hotsell This little blurb will cover the technique we use for our "One of a kind " pieces. If it is about a bookcover , the dimensions and style of book will come at the end of the text. Also , if it is about a book , remember that the book is included with the cover when you purchase, the book when filled can be removed and replaced with a new copy. That is to say that all our book covers are what is known as "slip jacket "style covers, books can be easily removed and replaced.
We always start with an undyed tooling leather, we purchase from several North American tanneries depending on the varying thickness of the leather as some tanneries do an excellent job on certain thicknesses but not so well on others.
The designs on these covers are always unique and always our own artwork. The design is cut and hammered onto the leather while it is wet, the harder the blow , the deeper the impression. When the design is finished we dry the leather between blotting paper to ensure it will not curl while drying. When dry , the work is covered with a masking film and all the lines are traced with an HB pencil then the film is cut with an Xacto knife. A small area of the masking tape is removed , colour applied , and the tape is replaced. This goes on until all areas have been coloured either by hand or by air brush.
A sealer of clear acrylic is applied and when dried a black paste is rubbed thoroughly into the surface , excess is removed using a flannel panel wrapped around a felt block. The surface is allowed to air dry for two days before it is buffed with a soft cloth to remove any haze. Touch ups are also done at this point.
The cover now gets another two coats of clear acrylic and a water repellent finish, a makers mark denoting its "One of a kind "status is applied to the back of the cover. We also supply a detailed explanation of the technique with each cover, it is a two page sheet that is very handy if you are giving it as a gift as you will not have to try and remember all this.
As usual with all of our work , the inside sleeves are contact cemented before stitching and all edges are hand burnished to a soft sheen using a denim cloth and bees wax. All items are also polished with a high quality leather cream polish before shipping.
These are truly remarkable pieces to own or to give and will give you years of delight.
This is a cover for a book measuring 5 5/8"X 8 1/4"X 1 1/8" ( 14.5 X 21 X 3 cm. ) The blank book contains 144 acid free pages while the lined book is 400 pages ( counting both sides) Please specify your choice when ordering
Product code: 5"X 8"Sunburst "One of a Kind"Journal/Blank Book / hotsell Original mandala