Como Hacer Album De Fotos

Betsy told us about her history in the book arts, which is extensive. Seriously extensive.



She explained that there are three issues in dealing with collections:

How do you attach material to the page?
How do you compensate for the addition of materials to an album?
How do you put the album together?
She then explained that there are three categories of binding albums:

Stabbindings
Sewn bindings (through a fold)
Adhesive (ex. perfect binding)

Photo album samples

Something new I learned today – when gluing covers, the universal turn-in is 3/4″. I’m already doing that, so I’m psyched to know that it’s a standard.

More nuggets of knowledge from Betsy:

Use a synthetic bristle brush with synthetic adhesives and a natural bristle brush with natural adhesives.
PVAis for gluing exterior materials and paste is for gluing interior materials.
Cloth shrinks when wet and expands when dry. Paper does the opposite – expands when wet, shrinks when dry.
When we glued the covers for what will become a book of samples of attachment methods, I was so stressed out. I couldn’t focus and made so many mistakes. I had to go back to the studio after dinner to redo one ofthe covers.

Not that I’ve ever made photo albums before. Ugh.

And now for some coolness, meet the Veritas Precision Square:



It’s a little peanut of a tool, but a bit pricey at $24.50 plus shipping. I’d have to think more about getting one.

Betsy recommended Conservation of Scrapbooks and Albums – Postprints of the Book and Paper Group/Photographic Materials Joint Session at the27th AIC Annual Meeting as a source for more information on album structures. You can get it from the AIC website for $30.00 – so getting it.

And for the last bit of coolness, we were introduced to the Shoemaker’s knot. I had never heard of it before. It’s like a regular knot, but you bring the loop through the opening twice (this isn’t a double knot). It can be untied like a regular knot, but itdoesn’t come undone by itself. Brilliant!

Worktable Wednesday
I started the day by working on an Etsy order for five small Yellow Calendula photo albums. I already had two albums in stock, so I only had to make three more.


10:56 a.m.


11:14 a.m.


11:44 a.m.


12:12 p.m.

The covers are now safely tucked away in the press.

I spent a chunk of the afternoon packing a box tosend ahead to PBI (Paper and Book Intensive) – I fly out on Sunday!

My next project was to make a sample for my upcoming Travel Companion Journal workshop at Studio Place Arts. I started by carving the word “Go” into the cover.


7:39 p.m.

The journal includes pockets both inside the covers and in the text block. I had to figure out the dimensions for the end page pockets and create atemplate.


7:57 p.m.

I crumpled up brown Lokta paper to create a leather-ish texture. After flattening out the paper, I glued it to the covers. Then I glued in the end page pockets.

Lastly, I cut letters out of a map and glued them into the recessed areas on the cover.


8:34 p.m.

Tomorrow I’ll work more on the surface design and create the text block.

Worktable Wednesday
Today Iworked on a custom order that came through Etsy – it’s the first time that one of my handmade books is going to the Netherlands!

The custom photo album tweaks the page paper of the Sea Green Floral photo album. Instead of white paper with flecks, this album includes a smooth dark green paper. I tend towards neutral colors for photo album pages, so this combination is one that I most likely wouldnot have come up with on my own.

I love this combination!


2:54 p.m.

The color of the paper is so rich. I’m sorry I couldn’t get a better picture of it.


Paper close up


3:17 p.m.


4:09 p.m.

I can’t wait to see how it looks when it’s done!

Worktable Wednesday
Today I took my worktable outside to Blue Ocean Breeze the crap out of this file drawer thingie (see this...