John Michael Cooper from url="http://www.altf.com"]AltF[/url] has just announced a book-making seminar just before the DWF convention in VEGAS. The info can be found here.

As many of you already know, JMC makes his own books. He even has a Simple Photo Minute with a mini intro to book-making. Sometime back I mentioned that I had attended this seminar and that I was now making my own books. A lot of people emailed me asking for additional info on the seminar. Here is your chance.

Here are some images from one of my last books.

1. Prepare all your spreads


2. Score all the spreads down the middle


3. Prepare your block for gluing and pressing


4. Make the cover


5. Press it


6. Got book?

looks nice carlos. Wish I had the time and patience....

YOU are so nice to post step-by-step pics!!! I'm a visual learner and these are so inspiring. Some questions I have...

How long or how many books did it take you to get the process down?
Do you attach your spreads to cardstock before scoring/folding?
What do you use for the inside cover and back?
Where do you get your supplies and which brands do you use?
Do you add the little strip of fabric ribbing stuff that is attached one side to the folded spreads then the other to the inside of the cover binding part (does that even make sense?)?

Hey Carlos, thanks for pointing this out... I've been contemplating making one of these on my own. Seems like it would be a great investment!

are you doing double sided printing? or attaching the 2 images together?

That is awesome!

We want more....MORE!!!

Did you guys see the SPM? I watched it over and over hoping to "get it." When JMC posted his first seminar, I just had to go.

To answer some of the questions:
1. A good supplier is TALAS.
2. It took me about 3 or 4 books to master it.
3. I print spreads, (double pages).
4. Once the prints are folded, then you place a stock card between them to thicken.
5. The little ribbed fabric on top and bottom of the spine is glued almost towards the end.
6. The covers are made of binders board.
7. Inside cover and back covers are blank. I just printed on one side of the spread.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the details, Carlos! I did see the SPM but it didn't give ALL the details so I had more ?s. Did you glue the 1st & last pages to the cover or added a blank page to cover up the binder board?

Awesome info! I pretty much get it now :-) I'm assuming that the "ribbon threads" you mentioned are the "headbands" that Talas sells (or something similar).

How thick is the board that you use for the cover? Do you put a piece along the spine, or not? Do you glue the fabric all over the board, or just on the inside?

And if you don't mind answering one more, what kinds of fabrics can you use to cover the cover? Thanks so much for posting this! I'm excited to try it out.

very cool

I'd be interested to know if you've done any cost comparisons, including time spent, to make these alblums. I'm having a hard time seeing them as cost efficient when all is included.

I know making these aren't necessarily about the cost, but I was just curious

Carlos

Just a question... What type of card stock do you place in between the print pages?

Do you buy that online at Talas as well?

Andrew