Linear Containment: Book assembled

For anyone following my Linear Containment theme over the last 6 months or so (which evolved from earlier prints in 2017) it might seem I would never get my work into some sort of final project, but you would be wrong.  My artist book has now been assembled.

A short recap:

I started with a set of monoprints in January.

I continued with collagraphs for front, back and spine:

Using various new collagraph plates I created a range of brightly coloured lining pages.

Then continued with the collagraph plates, changing colour, I created the inside front and back lining pages.

As soon as all pages were lined and all folding completed, I put the book together using woven pamphlet stitch and bookbinding linen thread.

The front cover was attached to the spine using ‘antique’ style split pins, whilst the back was stitched to the spine with a plain running stitch.

The concertina spine, being very robust (BFK 250gsm paper, bookbinding tape and lining sheet) held its shape extremely well as I wove, keeping an even tension both vertically and horizontally.  There’s quite a knack to this and I’ve created a good system for adjusting as I go to ensure each section remains evenly spaced.

So that’s it, in one piece.  Those dazzling lining prints don’t look so bad now, do they?  Is it finished?  Not quite.  The front and back covers will be varnished to enhance both the printing ink colours and the rigidity.

And my brightly coloured lining pages need filling with content (what’s an artist book without masses of content, layers of meaning, visual stimulation and personal expression?).  Lino prints I think, in the theme of Linear Containment of course.

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