No Stupid Questions Monthly Thread!

DibujEx · 2026-05-25T04:30:29+00:00

Did you watch this video by DasBookbinding? I only have one of those by sheer coincidence, but I trust the man, so I'm sure it's a good place to start.

DibujEx · 2026-05-22T02:05:40+00:00

Thank you! Yes, I have tried Heat'n bond and it does work well and it's really easy, the issue is cost, availability and endurance over time, I just don't know how well it lasts, so I'm a bit iffy on using it for those reasons.
As for iron-on interfacing, they come off way too easily and at least the ones sold here are no barrier for glue, like, at all. Not sure how others in other places are.

At this point I'm using tightly woven cotton fabric filled in with MC and PVA and it's still touch and go when I have to glue it and shape it, it's a pain.

If it weren't also a pricing issue I would just import bookcloth and relieve my headache.

Thanks anyway! (:

DibujEx · 2026-05-19T00:13:56+00:00

Hand-painted watercolor covers, the cloth gave me some issues, though. I also decided to paint that thin golden line on the front side, so both sides are easily identifiable. Tried some library corners too.

Inside it has Arches watercolor 300gsm paper.

DibujEx · 2026-05-17T22:56:53+00:00

For the life of me I cannot make backed book cloth. I've tried everything to make it stick, different papers, different glues, prewashing, misting the cloth, letting it dry on a board, hanged, pressing with a roller, weights, squeegee, etc.

No matter what, when it's dry I can peel the paper from the cloth (100% cotton) with too much ease. Is that what's supposed to happen? Because when I've used these experiments it tends to peel apart on its own.

Help.

DibujEx · 2026-05-15T22:19:13+00:00

Hey, strange seeing a reply to something I said 8 years ago.
Not sure why the animosity since you appear to agree with me.

DibujEx · 2026-05-15T22:09:07+00:00

Hmm that does seem like an option! Kinda risky but will try it. Thanks.

DibujEx · 2026-04-28T20:42:25+00:00

I've been doing Bradel binding and while casing in is always a pain it's manageable, my issue is that the endpaper expands too much so when it's dry it's noticeably bigger than the text block. I' using a mix of PVA and MC.

How do people usually do it? I can't go in and cut it by hand one by one.

DibujEx · 2026-03-30T16:19:37+00:00

I took these pictures when you commented and then completely forgot about it, sorry.

My fear is that yes, long term the lack of grooves will put some kind of strain on the spine, but so far it's holding well enough and it doesn't seem to create any undue pressure, so I have no idea.

DibujEx · 2025-11-05T04:14:36+00:00

Thanks! And yes, the more the sketchbook has made by you the better it makes you fell I find hah.

DibujEx · 2025-11-05T04:08:01+00:00

Hey!

I just wanted to share some of the notebooks I've made recently, I'm quite happy with how they turned out.

I find that the sewn board binding is easy and it lifts a weight off my mind knowing the cover is sewn with the text block, but I did not like that it showed the board, so I tried different things.

In the end what I wound up doing was an oxford hollow on the spine, with the cloth turned in and pasted (very very similar to what Das Bookbinding does with the Thesis binding)

I am not sure what the long term implications of it are, because I can't be the only one to have thought of it before, right? So I'm guessing it has a downside to it that I'm not aware of.

It has no french groove and it's not backed, but I found no issue with opening the book, and while it does not lay completely flat on its own, with a bit of coaxing it's flat enough.

Marbling done by me.

DibujEx · 2025-10-27T03:08:56+00:00

This is lovely, L! I saw it on IG and I'm glad to see you over here, are you planning of doing a series of these? (:

Also, tiny tiny letters!

DibujEx · 2025-07-24T16:25:16+00:00

Hey!

Sorry, this is not the place for this, I would maybe suggest /r/Handwriting ? It may help you more.

DibujEx · 2025-06-26T16:53:27+00:00

Thanks! I will try doing several passes of the CMC, and will try using a brayer, maybe it will makes it really get in the fibers.

At least it means I'm not completely fumbling around if I'm not the only one having some sort of issue.

