For this session, we were in the book conservation studio, a bright place with its specialist equipment* and lots of storage drawers for various papers. Camberwell has a two-year conservation programme, during which students spend 10 weeks on placement.
Windows on all four sides, and huge workbenches - I want to move in -
We made a two-signature pamplet - here are the trimmings (a decent guillotine is on my wish-list) -
and this is how it looks when finished -
The trick is that both signatures are sewn with one stitching - and the sewing doesn't show on the outside -
I salvaged the offcuts to make some tiny books, which are yet to be sewn -
*I forgot to take a pic of the "press and plough", in which a blade moves back and forth to trim the edges of the pages, a few at a time. Here's what it looks like (I want - but don't really "need" - one!) -
For the home workshop, a nipping press would perhaps be more useful - but I'm making do with boards and a pile of books, so there's no hurry for that either, even though there's now room in the renovated studio. The traditional ones are very heavy, and they cost a bomb!
Many years ago I nearly went to Camberwell to study bookbinding and paper conservation, but in th event I got a grant to study out of county, so I chose to go to Brunel College in Bristol, happy days.
ReplyDeleteI like your little book, I haven't seen that style of cover before.
Have fun.
Richard