing all that I wish i could be. What have I got to do? Lots.
• First priority is a diary/journal for my daughter. Fortunately it is a year-end/new year's present so I have a little bit of wiggle room on that one.
• Second, I have two novels (which you can purchase if you so desire) and three copies of each novel that need to be bound. Not bound, actually, as I have bound them except for their covers. Naked books, as it were.
• Plus one large art book: a book for doodling. Closed it is A4 in size, open it is A3 in size. Doodling for the whole family. It is bound and just requires a cover.
Obvious priority is to my daughter's diary/journal. Unobvious priority is to finish this year's NaNoWriMo novel. Ha! I've got 5,000 words written and six days left to finish it. No problem. If I only had a plot.
See you next time.
Tuesday Oct 04, 2011
Celebrating 100 Books, Kind of
Tuesday Oct 04, 2011
Tuesday Oct 04, 2011
According to my logs, I have made 100 books. Admittedly, most of them are less than stellar performances. I mean, I stapled my first book after the duct tape didn't work out. Some of these books have been ripped apart and re-built. Some of them have been put on a back shelf near the gates of Hell.
But all of them were part of my aspiration at getting better at making these little rascals. My 100th book was a Japanese-style bound book of quotes about The Future - "The Future Belongs to the People who Prepare for It ~ African Proverb" - with nifty Japanese paper. (Picture's upside down, duh). Before that, I made a couple of casebound books which are much better than even I expected them to be.
Also according to my Book Book (the first book I made, with a cardboard cover and very badly made Japanese stab binding, where I keep a record of the books I've made so I can enter posts on my blog), I've been aspiring to improve my bookbinding skills since January, 2007. Four+ years. A very good four years of learning, thinking, improving, and progressing, I think, nicely. In another couple of decades I might even be confident. Especially when it comes to gluing in the endpapers. Slam, shut the cover and hope its aligned properly.
I'm looking forward to improving. I hope I do. I'm looking forward to being able to create a book that will be around for a century. Wouldn't that be great? To know something you've made will be around much longer than you?
Thanks for listening & reading this blog. See you next time.
Monday Sep 19, 2011
Episode 69: Two Workshops
Monday Sep 19, 2011
Monday Sep 19, 2011
I attended two workshops this last week (Sept. 15 ~ 17). One was for a couple of hours on two consecutive days and one was for a couple of hours on alternate days. I found I could fit both into my schedule and rushed off to Tokyo.
Yamazaki Yo's workshop - (one of his books on bookbinding) Thursday-Friday, one casebound book.
I practiced making a 172-page casebound book (the novel This Is Life by Seth Harwood; Episode 49.) On day one, I used the link-stitch to sew it up, glued the spine, added endpapers, headbands, and that extra piece of paper on the spine, and mull. Yamazaki Yo, the teacher, showed me a simple and convenient way to measure things:
• Use a strip of paper rather than a ruler.
And to add endpapers, he uses an endpaper that is too large and then cuts the excess away rather than measure exactly and hope it is glued on straight. This made for quick and stress-free endpaper adding.I also learned how to say "mull" in Japanese: 寒冷紗 (kan-rei-sha.) Literally, 'cold-cold-gauze'. As an extra attraction, I taught the teacher (Yo Yamazaki) how to say 寒冷紗 in English. We also traded vocabulary for "clamshell box" which, in Japanese, is 夫婦箱 (me-oto-bako). Literally, 'Husband (夫) - wife (婦) box (箱)'
On day two, I made the cover using templates rather than measure everything. For the 7 mm space between the cover and the spine, I slipped in a 7-mm wide piece of wood (called a 'template' by some). For the 15 mm extra book cloth around the edges of the book board, Yamazaki-sensei had a 15-mm strip of wood. Quick, easy, and consistent. Very nice.
Marumizu Gumi workshop - Thursday-Saturday, one casebound book & book cloth.
I took this workshop once before and you can see more on Episode 34. On Thursday night we made bookcloth out of a used t-shirt and other cloth I wanted to use.
Backing paper was thoroughly moistened, the cloth was made wet; glue was added to the backing paper and then attached to the back of the cloth. The edge of the cloth was glued down and viola, finished. Except for waiting at least 24-hours to dry. I made four bookcloths and used one in the next class.
On Saturday morning, I made a casebound book which I had previously link-stitched together (after Yamazaki-sensei's workshop). Inoue-sensei, the teacher, showed me a different way to add the strip on the spine by folding a thin piece of paper in thirds. Very nice, too. She also showed me how to make the spine flat so that it fit better into the cover - by using a bonefolder.
The benefit of workshops (at least for me at least this time) was connecting with other bookbinders, renewing my enthusiasm for bookbinding, and learning tricks that make the whole process faster, more accurate (templates) and cheaper (making my own bookcloth).
Friday Jul 15, 2011
July Books
Friday Jul 15, 2011
Friday Jul 15, 2011
A link to a YouTube video I made of a few books I made this past week. Please enjoy while I figure out how to embed the video on podbean. July Books by Tedorigawa Bookmakers
Monday Jan 03, 2011
Episode 57: New Year New Book
Monday Jan 03, 2011
Monday Jan 03, 2011
Today being the first episode since the last one, I must gleefully report that I made one book and repaired another one. First, the repair job. One of my small green blank notebooks had a problem: the endpapers were falling out - not enough glue or the wrong kind. I ripped it off, glued it back, and counted myself an accomplished soul.
Next, the new book. To call it a book is a misnomer because it has about 16 pages. It contains a work of fiction, however, so it could be a book. The fiction is called
"The Box"
about a boy who wakes up in a box. He spends the day in his box until, as publishing marketing corporate types would say, He Learns a Valuable Lesson.
What did I learn from making "The Box"? Planning. Again. You'd think I'd learn after a few years that planning is kind of important. Measuring is kind of important, too, if you're not going to use standard sized paper.For those of you who listened to Tedorigawa Bookmakers: Check out this link for the axolotl and Lake Xochimilco: Link