Starting some research on book binding for my Top Ten Print Manual Project Research. Although the deliverables for the project only states an Issuu (online publication) publishing, if time and finances permit, I would really like to take the design to print- with my new printing skills and knowledge obtained from the last couple of weeks through workshops and seminars.
Along with online existing examples of binding and print, I have sourced a few basic informative pieces on the practice and range of bookbinding methods from the apparent Wikipedia page.
HISTORICAL FORMS OF BINDING
- COPTIC BINDING
- ETHIOPIAN BINDING
- LONG-STITCH BINDING
- ISLAMIC BOOKCOVER (With a distinctive flap on the back cover that wraps around to the front when the book is closed).
- WOODEN BOARD
- LIMP VELLUM
- CALF-BINDING ("leather bound")
- PAPER CASE
- IN-BOARD CLOTH
- CASED CLOTH BINDING
- BRADEL BINDING
- SECRET BELGIAN BINDING
- TRADITIONAL CHINESE BOOKBINDING AND JAPANESE STAB BINDING
- GIRDLE BINDING
MODERN FORMS OF BINDING
HARDCOVER BINDING
A hardcover,
hardbound book has rigid covers and is stitched in the spine. Looking
from the top of the spine, the book can be seen to consist of a number
of signatures
bound together. When the book is opened in the middle of a signature,
the binding threads are visible. Signatures of hardcover books are
typically octavo (a single sheet folded three times), though they may also be folio, quarto, or 16mo (see Book size). Unusually large and heavy books are sometimes bound with wire.
Until the mid-20th century, covers of mass-produced books were laid
with cloth, but from that period onwards, most publishers adopted
clothette, a kind of textured paper which vaguely resembles cloth but is
easily differentiated on close inspection. Most cloth-bound books are
now half-and-half covers with cloth covering only the spine. In that
case, the cover has a paper overlap. The covers of modern hardback books
are made of thick cardboard.
Some books that appeared in the mid-20th century signature-bound
appear in reprinted editions in glued-together editions. It is often
difficult to find a copy of such books stitched together in their
original format. They are sought for aesthetic and practical reasons.
A variation of the hardcover which is more durable is the calf-binding, where the cover is either half or fully clad in leather, usually from a calf. This is also called full-bound or, simply, leather bound.
Library binding refers to the hardcover binding of serials and paperback books intended for the rigors of library
use. Though many publishers have started to provide "library binding"
editions, many libraries elect to purchase paperbacks and have them
rebound as hardcover books, resulting in longer life for the material.
* METHODS OF HARDCOVER BINDING
- CASE BINDING
The most common type of hardcover binding for
books. The pages are arranged in signatures and glued together into a
"textblock.". The textblock is then attached to the cover or "case"
which is made of cardboard covered with paper, cloth, vinyl or leather.
This is also known as perfect binding, cloth binding, or edition
binding.
- OVERSEWING
Where the signatures of the book start off as loose pages which are
then clamped together. Small vertical holes are punched through the far
left-hand edge of each signature, and then the signatures are sewn
together with lock-stitches to form the text block. Oversewing is a very
strong method of binding and can be done on books up to five inches
thick. However, the margins of oversewn books are reduced and the pages
will not lie flat when opened.
- SEWING THROUGH THE FOLD (ALSO CALLED SMYTH SEWN)
Where the signatures of the book are folded and stitched through the fold. The signatures are then sewn or glued
together at the spine to form a text block. In contrast to oversewing,
through-the-fold books have wide margins and can open completely flat.
However, the text block of a sewn-through-the-fold book is not very
secure, which can cause some signatures to come loose over time. Many
varieties of sewing stitches exist, from basic links to complex
decorative stitches. While Western books are generally sewn through
holes punched along the fold, some Asian bindings, such as the Retchoso
or Butterfly Stitch of Japan, use small slits instead of punched holes.
- DOUBLE- FAN ADHESIVE BINDING
Starts off with two signatures of
loose pages, which are run over a roller—"fanning" the pages—to apply a
thin layer of glue to each page edge. Then the two signatures are
perfectly aligned to form a text block, and glue edges of the text block
are attached to a piece of cloth lining to form the spine. Double-fan
adhesive bound books can open completely flat and have a wide margin.
However, certain types of paper do not hold adhesive well, and, with
wear and tear, the pages can come loose.
