We are approaching Halloween 2013 so it's time for a new altered book to add to your haunted library!
I received literally 100's of emails from my blog followers requesting the cover graphic for Dr. Dillman's Encyclopedia! I was blown away by the fantastic emails you guys sent, it was so much fun meeting so many of you on a personal basis♥.
If you missed getting the graphic for Dr. Dillman's Encyclopedia
CLICK HERE to be taken to the blog post where you will find a link to download the graphic instantly.
The response was so great I've designed a new cover graphic for 2013!
Dr. L. Hofstadter's Compendium of the Human Skull
(a little nod to one of my favorite nerds)
I've been collecting elements for this graphic all year and finally had enough of what I thought would pull my vision together. As always each graphic element is in the public domain, the compilation is my own.
The pages are file folders covered with old magazine pages, I needed to keep all my skull artwork, clippings, tattoo designs and airbrush stencils somewhere...this was the perfect solution for me.
Here is what you'll need to make your own book:
1. A book with a hard cover. The size of the book can vary as the cover graphic can be re-sized using a graphic editing program or Microsoft Office. I've included a number of sizes for the spine titles.
2. The graphics. Click on each graphic for the link.
3. File folders. Enough to fill the width of your book's spine.
4.Pages from an old magazine. Large enough to cover your file folders after they have been cut to size plus a bit hanging over the edges to scrunch and tear.
5. Pictures of skulls. Glean them off the internet there are many sites that carry DaVinci's drawings.
6.Duct tape - black.
7. Glue or double-sided sticky tape.
8. Tim Holtz Distressing Inks in Scattered Straw, Old Paper and Vintage Photo.
9. Misc supplies; white glue, four brads (optional), cereal box board (optional), clamps, fine grade sand paper or emery board.
Let's Get Started:
Step one: Tear the pages from your book, PRESERVING THE ENDPAPERS on both the front and back of the book cover, very important as this is what your file folder signatures will be glued to.
These are endpapers
Step two: Prepare the file folders by cutting them to fit your book. You'll need enough file folders to fill the width of your book's spine. Mine was 1/2" wide, I used 15 file folders. See step five.
Step three: Cut strips the length of the right and left sides of the file folders. Use another file folder to cut the strips from, I used darker cardstock for demo purposes only. Each strip should be one inch wide. Score each strip down the middle lengthwise, apply double-sided tape to each side of the score line, fold the the strip in half with the tape facing to the outside, position the fold along the edge of the file folder (do this on both the right and left sides), remove the tape and carefully close the file folder aligning the edges as you go. Do this for each file folder. This seals the ends of the file folder forming a pocket.
Step four: Assemble the signatures. Each "signature" consists of a stack of 5 file folders held together with strips of duct tape. I cut my duct tape in half lengthwise to reduce the bulk. Align the folded edge of two file folders leaving a gap of about 1/8" between them. Adhere the strip of duct tape down the center space and evenly onto each of the file folders.Trim duct tape.
Fold the file folder on the left over the file folder on the right (this is the beginning of your stack) press down firmly along the left edge of the stack. Keep the file folders lined up carefully to create a well balanced book.
Lay down another file folder on the left side with the same space of 1/8" between it and the stack, apply tape, flip the left file folder over the right file folders. Continue in this way until you have assembled a stack of 5 folders and thus creating a "signature". Create as many signatures as you need to fill the width of the spine.
Step five: Stack all the signatures together carefully aligning the spines. Clamp. Test to see that you have enough file folders to cover the width of your books spine. I could have used one or two LESS!
Step six: Duct tape the signatures together.
Step seven: Apply double-sided sticky tape to the front file folder and the back file folder.
Step eight: Line the duct-taped spine up along the book's spine - DO THIS IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. Carefully bring the end pages up and secure them to the sticky taped file folder at the front and at the back.
Step nine: Decorate the file folders. Cover the front and back of each file folder with magazine pages.Cut the magazine page about 1/4" to 1/2" larger on the outside edges, to allow for tearing and crunching and all that fun destructive stuff!
Wherever there was a cartoon or picture on my original magazine pages I glued a picture of a skull over top. This gave it an authentic look, nobody will care that the text doesn't have the least thing to do with skulls, it's the look we're going for...right:-). Run Tim Holtz Distressing Inks along the jagged edges of the pages to give them a worn look.
Step ten: Decorate the book exterior. Sand the @#%$ out of the cover!! Nick off a few of the edges and bend the corners...more destruction...such fun!! Make it look worn and dusty.
This next step is optional, I like how a slightly raised graphic looks on the front cover. Cut out the cover graphic and adhere it to the non-glossy side of a piece of cereal box board. Scuff the glossy side of the cereal box board to provide a better surface for gluing. Apply brads to the corners.
Using white glue adhere the cover graphic mounted on the cereal box board to the front of the book. Weigh down until the glue is set.
Cut out and glue the spine labels to the spine of the book and the bookplate to the inside front cover of the book (don't forget to sign the bookplate...this puppy is yours!)
Now stuff those file folders with anything you like. Have fun creating your book!
