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

by Shereen LaPlantz

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.

Genres: Art, Crafts, Nonfiction, Reference, Journaling, Design, Books About Books

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[S.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a helpful place for beginners to start, but it has also made it pretty clear that I've bitten off more than I can chew. (Which, yes, is also technically a good thing to know.)

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bless this book for introducing me to the concept of spacers, which will solve a major dilemma when binding books to use as art journals. My very own used copy is on its way to me right now.

[Alien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad, rather comprehensive, but not much that i haven't been able to find online with more detail and better pictures, some of the diagrams were a bit difficult to decipher and a few seemed to be missing steps

[rumbledethumps · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clear instructions, and really good diagrams with precise measurements. This is a good book for the novice bookbinder to get some basic ideas on a variety of different styles.

[Westley · Rating 3 out of 5]

okay

[Charlou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Variations of single cut maze books

[Sheri Maxey-Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well illustrated with concise instructions.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good directions for basic folio binding; lots of art books for inspiration

[Francine Fang · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are step by step hand-drawing instruction of bookmaking.

[Leslie Holm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bookbinding techniques

[Scarlett Cavendish · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book. I liked it

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok, nothing revolutionary.

[Judi Easley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this book for awhile, I recently read another of this author's books. So I pulled this one off my shelf for a review of what was in it. It's a good combination of illustrated instructions and artistic inspiration. I think it might help if you already had some bookcrafting experience under your belt before tackling the techniques and ideas in this books, but it wouldn't be beyond a dedicated beginner.

[Gala · Rating 4 out of 5]

when people ask me to recommend a reference for basic bookmaking, i direct them here. a good book for getting started... clear instruction for 3-dimensional techniques (no small task!), interesting examples that, for the large part, resist being too cute-crafty.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was highly recommended to me by several bookmakers, and now I know why. It seems to be the bible when it comes to construction, not just of basic books, but of any variation on the word "book." I bought it for my own library.

[Palma · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this book there are step by step written instructions with drawn illustrations. I couldn't follow them and would have prefered more photographic images of the steps. Some of the insructions are a bit too legnthy and I lost a bit of interest.

[Rachel Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

BEST book on book binding. My favorite!

[Artlab]

Bookmaking

[Karin Bartimole · Rating 5 out of 5]

My book arts bible that I return to over and over. Clear instructions with illustrations, great photos of completed works. Best book for the basics to get you started

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love LaPlantz easy methods to bookbinding. A little simplistic at times, but a beautifully written book. Also has great example pictures in there as well.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very inspirational! Will look for a copy to purchase.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so I did not read this "cover-to-cover," but I use it all the time -- it is an excellent reference and idea-starter for artists books, cards, etc.

[Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books on bookmaking, easy to use and full of great examples and ideas.

[Mckinley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Instructions with photos. More photos of finished projects at end.

[Mills College Library]

686.3 L314c 2015

[M. Jane Colette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visually stunning... but not for the amateur or dilletante!

[Mayaed26 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for art lovers.

[Diane]

the step-by-step instruction pictures are pretty good and clear.