2021WKSP-09 The Road Book

Hours: 1 pm – 5 pm Eastern time zone (Toronto/NY Time)

Course fee: $105 members / $165 non-members (incl. one-yr CBBAG membership)

Prerequisite: none - but see note

Presented by: GTA Chapter

Registration closes: Monday, Sept 27, 2021, 11:59 PM

This is a live workshop, but it will be recorded and available for the registrants to view until October 25, 2021.

This workshop covers an historical book structure useful for maps, prints, or other material, inspired by an example the instructor observed while working as a book conservator.

The Road Book (the title of this 1904 New England road atlas) is a pamphlet bound single-signature structure, but the configuration and attachment of the pages allows for clear double-page spreads.

A simple (and perhaps obvious) idea once learned, it’s a useful structure.

We will talk about a few adaptations, materials, and share our ideas for its use. Our model will be softcover, but easily adapted to a hardcover version.

NOTE: Participants should have solid basic bookbinding skills to get the most out of the workshop.

Tools Required:

Bone folder

Bookbinding needle

Scissors

Awl

Ruler, metal (12” fine)

X-Acto knife and sharp blades

Self-healing cutting mat

Glue brush - .25” or .5”

Small container of water for glue brush

Wastepaper for gluing, including some 1.5” strips, 9-10” long (about 10)

A small weight

Pencil

2 binder’s / butterfly clips

Right triangle

A 1-2” wide x 12” long piece of brass bar stock or a piece of binder’s board or cardboard the same size (for a jig)

Optional:

2” x 12” Westcott/C-thru or another brand of gridded ruler

Colored pencils, markers, fine black pen (optional, for drawing designs on the maps as desired)

Materials Required:

Thread:

24" / 61 cm of linen bookbinding thread (#18 best) or perle cotton #8 or #5 thread

Adhesives:

Glue stick

Glue, small amount needed (PVA, Sobo or Elmer’s will do for the workshop)

Paper:

All paper should have paper grain parallel to the height of the paper. No need to use expensive papers for the workshop model.

Six (6) maps, each 8.5 high x 11” wide (21.59 cm x 27.94 cm)

Photocopies on 80 lb. or other heavier text weight or on cardstock paper or drawn/painted on watercolor or printmaking paper. You can use printed maps also, but best not to have folds already in the maps. All these maps should be in “landscape” orientation. If you prefer to use prints or plain paper, that’s fine too. Weight of the paper can vary, the thicker the paper of the maps, the heavier/thicker your book will be.

One (1) strip 8.5 high x 19-25" wide (21.59 cm x 63.5 cm) heavy paper for a cover.

If the paper is a bit less wide, that would be okay for your model. Some options that could be used: 90-140 lb. watercolor paper, any paper heavy enough for a paper case (like St. Armand Colours paper 250gsm/140lb., or papers from your favorite papermaker), or an 80-100 lb. cover weight paper. It needs to be able to fold well without a lot of cracking.

One (1) piece of Japanese tissue, 9" high x 4-6” (22.86 cm x 15.24 cm) wide (we will cut into .75” / 19.05 mm wide strips)

Okawara, or medium weight mulberry or kozo. OR you can substitute if you must: medium weight drawing or text paper 50-70 lb. or Tyvek might work also. Nothing really lightweight, as we will be sewing through the paper.

One (1) small strip of Tyvek for a spine reinforcement 9” high x 1” wide (22.86 cm x 2.54 cm) OR the same size scrap of cover paper.

Online Workshop Process:

The instructor will be in contact prior to the workshop to share the meeting link and

 any additional required directions. Materials should be prepared in advance of the workshop to the specifications which will allow participants to take the best advantage of the live format. Please review the technical requirements on the workshop registration page prior to registration to be sure you can participate. Questions should be directed to workshop@cbbag.ca

Technical requirements for participation:

·       Access to the internet and to the Zoom application

·       Screen large enough to follow instructor’s video feed (cell phone is not ideal)

·       Microphone or Headset / Webcam

·       How to join a zoom meeting information https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362193

Stephanie Wolff works with paper, text, textile, and the book form, often on themes of weather, science, history, and rural life. Her work has been exhibited in the U.S. and Germany and is in many collections, public and private. She has been awarded a creative research fellowship from the American Antiquarian Society and was Artist-in-Residence at the Jaffe Center for Book Arts. Stephanie’s years as a book conservator provided her with knowledge in the history, construction, and repair of a wide range of library materials. She enjoys teaching to share her knowledge from bookbinding, conservation, and fine arts. @stephaniewolffstudio or  www.stephaniewolffstudio.com