Hand-Binding 'A Christmas Carol' - Part 1 of 3 - Printing, Sewing & Edge Decoration with REAL GOLD
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- Опубліковано 1 жов 2024
- Hello Everyone!
Every Christmas I make a point of making a gift for a friend or loved one, and this year is no exception. Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' is my wife's favourite Christmas story, and so this year I've decided to make a special copy just for her. And the good news for you is that you'll get to share in the creation of this book in three virtually back-to-back installments, which I'll be premiering over the next few days before Christmas. So grab yourself a bowl of hot punch, sit back, and enjoy!
I've chosen to bind this book in a style that would be familiar to Dickens himself. The book is sewn on cords that are 'sunk', being sawn into the text block rather than pierced. This was a faster binding method that came into vogue in the 1800's as demand for books increased.
A shoutout to Reddit user u/ellipticcurve, who typeset and imposed (and freely shared) the 1915 edition of Dickens' classic book, featuring illustrations by Arthur Rackham. Not having time to format the book myself, their meticulous work was exactly what I needed to get this project off the ground. If you're a Redditor, head on over to r/bookbinding and give them an upvote!
I've chosen to give the book some extra ornamentation with both paint and 24 karat sprinkled gold leaf. Many thanks to Glenn Malkin of @bookbindingtips for his invaluable video on this technique. Thank you for sharing your knowledge Glenn!
In the next two installments I'll cover the book fully in calf leather, weave silk endbands, and make an attempt at genuine gold tooling, and all on a deadline to boot, so wish me luck!
Cheers!
Dennis
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Very nice! I bound copies of A Christmas Carol in 2009 for family gifts (nowhere near as nice as yours are!). I don't know if anybody else in my family still has theirs, but I read mine every year.
I really hope they still have theirs. I know I'd keep something like that forever.
I love watching you work. Watching the creation of something beautiful is always therapeutic.
"Creators have a fundamental advantage over destroyers. Destroyers will eventually run out of things to destroy. Creators will never run out of things to create."
Deadlines are crazy. Even just binding for someone else is so much harder than when it’s just for yourself! I bound the first copy of my mom’s book (I was inspired by your medieval binding series), and it turned out pretty well, I got the majority of it done relatively quickly. I started to bind copies of the same book for a friend-admittedly, in a different style-and so many things have gone wrong. 🤪Practice makes perfect, I guess! This is beautiful already! I’m sure your wife will love it, and I can’t wait until part two!😄
How I healed watching this...
There are no words.
Thank you for this gift.
Happy and peaceful Christmas to you and your loved ones, Dennis
Absolutely riveting! Painting and burnishing the gold edges was wonderful to watch. You always make everything look far easier than I am sure it is, and the finished product is always a work of art. Looking forward to the next part! Thank you.
Hi Dennis,
would it be possible to get advice on how best to print the text? I've got an in-game book that my DM wrote that I'd like to bind and hand illustrate for him but I'm not sure how to prepare the text into signatures.
As always loved the video!
Thanks!
Good heavens! That was a joy to watch from start to finish! Absolutely amazing and beautiful!
So wonderful ... can't wait for parts 2 and 3 ... 😊
Это видео - наверное лучший подарок для подписчиков канала! Спасибо!
Gorgeous!! A gift sure to be adored!
It's always so nice to watch you work, thank you for the video - a Christmas gift for all of us!
This was amazing! I'm very much looking forward to parts 2 and 3!
Coming soon!
I SAW HIS FACE---THAT OF A JOLLY OLD ELF
How do you set your printer to print text for book binding?
Not a fan of the ASMR format. I enjoy hearing your comments on the process.
oh this has me excited. i love this story. i have a 1916 copy of a short story book with this story in it i would read each year. but this year i get to read a more original version of the book.
i went to an estate sale for a lady who had a library and collected books back to the 1800s, and i found a 1922 facsimile of the original printing of this book, complete with a reproductuon of the title, preface and top half of first page of the original manuscript in Charles' own handwriting, and has all the original illistrations. given its a 3 day weekend, i feel a sunday night sit down with hot cocoa and a faux fireplace is in order for this one
i get a kick out of the fact my copy is 101 years old and is a tribute to the original printing complete with forewords by people who are long gone and it reads like they feel its just as much a classic as we feel it is today, 180 years after it was originally written
If I were starting my life over I would certainly endeavor to try to do what you do. I have an MFA in painting but I would parent my studio work with this art form.
