On the Bench: Deluxe Edition Binding



This is a slideshow of a binding I designed for a deluxe edition entitled "Cracked: The Art of Charles Grogg", published by 21st Editions. The book is large, measuring 20 x 21.5 inches with platinum bookcloth over boards. Black goatskin on spine and foredge. Eggshell lacquer panels inset into a goatskin leather lined well in the cover. The fly leaf and doublures are custom paste papers designed and created by me using a technique that echoes the cracked eggshell panels on the cover and the artwork in the book. The paste papers are duplexed by hand with black japanese paper on the verso. Black goatskin leather hinges. Hand processed photos tipped onto pages letterpress printed by the Bixler Press. The box has shaped covers with leather details and a bottom recess which contains loose prints. Edition of 35. I will be working on this edition over the next six months! This is the first completed copy.

On the Bench: Binding and Slipcase for Photographer


Small edition of artist's book by a photographer. Because the photographer gave me single sheets instead of folios, I needed to make a lay flat, perfect bound book, which worked well. Another option is to hinge the sheets together and sew, but there was no budget for that. Perfect binding works best when the grain of the paper is going in the right direction. A slipcase gives a nice finish to the project.