Leporello Book-dummy kit, Middle Ground, 2018 Copyright Douglas Stockdale
You know that when you are self-publishing a new book you are getting very, very close to the final design when you receive a book-dummy kit from the printer, who in this case is Dual Graphics, in Brea. This is a leporello book-dummy kit, for Middle Ground.
The book-dummy kit is pretty basic; interior sheets that are made with the intended printing paper for the book’s publication, in my case a glossy paper (Verso Paper, Sterling Gloss, 100# book), one of the papers that I had included in my Guide to Self-Publishing an Indie Artist Book. Since this is a leporello book, each sheet has six pages plus a half-inch wide tab for binding (gluing). So I was able to take eleven of these interior sheets, glue these together in series and have an interior mock-up dummy completed for my book design. Nice.
There are also mock-ups of the book’s cover, which in my case is going to start with stiff-covers. After constructing the interior leporello dummy (above), it was apparent that we had not allowed enough for the width of the spine to accommodate for the thickness of this stack of paper. The interior sheets were hand creased and folded, so the on-press production process is going to provide a tighter and more compact stack of paper, nevertheless, I still need a bit more width for the spine.
The cover stock was still a bit on the light side, so since we need to redo the cover samples, the printer is going to provide a heavier stock (18 point) up to the maximum their presses can handle.
Another design tweak is to increase the size of the cover just a tiny bit more to allow a nicer interface with the interior leporello block, since these will be hand bound by me. I need to allow for a little more exterior coverage just in case.
At the moment, I need to complete the Middle Ground Book-dummy #4 for my presentation this weekend at LACP. As part of my book presentation, Photo Book Pre-Visualization, I will use this book dummy to illustrate my point. Also a chance to promote the pending publication and add to my interest list! Also, still time to sign up if you would like to join me at LACP this Saturday (March 17th).
Since Dual Graphic will also have a table this weekend at LACP, it will be a chance for me to work with the printer off-line as to how this book dummy is coming together and determine if we need to make any further design tweaks.
Busy, busy, busy! The fun just never ends!
Reminder: Let me know if you want to be placed on the now growing interest list (doug@douglasstockdale.com) for my Middle Ground limited edition artist book. If you can help me network for potential exhibitions (pop-up weekend, month long, what ever!), I would really, really appreciate that very much!! (expect this to part of my update to be repeated very often!)
Cheers
Singular Images 