PUNCH AND BIND
- DOUBLE WIRE, TWIN LOOP, OR WIRE-O BINDING
A type of binding that is used for books that will be viewed or read
in an office or home type environment. The binding involves the use of a
"C" shaped wire spine that is squeezed into a round shape using a wire
closing device. Double wire binding allows books to have smooth
crossover and is affordable in many colors. This binding is great for
annual reports, owners manuals and software manuals. Wire bound books
are made of individual sheets, each punched with a line of round or
square holes on the binding edge. This type of binding uses either a 3:1
pitch hole pattern with three holes per inch or a 2:1 pitch hole
pattern with two holes per inch. The three to one hole pattern is used
for smaller books that are up to 9/16" in diameter while the 2:1 pattern
is normally used for thicker books as the holes are slightly bigger to
accommodate slightly thicker, stronger wire. Once punched, the back
cover is then placed on to the front cover ready for the wire binding
elements (double loop wire) to be inserted. The wire is then placed
through the holes. The next step involves the binder holding the book by
its pages and inserting the wire into a "closer" which is basically a
vise that crimps the wire closed and into its round shape. The back page
can then be turned back to its correct position, thus hiding the spine
of the book.
- COMB BINDING
Uses a 9/16" pitch rectangular hole pattern punched near the bound
edge. A curled plastic "comb" is fed through the slits to hold the
sheets together. Comb binding allows a book to be disassembled and
reassembled by hand without damage. Comb supplies are typically
available in a wide range of colors and diameters. The supplies
themselves can be re-used or recycled. In the United States, comb
binding is often referred to as 19-ring binding because it uses a total
of 19 holes along the 11-inch side of a sheet of paper.
- VELO BIND
Used to permanently rivet pages together using a plastic strip on
the front and back of the document. Sheets for the document are punched
with a line of holes near the bound edge. A series of pins attached to a
plastic strip called a Comb feeds through the holes to the other side
and then goes through another plastic strip called the receiving strip.
The excess portion of the pins is cut off and the plastic heat-sealed to
create a relatively flat bind method. VeloBind provides a more
permanent bind than comb-binding, but is primarily used for business and
legal presentations and small publications.
- SPIRAL BINDING
The most economical form of mechanical binding when using plastic or
metal. It is commonly used for atlases and other publications where it
is necessary or desirable to be able to open the publication back on
itself without breaking the spine. There are several types but basically
it is made by punching holes along the entire length of the spine of
the page and winding a wire helix
(like a spring) through the holes to provide a fully flexible hinge at
the spine. Spiral coil binding uses a number of different hole patterns
for binding documents. The most common hole pattern used with this style
is 4:1 pitch (4 holes per inch). However, spiral coil spines are also
available for use with 3:1 pitch, 5:1 pitch and 0.400-hole patterns.
- PRO CLICK (GBC)
A relatively new binding style that was originally designed for use
with a 3:1 pitch wire binding hole pattern. This type of binding uses an
element that snaps shut and can be easily opened for editing purposes.
The editing abilities of this style make it popular with direct sales
organizations and mobile offices. Proclick is manufactured exclusively by the General Binding Corporation.
- ZIP BIND
Manufactured by the General Binding Corporation
and offers easy editing. However, the binding spines for this style are
designed to work with the 9/16" plastic comb binding hole pattern. Like
Proclick,
Zipbind spines can easily be opened and closed without the need for a
binding machine. Thus the addition and deletion of pages is a simple
process provided that the pages have already been punched.
THERMALLY ACTIVATED BINDING
- PERFECT BINDING
Is often used, and gives a result similar to paperback books. National Geographic is one example of this type. Paperback
or soft cover books are also normally bound using perfect binding. They
usually consist of various sections with a cover made from heavier
paper, glued together at the spine with a strong flexible glue. The
sections are rough-cut in the back to make them absorb the hot glue. The
other three sides are then face trimmed. This is what allows the
magazine or paperback book to be opened. Mass market paperbacks (pulp paperbacks) are small (16mo size), cheaply made and often fall apart after much handling or several years. Trade paperbacks are more sturdily made, usually larger, and more expensive.
- THERMAL BINDING
Uses a one piece cover with glue down the
spine to quickly and easily bind documents without the need for
punching. Individuals usually purchase "thermal covers" or "therm-a-bind
covers" which are usually made to fit a standard size sheet of paper
and come with a glue channel down the spine. The paper is placed in the
cover, heated in a machine (basically a griddle),
and when the glue cools, it adheres the paper to the spine. Thermal
glue strips can also be purchased separately for individuals that wish
to use customized/original covers. However, creating documents using
thermal binding glue strips can be a tedious process which requires a
scoring device and a large format printer.
- A CARDBOARD ARTICLE
Looks like a hardbound book at first sight, but it is really a paperback with hard covers. Many books that are sold as hardcover are actually of this type. The Modern Library series is an example. This type of document is usually bound with thermal adhesive glue using a perfect binding machine.
- TAPE BINDING
Refers to a system that wraps and glues a piece
of tape around the base of the document. A tape binding machine such as
the Powis Parker Fastback or Standard Accubind system will usually be
used to complete the binding process and to activate the thermal
adhesive on the glue strip. However, some users also refer to Tape
Binding as the process of adding a colored tape to the edge of a
mechanically fastened (stapled or stitched) document.
