Cover to Cover: Creative Techniques for Making Beautiful Books, Journals & Albums

by Shereen LaPlantz

Book Overview

Even a beginner can start right out producing uniquely charming and elegant journals, albums, scrapbooks, and more. Envision handmade books to hold your writings, poems, photos, and keepsakes. More than 170 photos to inspire, and hundreds of illustrations to guide readers through the basics of an almost infinite variety of imaginative styles.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0937274879
• ISBN13: 9780937274873
• Release Date: June 1998
• Publisher: Lark Books (NC)
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.4" x 10.1"
• Grade Range: Grades 9 to 12

Customer Reviews

Great Techniques

Such easy to follow instructions and creative ideas/tips to try out. I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in handmade books.

Describes 7 basic book structures

It has 170 photos (mostly in color) and easy to follow instructions. Sources, papers, art centers and newsletters are included. Bookbinding is an old art recently revived. Examples in LaPlantz's book are innovative and inspiring, going past traditional methods and shapes. Everything needed for basic bookbinding is affordable and available. Instructions are easy to follow and offer variations, from simple lacing of signatures, to more complex binding techniques. Handmade books are beautiful as gifts, journals, scrapbooks or collections of writing. Such a personal gift is a unique treasure greatly valued. This book is well suited for a beginning level of skill and also encourages more advanced level binding.

A good start for the beginner; inspiration for the skilled

Shereen LaPlantz approaches the subject of making books with an artistic awareness. She provides a clear introduction to the parts of a book, materials, tools, and basic techniques. She then provides step-by-step instructions on how to make each type, from the simple pamphlet to the highly unusual bindings. The instructions are easy to follow and are accompanied by clear illustrations.The most remarkable aspect of this book is its pages filled with beautiful color photographs of books made by the author and several artists. I bought this text because I was interested in making a simple binding for a family history book, but after reading Cover to Cover, I have a new perspective on bookmaking - I now see it as a form of art with a whole range of possibilities. And it's an art which is accessable to all.

Just as the title says

This book is 100% just as the title says. I highly recommend this book. Even for a newbie to bookmaking like I am. The pictures and galleries are gorgeous. The ideas and projects were fabulous and the instuctions where easy to understand. I think that I read it "Cover to Cover" about 30 times before I put it down, because each time I went through it I discovered something new I hadn't seen the previous time. This book has gotten me very excited to dive right in and start creating!

Excellent; clear instructions, inspiring illustrations

I'm an avid collector of texts on making hand made books. This is the best I have seen. Very clear instructions with simple step-by-step diagrams; inspiring illustrations; examples of artists' books that at first glance look impossible to the keen amateur; but then, hey! I can do that too! Warning: with this text to hand, making books may become addictive...