Pages: Innovative Book Making Techniques

Rating:
Summary: Essential & Delightful
Review: An architect friend of mine gave me this book and some lovely Japanese papers for my birthday seven months ago. I am amazed at the structural quality of handmade books. This author really knows her stuff...everything from specifics on supplies to critical construction details. Other books in this category that I have recently purchased seem to have an unfortunate crafts-at-home quality.
It's fair to say I am quite impressed by this book.

Rating:
Summary: I love this book
Review: I met this author at a book signing for our arts group. She is amazing. On Saturday morning we all made books using techniques from Pages:Innovative Bookmaking Techniques. Wow! I am so impressed. This is my second class on bookmaking and this one was far superior to the first. I'm hooked. Get this book. Get infected! You will love it too.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Binding Techniques!
Review: I've been looking for a book with different binding techniques - Pages was perfect! Instructions were easy to understand and illustrations were wonderful. I have found this book most helpful.

Rating:
Summary: Pretty Basic
Review: If you've played around making books already, then this is not the best book for you, as its ideas are rather simple, and (sorry) a little flat. The typographical errors in the book were distracting; the author/artist deserved better. However, if you've worried that you're not smart or talented enough to make your own books, or if you're wanting to introduce a budding artist to Book Arts, then by all means, this could be the book for you. It is by far better than the first book I ever bought on the subject -- but it wasn't a good use of money for me at this point.

Rating:
Summary: Best book on making handmade books
Review: This book is a jolt of inspiration! If you think books are just pages of text held between two covers, guess again. After presenting the how-tos for regular books like folded books, turtle wraps, flutter books, scrolls, and bound books, the author shows you how to make them into pieces of art. Some of the examples are purely sculptural! The authors books and those of many other artists are very inspirational. A real kick in the head!

I was so excited by this book I made two books and used the scroll form to make party invitations! Instructions were clear and easy to follow. The map scroll would be perfect for my husband the globe collector.

This is a reference book I will refer to often. Besides the instructional section there is an illuminating section on the history of bookmaking and a good explanation of materials.

I can't find anything here to quibble about, except perhaps it could have been even longer. Feasting my eyes on the pictures has become a pasttime.

For me, this is the best book I have found on making handmade books. I have two other titles, but they don't extend my imagination the way this book does.

As the author Linda Fry Kenzle says in the Introduction, "Books are powerful." Indeed.

Rating:
Summary: A very informative book to which you'll refer back often
Review: This book is written in a style that informs but explains. She does not assume that you already know everything about the topic. She does take you through elementary steps of learning about paper and construction techniques that enable you to have basic knowledge that will carry you through in more technical books. The instructions are uncomplicated, there are lots of colored picture examples and there are step by step instructional pictures as well. I really liked this book and felt that I had certainly gotten my money's worth from just one reading. I know that I will refer back to it for help many times.

Rating:
Summary: Good beginner's book, easy to follow
Review: This is a wonderful beginner's book for anyone who wants to start making & decorating their own books or albums. The projects are simple & the instructions are easy to follow. The type is large and all illustrations are in full color.

The book starts out with a brief history of bookmaking. It then covers basic parts of a book. Papers, brushes and other material are then discussed in detail. A section on book themes helps focus your goals.

Actual book construction is next. You learn to build a scroll, photo album, portfolio and a wide variety of folded books. Making a bound book with many different binding pattern options is also demonstrated.

Finally, many creative paper enhancing techniques are shown. Some include stamping, embossing, spraying, sewing & marbling. Several templates, a resource directory and an artists showcase are nice bonuses.

Rating:
Summary: Oh well.....they all can't be fives..
Review: This is one of the books recommended by a teacher of bookarts. I was so entralled with the small works of art that we started in the class that I can't seem to stop creating books. I love this book. It picks up where the teacher left off. The author gives many intriguing examples for both conceptual books (artbooks) and regular books (journals, diaries, etc.) She gives a lot of info on paper, binding techniques, and surface decoration. I've used one of the the templates for a birder's journal to make a present for my avian-crazy aunt, and even created birthday party invitations using an idea presented here. Worth your money. Worth your time. Check it out! See what you think.

Rating:
Summary: Compelling Examples of Striking Books
Review: What a pleasure to find such a delightful book on the book arts. I like the clear instructions for six classic types of books and the gallery of outstanding inspirational art pieces. So far I have made three, and that is only the beginning.
Interestingly, my neighbor, an Ebay superseller, has borrower my copy many times for the book terminology. Finally she considered it such a worthy resource she bought her own copy. Thank you! I need my copy!
Anyone in the book arts will treasure "Pages."

Rating:
Summary: It was "OK"
Review: While this book is a good "how-to" for the some of the basics in book binding, I thought the individual projects were not particularly inspiring. The gallery, on the other hand, was really nice. I think the book would be best for those new to book binding, but able to come up with the interesting details themselves.