- UNIBIND
Is a variety of thermal binding that uses a special
steel channel with resin rather than glue inside of it to give it a more
sturdy bind to hold the pages in place. Unibind can be used to bind
soft covered documents with a look that is similar to perfect binding.
It can also be used for binding hardcover books and photo books. Like
Thermal Binding, unibind usually requires you to purchase a one piece
coverset to bind your documents. However, Unibind also offers SteelBack
spines that allow you to use your own covers in the binding process. The
majority of Unibinds covers can be printed on as well to give documents
a unique finish. (Unibind is also the name of a International binding company).
STITCHED OR SEWN BINDING
TYPES OF STITCHED OR SEWN BINDINGS:
- A SEWN BOOK is constructed in the same way as a hardbound book, except that it lacks the hard covers. The binding is as durable as that of a hardbound book.
- STAPLING through the centerfold, also called saddle-stitching, joins a set of nested folio into a single magazine issue; most American comic books are well-known examples of this type.
- MAGAZINES are considered more ephemeral than books, and less durable means of binding them are usual. In general, the cover papers of magazines will be the same as the inner pages (self-cover) or only slightly heavier (soft cover). Most magazines are stapled or saddle-stitched; however, some are bound with perfect binding and use thermally activated adhesive.
Modern bookbinding by hand can be seen as two closely allied fields:
the creation of new bindings, and the repair of existing bindings.
Bookbinders are often active in both fields. Bookbinders can learn the
craft through apprenticeship; by attending specialized trade schools; by taking classes in the course of university studies, or by a combination of those methods. Some European countries offer a Master Bookbinder
certification, though no such certification exists in the United
States. MFA programs that specialize in the 'Book Arts,' (hand
paper-making, printmaking and bookbinding) are available through certain
colleges and universities.
Hand bookbinders create new bindings that run the gamut from
historical book structures made with traditional materials to modern
structures made with 21st century materials, and from basic cloth-case
bindings to valuable full-leather fine bindings. Repairs to existing
books also encompass a broad range of techniques, from minimally
invasive conservation of a historic book to the full restoration and
rebinding of a text.
Though almost any existing book can be repaired to some extent, only
books that were originally sewn can be rebound by resewing. Repairs or
restorations are often done to emulate the style of the original
binding. For new works, some publishers print unbound manuscripts which a
binder can collate and bind, but often an existing commercially-bound
book is pulled, or taken apart, in order to be given a new
binding. Once the textblock of the book has been pulled, it can be
rebound in almost any structure; a modern suspense novel, for instance,
could be rebound to look like a 16th-century manuscript. Bookbinders may
bind several copies of the same text, giving each copy a unique
appearance.
Hand bookbinders use a variety of specialized hand tools, the most emblematic of which is the bonefolder, a flat, tapered, polished piece of bone used to crease paper and apply pressure. Additional tools common to hand bookbinding include a variety of knives and hammers, as well as brass tools used during finishing.
When creating new work, modern hand binders often work on commission,
creating bindings for specific books or collections. Books can be bound
in many different materials. Some of the more common materials for
covers are leather, decorative paper, and cloth (see also: buckram).
Those bindings that are made with exceptionally high craftsmanship, and
that are made of particularly high-quality materials (especially full
leather bindings), are known as fine or extra bindings.
in the future. Bookbinders echo the physicians'
creed, "First, do no harm."
TERMS AND TECHNIQUES
Most of the following applies only in respect of American practices:
- A leaf or folio is a single complete page, front and back, in a finished book.
- The recto side of a leaf faces left when the leaf is held straight up from the spine (that is, an odd-numbered page).
- The verso side of a leaf faces right when the leaf is held straight up from the spine (or an even-numbered page).
- A bifolio is a single sheet folded in half to make two leaves. Each half of the bifolio is a folio, though the terms are often used interchangeably.
- A section, sometimes called a gathering, or, especially if unprinted, a quire, is a group of bifolios nested together as a single unit. In a completed book, each section is sewn through its fold. Depending of how many bifolios a section is made of, it could be called:
- A codex is a series of one or more sections sewn through their folds, and linked together by the sewing thread.
- A signature is a section that contains text. Though the term signature technically refers to the signature mark, traditionally a letter or number printed on the first leaf of a section in order to facilitate collation, the distinction is rarely made today.
- Folio, quarto, and so on may also refer to the size of
the finished book, based on the size of sheet that an early paper maker
could conveniently turn out with a manual press. Paper sizes could vary
considerably, and the finished size was also affected by how the pages
were trimmed, so the sizes given are rough values only.
- A folio volume is typically 15 in (38 cm) or more in height, the largest sort of regular book.
