Welcome back to my blog! Today’s article will hopefully be very helpful for many of you. I don’t know what you already know about books, but in this guide, I’m not only trying to teach how to make a book with paper but also how to make an amazing book that would last multiple years with good quality material and durability. This is an up-to-date method, it’ll work even better than most modern methods used by publishers. How cool is that? I tried to write this Guide as detailed as possible – if anything gets unclear or poorly explained – please let me know in the comments below and I’ll fix it ASAP.
How To Make a Book: Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Materials You’ll Need
One of the most important stuff that you need to know about making a book is what materials will be best for your needs.
Materials for making a book:
1) Paper – The type of paper I recommend is ‘Marbled Paper’.
2) Boards – they are the covers for your book, they’re what gives it form and structure.
3) Threads – When making books with paper you need small threads so you can sew your pages properly together.
4) PVA Glue – Good old PVA, this is what will keep everything together and attached to the boards.
5) Envelopes – I always use these when making books with paper; they’re very handy for storing rough drafts, idea sketches, etc.
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6) Glue stick – you will need something to glue all the extra bits on the page, like doodles or drawings by yourself or from your children.
7) Scissors – It goes without saying that you need scissors if making books with paper.
8) Ruler – I recommend having at least one transparent one because they’re easier to use and carry around.
9) Pencil – As well as the ruler, the pencil is what people use for making drafts (notes).
10) Markers – If you plan on writing and drawing inside your book then a marker is necessary to draw lines and write text.
11) Stickers – I like using stickers for decorating my books; if you do too then you can use them as well.
12) Glue gun – This isn’t an essential item but is still very handy when making books with paper. I recommend using low temperature so you can be more accurate in your work.
13) Hot melt glue sticks – Just like the previous item, this isn’t something that is mandatory but still nice to have when making books with paper.
14) Printer and paper – Of course if you won’t make a book with pages printed on both sides then you’ll need a printer, but you can also use it for printing your layouts.
15) Sleeves – It’ll come in very handy if you make a book with protective sleeves or covers.
16) Cardboard – You might need some cardboard to strengthen your book. I would recommend covering it on both sides with pretty color paper so it doesn’t look too boring and ugly on the inside.
Step 2: The Layout
Use the ruler to see how big your book will be when everything is done. If you don’t want to work with millimeter measurements then feel free to use inches or centimeters instead, but I do recommend using at least one of them when drawing layouts on the pages (so it’s easier to see the size in comparison with other elements).
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Now you might wonder how to draw the layouts. Well, there are three ways to do so: with a ruler, grid, or freehand (my favorite one). If you go for the first option then it’s best to use millimeter measurements because they’re much more accurate than inches and centimeters. But if you choose to use grids instead then feel free to use whatever unit of measurement suits your needs. The third option is drawing by freehand; it requires some patience but I quite like doing things this way. Just keep practicing until you see results!
So choose the method that works best for you and start drawing your layouts. As for me, I just happened to be very fond of drawing by freehand so that’s what I’ll be showing you in this tutorial. Draw circles to represent the photos inside each pocket, plus you could also draw some lines beneath them so it’s easier to separate the pockets later on. Don’t forget about other details as well, like titles or other text boxes that might fit nicely where you want them to go.
Step 3: The Binding Process
1) Glue all of your pages together
2) Fold them equally
3) Insert the pages into the front and back covers
4) Close them tight and secure with a string (or ribbon, if your book is really thick). Now they should be very snugly glued together! Congratulations – you now have a brand new book!
Tip: If the binding process is too challenging for you then I would recommend that you buy a pre-made book to use as a prototype (I understand that making your own books might be quite expensive, so this option might save money and time).
Step 4: The Finishing Touches – Paper Covering Don’t forget about the finishing touches!
They’re important because they make your book look much more presentable. This step will teach you how to make paper covers and also cardboard pages, but it all depends on what kind of books you want to create.
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For example, if you’re planning on making photo albums then just cover the whole thing with colored papers or even cloth materials. But if you want to create sketchbooks then you could cover the front and back covers with leather or cloth, just like professionals do. And if you want to make a book of your own poems then you should definitely cover it with pieces of fabric! So get creative and find out what materials work best for each type of book (feel free to let me know in the comments too).
Step 5: The Finishing Touches – Ribbon Marker Or Bookmark
1) Cut a strip of paper
2) Fold it at around 2cm from one end
3) Glue this part only to make the marker sturdier (and also add some color)
4) Measure how much ribbon will be needed to go through the book spine (minus about 1cm for the marker)
5) Glue both sides of the ribbon (so it won’t be loose when you pull it out or put it in your books). Now you have a useful bookmark!
6) At last, fold the dangling part down and glue it to create a stopper. Congratulations – you’re done! Now just repeat these steps until you’ve created enough markers. I would recommend making at least three so it’s easier to keep track of them.
You might not want to stick with only one color too, so why not try different ones? And if needed use scotch tape instead of glue when covering notebooks so they don’t get damaged by accident… Scratch that; when working with paper products the word “accident” doesn’t exist. So make sure to always be careful around materials like this!
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Final Thought
And that’s all you need to know about creating your own books (How To Make a Book.)! Now you can create whatever type of notebook, planner, or sketchbook that you want to have! But remember – the best thing about notebooks is using them so I would really appreciate it if these stayed in my shop for a while. You should also consider visiting and liking my Facebook page and Pinterest boards. I’m constantly sharing cool stuff over there and if you have any questions then just ask – I’ll be more than happy to answer! Happy crafting.