I am so inspired.
did I see correctly? are you printing the book on a regular home inkjet printer? Will that last a long time? I've always wondered besides old fashioned letterpress, what is the longest lasting media?
Omg the cracking of those pages was asmr gold I was hoping you’d do that and if that’s a gift that person is very blessed to be given such a beautifully handcrafted item
Обожаю твои видео!
Спасибо за доставленное удовольствие!
Probably the most beautiful edge decoration I've seen, damn! Love watching you work. Not only are you masterful at bookbinding, but your videos themselves are beautifully made and so atmospheric.
That crackle as you broke the glue and gilding between the pages was something else.
This is nice, a project that's not massive. You don't lose interest and it's over before it becomes a job.
So how does a printer do double-sided print for signatures like that? I've been curious for trying to bind newer books of classics like you're doing.
Mine only does single side so I need to flip them over.
At some point Id love to see a video about the process of printing on paper in the correct way to order and space out the text (margins and all that) love your content!
I haven't fully figured out how to deal with headers and footers and page numbering, but as long as you don't want an odd-sized paper, MS Word has a function that will print a document so it can be folded into book signatures.
I have never bound a book, but every time I watch you work I wish I had. Maybe one day.
Beautiful! I can't wait to see the finished book.
It's the fact you're as skilled a videographer as a bookbinder, to me, that elevates this. The (faux?) focus pull for the sewing timelapse- sublime.
I am absolutely JEALOUS of that plough/finishing press combo.
Dennis , once again such exquisite work, meticulously done to your usual exemplary standard, can't wait to see the rest and the finished book, wishing you and yours a Very Merry Christmas, Steve
Such a blessing to watch craftsmanship of high quality, happy Christmas all, christ is born. Peace be to all.
I'd forgotten all about Glen's video - need to go and re-watch that. This is looking to be one fine present Dennis 👍
What a gorgeous piece of work (in progress) this is, I'm certain your wife will love it. Thank you for sharing the process (and the sources of your wisdom) with us. :)
Lovely as always- I miss the voiceover but i know it's a bunch of extra work
You are entirely correct! I just didn’t have time to fit it in and get the videos (and the book!) done in time.
Amazing work, absolutely amazing work. And incredibly beautiful too.
This is so soothing to watch, ironically on an iPad! What a treasure for her. I would love to browse through hand bound books like this. Thank you for sharing.
Very beautiful and relaxing but wishing next time without music just original sound,
And in sewing part don't rush it
You are a real artist
Thank you, your fan from Jordan 🇯🇴
That paper looks lovely! Would you mind sharing the brand? Is the final book in A5 format?
Fantastic editing! Wow you continue to amaze and entertain us all
I have read some the comments here and several has said how soothing and therapeutic it is to watch do this, I am slowing building up my library of digitized books that I will slowly print out and bind with leather coverings, classics like A Christmas Carol is one that I will do, Dickens has several great classics.
Blown away! May I ask how you purchase/access the book for printing? I’d love to make a book from scratch.
This is beautiful, Dennis, as always. Thank you. Looking forward to two and three.
Question: have you done a video on how to print signatures? That is, how to format a book into however many pages, or finding pre-formatted books? I also wouldn't mind buying unbound signatures
I've been wanting to hand bind a book (pride and prejudice) for my wifebfor a really long time, and this channel is an absolute goldmine!
I was wondering if you could create some of the books found in the Elder Scrolls games? Especially the books in the Skyrim edition have text and beautiful bindings.
Never liked burnishing end papers. The matt adds to the hand made look. The shine from burnishing looks just like machine printed stock.
This post is so lovely. I find watching so calming and warming to the cockles of my heart! I was imagining how your work ennobles the written word while carrying out a tradition that is so easily overlooked, although this was not so once upon a time! Do you make other mono-prints of Gutenberg Project books? Just wondering....