- A quarto volume is typically about 9 in (23 cm) by 12 in (30 cm), roughly the size of most modern magazines. A sheet folded in quarto (also 4to or 4º) is folded in half twice at right angles to make four leaves. Also called: eight-page signature.
- An octavo volume is typically about 5 to 6 in (13 to 15 cm) by 8 to 9 in (20 to 23 cm), the size of most modern digest magazines or trade paperbacks. A sheet folded in octavo (also 8vo or 8º) is folded in half 3 times to make 8 leaves. Also called: sixteen-page signature.
- A sextodecimo volume is about 41⁄2 in (11 cm) by 63⁄4 in (17 cm), the size of most mass market paperbacks. A sheet folded in sextodecimo (also 16mo or 16º) is folded in half 4 times to make 16 leaves. Also called: 32-page signature.
- Duodecimo or 12mo, 24mo, 32mo, and even 64mo are other possible sizes. Modern paper mills can produce very large sheets, so a modern printer will often print 64 or 128 pages on a single sheet.
- A quire is a set of leaves which are stitched together. This is most often a single signature, but may be several nested signatures. The quires for a single book are arranged in order and then stitched together as a set.
- Trimming allows the leaves of the bound book to be turned. A sheet folded in quarto will have folds at the spine and also across the top, so the top folds must be trimmed away before the leaves can be turned. A signature folded in octavo or greater may also require that the other two sides be trimmed. Deckle Edge, or Uncut books are untrimmed or incompletely trimmed, and may be of special interest to book collectors.
Paperback binding
Though books are sold as hardcover or paperback, the actual binding
of the pages is important to durability. Most paperbacks and some hard
cover books have a "perfect binding". The pages are aligned or cut
together and glued. A strong and flexible layer, which may or may not be
the glue itself, holds the book together. In the case of a paper back,
the flexible cover is part of this flexible layer.
Spine orientation
In languages written from left to right, such as English, books are
bound on the left side of the cover; looking from on top, the pages
increase counter-clockwise. In right-to-left languages, books are bound
on the right. In both cases, this is so the end of a page coincides with
where it is turned. Many translations of Japanese comic books
retain the binding on the right, which allows the art, laid out to be
read right-to-left, to be published without mirror-imaging it.
In China (only areas using Traditional Chinese), Japan, and Taiwan,
literary books are written top-to-bottom, right-to-left, and thus are
bound on the right, while text books are written left-to-right,
top-to-bottom, and thus are bound on the left. In mainland China, all
books have changed to be written and bound like left to right languages
in the mid-20th century.
Spine titling
Early books did not have titles on their spines; rather they were
shelved flat with their spines inward, and titles written with ink along
their fore edges. Modern books display their titles on their spines.
In languages with Chinese-influenced writing systems, the title is
written top-to-bottom, as is the language in general. In languages
written horizontally, conventions differ about the direction in which
the title on the spine is rotated:
- In the United States, the Commonwealth and in Scandinavia, titles are usually written top-to-bottom on the spine. This means that when the book is placed on a table with the front cover upwards, the title is correctly oriented left-to-right on the spine. This practice is reflected in the industry standards ANSI/NISO Z39.41 and ISO 6357.
- In most of continental Europe, titles are conventionally printed bottom-to-top on the spine so, when the books are placed vertically on shelves, the title can be read by tilting the head to the left.
'Visual Booty No. 1' are a series of printed zines created by Jason Wilkins, developed for design students at the University of Arkansas, USA, about the growth of a designer.
With innovative and uniquely-utilised French fold binding, combined with cleverly perforated content and narrative pages within the illustrative designs, this makes for an original and stylishly simple design.
A sensational utilisation of materials in a publication and jacket design by RoAndCoStudio, New York for footwear designer, Candela. The cover reflects the leather material used in the construction and the designs of the shoes- with a stylish and innovative use of a buckle design on the cover as the book's bind.
Beautifully sophisticated and subtle design by Tomato Kosir in this printed publication presenting contemporary Slovenian writers in a two-part design- the first of Slovenian Humanists, the second of Social Scientists. The double bind perfect bind style makes for an involving and engaging reading experienced- an indulgent and considered design approach. Love the simple vectored style.
Wonderfully tactile-looking, considered printed publication by Leeds-based Graphic Designer, Scott Marc Berry for a promotional brief for 'Fedrigoni'- paper supplier and manufacturer.
The brief showcases the companies passion for their practice, as well as promoting their new studio space through paper-based media such as business cards and handouts.
A glorious range of printing methods and editing techniques, but with a clear brand consistency that ensure that the series is kept eye-catching and visually communicative of their (Fedrigoni) service.
A Japanese stab-binding bind is used to keep with the visually organic and considered aesthetic.
Excellent post! It’s always valuable to revisit the basics, especially when it comes to the print production process. Your tips on file formats and resolution were especially useful!
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