How to Make an Accordion Book
by irinazcona in Craft > Books & Journals
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How to Make an Accordion Book
This quick lesson will allow you to make a book out of basic materials. The process will give you insight on the life of a book from the moment it is born. Now you can truly understand the beauty of books and better appreciate them.
Remember that this fun activity can be done alone, with friends and/or relatives, and that even though its intention is to entertain--- one can find it really useful when trying to come up with a nice cover to a manuscript or just about any other thing.
Enjoy!
for more information on books look at: http://www.antcolbks.com/BookParts.gif
Remember that this fun activity can be done alone, with friends and/or relatives, and that even though its intention is to entertain--- one can find it really useful when trying to come up with a nice cover to a manuscript or just about any other thing.
Enjoy!
for more information on books look at: http://www.antcolbks.com/BookParts.gif
Materials:
Paper (I used masa paper for print making)
Long Ruler
Number 2 pencil
Cutting mat
X-Acto knife
Cardboard (more than double the size of final book)
Retractable knife
Fancy looking paper (preferably not too thin or too thick)
Rubber cement
Eraser
Patience
Long Ruler
Number 2 pencil
Cutting mat
X-Acto knife
Cardboard (more than double the size of final book)
Retractable knife
Fancy looking paper (preferably not too thin or too thick)
Rubber cement
Eraser
Patience
First Measure, Then Cut
Before we even call our "pages" pages we must first cut them.
Hopefully the paper you decided to use is a big size that way there is a continuity for the accordion fold.
In this example we will be making a 10" x 10 " book.
The steps for cutting the pages are as follows:
1. Lay down your paper as carefully as possible (to avoid potential creases)
2. With your rule measure the desire width and length you want your pages to be, in my case 10" .
3. Draw a line with your ruler as shown on the image.
4. Place your rule to the opposite side in which you will cut, as illustrated by the picture, so that the ruler can guide the x-acto knife.
Hopefully the paper you decided to use is a big size that way there is a continuity for the accordion fold.
In this example we will be making a 10" x 10 " book.
The steps for cutting the pages are as follows:
1. Lay down your paper as carefully as possible (to avoid potential creases)
2. With your rule measure the desire width and length you want your pages to be, in my case 10" .
3. Draw a line with your ruler as shown on the image.
4. Place your rule to the opposite side in which you will cut, as illustrated by the picture, so that the ruler can guide the x-acto knife.
Folding
Now that you have cut your pages the width of each page will be measured.
5. Measure the width of all pages
6. Crease them like an accordion (some back, some forward)
5. Measure the width of all pages
6. Crease them like an accordion (some back, some forward)
Glue the Pages
You will now attach the pages together by gluing them with rubber cement.
7. Apply rubber cement to one end of the paper, then to the other paper you desire to glue it
*Note: make sure that the side you glue on is the "back" of the accordion; you don't want to write or paint on the side where you can see the pages were glued.
7. Apply rubber cement to one end of the paper, then to the other paper you desire to glue it
*Note: make sure that the side you glue on is the "back" of the accordion; you don't want to write or paint on the side where you can see the pages were glued.
The Covers
Now let us move on to the book covers.
They need to be at least .5 inches longer in width and length than the pages you cut. This is so that when the pages are placed inside they will have .25 inches of book cover around them.
For this example, since we are working with 10" x 10" pages, the covers should be 10.5" x 10.5"
8. Measure the cardboard to the desired length and width.
9. Measure again to cut another one (precision is important)
They need to be at least .5 inches longer in width and length than the pages you cut. This is so that when the pages are placed inside they will have .25 inches of book cover around them.
For this example, since we are working with 10" x 10" pages, the covers should be 10.5" x 10.5"
8. Measure the cardboard to the desired length and width.
9. Measure again to cut another one (precision is important)
Cover the Covers
Your covers will need some decoration and some protection. Make sure that the fancy paper you chose is not too delicate or else it will not protect the book well and it could tear. Your fancy paper should also not be too thick since you will need to fold it a bit and thick paper will not fold right or even be able to be glued correctly.
The fancy paper needs to be two inch larger in length and width than the size of the pages, for this example that would be 12 inches.
10. Measure your fancy paper so that it is 12 inches in length and width. (Cut 2 one for each cover)
11. Apply rubber cement all over one side of the cover and all over the back side of the fancy paper. Wait for it to dry and then glue them together. (Do this for both pieces of fancy paper and covers)
12. Cut the overlapping corners of the fancy paper
13. Apply glue to the flaps and on the edges of your covers. Glue them inward.
The fancy paper needs to be two inch larger in length and width than the size of the pages, for this example that would be 12 inches.
10. Measure your fancy paper so that it is 12 inches in length and width. (Cut 2 one for each cover)
11. Apply rubber cement all over one side of the cover and all over the back side of the fancy paper. Wait for it to dry and then glue them together. (Do this for both pieces of fancy paper and covers)
12. Cut the overlapping corners of the fancy paper
13. Apply glue to the flaps and on the edges of your covers. Glue them inward.
Put It Together
Glue the pages to the book.
Make sure that when you look at the pages (the ends of the "package") they open towards the same direction. This is so that it can function more like a book.If the one page opens to the wrong direction cut it off and glue the a the following page that works. Both, the first and last page, must open towards the same direction! You should also make sure that you glue them in accordance to what you considered to be the "back". This is only important because you don't want for the front of the page to show where you glued the pages together.
14. Glue the first and last page of the page of your package to each cover.
15. Cut a paper the size of the pages your book will be (in our case 10 ") and glue it on top of the pages you glued on the cover. This is considered the coversheet since it protects and solidifies the page to the book covers.
Make sure that when you look at the pages (the ends of the "package") they open towards the same direction. This is so that it can function more like a book.If the one page opens to the wrong direction cut it off and glue the a the following page that works. Both, the first and last page, must open towards the same direction! You should also make sure that you glue them in accordance to what you considered to be the "back". This is only important because you don't want for the front of the page to show where you glued the pages together.
14. Glue the first and last page of the page of your package to each cover.
15. Cut a paper the size of the pages your book will be (in our case 10 ") and glue it on top of the pages you glued on the cover. This is considered the coversheet since it protects and solidifies the page to the book covers.
Content and Colophon
You're almost done.
Now you can add content to it.
You can make it pictorial by illustrating it with drawings, fonts, paintings, stamps or pictures. This is now your book forever.
Oh and by the way, don't forget to add a colophon to show that it was handmade by you.
Now you can add content to it.
You can make it pictorial by illustrating it with drawings, fonts, paintings, stamps or pictures. This is now your book forever.
Oh and by the way, don't forget to add a colophon to show that it was handmade by you.