Merry Christmas to you and your family Dennis! Good tidings from California! 🎀🎀🎄 🎀🎀
I've been really enjoying watching and learning from you! If I may ask, do you plan on covering the process of making the end papers in a future video? I'd love to hear verbalized concepts of what youre doing there sometime! 🥰
Your wokrs are so beautiful! I have recently learned a new method of painting the fore edge, I would like to share it with you. I use water base wood stain (or I don't know how to say exactly in English) The light colour for eg. yellow was painted by a sponge. And After the first colour dried, I painted the dark colour (for eg. red) with yarn, which I rolled up after dipping it in the paint. It takes a bit of practice to get the thread to be dyed, but once you get the hang of it, you can make beautiful patterns. I hope it was understandable, despite my terrible language skills.
Where might one buy this printing of “A Christmas Carol”? I looked on your website, but I could see store that sold books…only papers
Question, Is this a special printer that allows you to print the pages in a certain order to where if you stack several pages and fold it in half, hamburger style, like you did, they would still be in order? since you printed two pages per sheet, stacked it, then folded in half. I wish that makes sense.
A true artisan at work!!! Thank you for sharing this with us.
Wow...that edge trimmer!
As you were looking through the endpapers I was thinking “that one!” - I do have a question about the sewing around the recessed cords, it looks as though you come out through the signature before the cord and then go back in after the cord, doesn’t that risk enlarging the hole for each cord in the signature? It seems like if you came out after the cord, and then backstitched around the cord to go back through the signature, each signature hole would stay a smaller hole?
Could you please provide the link for the typeset download?
Can anyone give me the name of the took he uses st 15:04? I struggle with my fore edge neatness
Where did you get the file of A Christmas Carol, can i have the link plaese?
will you be doing a video that explains what you used. I want to do replicate it for my wife.
Truly superb work! What is the best material to use for the cords?
Whats the function of burnishing endpapers? Is it an aesthetic?
Why did you use 'apostrophes'?
(see what I did there?)
First, that is absolutely beautiful and was a joy to watch. Second, when I was a lot younger my dad bought me a bunch of old Tom Swift books from 1910-1925(ish) and I spent years being amazed at the construction and wondering how they were put together compared to more modern books which you have answered with your videos. Amazing work sir and I can’t wait for part two!
Someone know what size of paper he use and where to find it ? Can't find any in Canada
Beautiful! As a new book binder I am so jealous of the tools!
What is the name for the tool for burnishing?
Thanks, looking forward to part 2!
Thank you, I have been collecting them for quite a few years now. And the tool is called simply a burnisher, or more specifically an agate burnisher. Part 2 coming very soon!
What program do you use to print it out so that the pages are in the right order for folding it in signatures?
I do it using acrobat pdf reader. It has a booklet printing function. Do the pages for each signature as a separate print job and it does it all for you
@@sootys4024 awesome thanks for the respomse!
What size, weight and type of paper did you use?
So jealous of the old litho stone ... where did you get it??
Beautiful!! What an amazing gift!!
Υπέροχο
Spettacolare..grazie!!
Well that's absolutely fabulous gilding
I just looked up that paper and almost had a heart attack at the cost.
This is the first time i realzed you are left handed lol
Very nice. And such a coincidence, I bound a set of "Nussknacker und Mäusekönig" as gift for christmas, including a few leather covered ones. The latter also have the edges painted red and sprnkled with gold. No sponging on a different shade of red though.
In my case, I just mixed a little bit of EVA/PVA into the watercolor based paint, then sprinkled the gold onto that while still moist.
Great job! Thank you for sharing it
I am curious about the sequence "trimming fore-edge > rounding > backing > trimming tail & head" instead of "trimming fore-edge > rounding > trimming tail & head > backing". I guess this has something to do with the edge decoration requirements. Maybe backing after trimming tail and head would introduce some distort which should be avoided?
What a great round on so little swell! Man, I never realized how short A Christmas Carol was LOL You use a jewelers saw for cutting into the text block, correct? I was thinking of getting one for my quarto lumbeck binds to get some cords in there. And oh my GOD the edge decorations were GORGEOUS! I cannot wait to see how this all comes together!
Beautiful. What I know about bookbinding is just from your channel, so I would have bet good money that pasting, painting and gold-leafing the edges would have permanently stuck the pages together - and you just riffled them gently and they were totally free; so I lost my bet, who'd have thunk it.
I did this just this week with the old digital only "Living Rulebook 6.0" for the board game Blood Bowl. Even made a carefully measured hand drawn custom front cover. didn't need to, the rules were perfectly accessible as a pdf, the print quality was questionable, binding is a bit shabby, materials were cheap and my tools are crooked and vaguely unreliable, and I'm not even sure I'll use it since it's an outdated version, but it came up for game night next week and the idea sprung to mind, and it's such a peaceful and satisfying thing to do, with the measuring and folding, cutting and stitching and so on. I'm so happy I found your videos on how to do this.
Where do you buy your sewing frames.
Iam 13 year old and i make a one book same like your book
Lovely!
A wonderfully meditative video to welcome the coming holiday. Thank you, Dennis, for a "crafty" tribute to Christmas! Very much looking forward to part 2!
Absolutely stunning work! Nothing like finishing a long day at work and winding down with your truly masterful, calming, and therapeutic craftsmanship. Thank you for sharing with us and looking forward to parts 2 and 3. Happy holidays to you, and happy new year!
Oh, this is going to be a beautiful book.
As someone whose knowledge of bookbinding could fit on the back of a 2nd class postage stamp, this is truly witchcraft!! I am mesmerised 😯
Dennis, you demonstrate your '10,000 hours' in a sublime ballet that fascinates & inspires in equal measure. I just don't envy all the shapening of the cutting tools you must endure, especially with all your cherished cutting devices that can't just 'change out the blade'. Thankyou very much and seasons greeting to you.
At first: "Wow! And you can make a fungus on such a thin book!" and then: "WOW! The golden edge!"
So if I get a guillotine, a proper press, and a plough I’ll be able to replicate this?🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
While this is true, I have been perfectly happy with the results using box cutters and an aluminium ruler for cutting and folding and old books and a cutting board for a press.
Beautiful, and very restful to watch. I particularly loved the treatment of the edges. Cant wait for the rest of these, thank you. It helped calm my Christmas emotional morass that I can sometimes get stuck in. Way too many big feelings, most of which no longer apply to me since I’m now alone. It’s nice to just watch someone working on something beautiful and not think too much for a few minutes.
Really enjoyed watching you working and those tools😍!
Absolutely love your work. It is very inspiring and I look forward to every video. I did reach out to you on Facebook, I believe someone is stealing your work and reposting it there as they removed all of your branding from the video and added music over it, but the video is undoubtedly yours.
Thank you, I’m glad you’re enjoying my videos. Sadly the plagiarism is a known issue, but thank you for looking out for me!
@@FourKeysBookArts I’m sorry to hear that. Thank you for the reply though.
Please excuse me if this has been addressed earlier, but why trim the fore edge prior to rounding and backing the spine? It a traditional thing, aesthetic, or is there a practical reason?
Trimming after rounding removes an unequal amount of paper from the pages, making the margins at the front and back of the book narrower than the middle. Also, I like the aesthetic of a concave fore edge.
Beautiful work. How lucky someone's going to be receiving such a personal gift from you. I do hope they always treasure it.
¡Qué maravilla!
I need a tutorial on printing the text
oooh the red going on was so satisfying i cannot lie
I was really pleased with that shot too!😁
yet another work of art, but i was so distracted by that cover of comfort and joy. it reminded me of sticking my fingers in and out of my ears as a child to listen to how the sounds changed.
The background music was very relaxing.
Better it is impossible
Blessed hands and mind. They work together.
Great video, just fitting perfectly for christmas! You are the reason why I started bookbinding again today. But there is one thing I would like to know - when you burnishing your paper or the edges, what is your tool made of? Is this just a quartz or is it from metal? I love to take things I find in the kitchen or so and use them for my ideas. Today I discovered, the handle of a knife does the burnishing job almost perfect.
Thank you for your videos, for your knowledge and always for your quiet and calming videos! Never found a better teacher for me. Best wishes and thanks in advance. (◠‿◠✿)
Thank you so much! Most commonly burnishers are made of agate, though I did try out an antique one in the video which I believe is bloodstone. But lots of materials can work for burnishing, so long as they are hard enough. Burnishing is really just a fancy term for ‘crushing’ after all.
@@FourKeysBookArts This fancy word is thousend times better than polieren, as we germans would say.. Thank you!
Spoons make great burnishers
With so much care going into it, it seems sure this book will last over a century. And how special to think that maybe, if the internet lasts that long, someday someone will be able to see it being made a hundred years ago.
Parabéns pelo seu don, e em compartilhar. Me apaixonei completamente por essa arte, meus parabéns.