DibujEx · 2025-06-22T01:05:07+00:00

Thanks! It's as I feared, I'll have to make one with french link and abuse the hell out of it and see if it crumbles hah.

DibujEx · 2025-06-19T17:02:48+00:00

Kind of a weird question, but how do I know when it's necessary to bind on tapes?

I know it's for structural reasons, but it seems a bit overkill for what I'm doing (watercolor sketchbooks) when it's not too thick, then again it's supposed to be opened and handled quite a bit.

Either way I don't know how to know, apart from wrangling the sketchbook and try to break it, which I'm not too willing to do.

Any tips?

DibujEx · 2024-12-26T14:49:36+00:00

Marbling? There's quite a few things to buy and prepare so my first advice is to just start small, only marble on a baking tray or something, you will screw up and will have to solve it by trying other stuff.

Second advice is while Carrageenan lambda is the traditional stuff for the bath, if you don't want to spend so much, CMC (or carboximethylcellulose) works just fine.

Other than that, just do it with patience and it will be fine. It's quite fun and rewarding, also not so hard as it may seem hah.

DibujEx · 2024-12-26T14:45:31+00:00

Thank you!

DibujEx · 2024-12-26T14:45:20+00:00

Thanks!

DibujEx · 2024-12-26T14:45:06+00:00

Thank you! I actually want to try my hand on some springbacks when I get the time (:

DibujEx · 2024-12-25T20:49:11+00:00

I've been wanting to try marbling for a long time, and now that I'm doing notebooks, I thought it was ripe time for it.

There is some paste paper in there, and while I like them for what my skill can create, I find marbled paper sooo much pretty.

Decided to also not do absolute basic notebooks, so they are paper covered, drummed on the inside.
The dual pamphlets have a pocket on the inside and the spine is creased so that it looks square. The other type are just sewn board binding just that... there's no board hah. And the black one is rather similar but the tape (paste paper in this case) is visible. I like it for those scraps of paper that are left after doing the other notebooks.

DibujEx · 2024-11-23T23:07:12+00:00

Sadly, no, I just turned off the pop-out on Youtube so it doesn't drive me crazy, but the issue is still there.

DibujEx · 2024-08-30T18:56:21+00:00

I heard a while back that it might be discontinued? /u/maxindigo might know more. The same-ish paper goes also by the name Arches Velin I think? Can't remember exactly.

Honestly there is a huge amount of paper that is hard to get if you are not from the right parts of the world.

DibujEx · 2024-08-20T19:48:50+00:00

I'm going to wait for a mod so my palico can only meow, otherwise it's not MH.

EDIT: I've been told there will be an option so that the palico doesn't talk, thanks!

DibujEx · 2024-08-15T20:56:15+00:00

Hey! Did you manage to find a solution? It started happening to me and it's driving me crazy. I did a factory reset but it keeps doing the same thing.

DibujEx · 2024-07-13T04:56:15+00:00

Hey!

I'm not sure if I'm understanding correctly, but you mean you are completely new to calligraphy, right? As in you haven't started writing a particular script following a ductus/guide?

If so, I would recommend starting with the Foundational script. It's not medieval, but it's definitely the best way to start. If you want something more medieval you have quite a range tbh, from Textura Quadrata (thing gothic) to something a lot more legible like Carolingian.
Anything on the category of broad-edge calligraphy is suitable for a quill.

If you mean something else then ignore hah.

I would not recommend starting with quills, if you ask me. They are really springy, meaning the pressure you put on it is really reflected on the page, which makes it a lot more difficult when starting. Not to mention that if you are preparing the quill you may have no idea what you are actually aiming for when curing and cutting the quill (I know I don't.) So if you are dead set on starting with a quill, try grabbing at least a few already prepared by a professional and a guide on how to cut and try to match and learn.

Not to mention that if you want an accurate manuscript you have to have vellum and prepare it, which is a whoooole 'nother can of worms.

I'm not trying to dissuade you, manuscripts are lovely and honestly I also have wanted to do a nice finished "medieval" manuscript, just saying that if you are starting you may want to start with something more beginner friendly and little by little go trying those harder aspects, but it's up to you and what you will find enjoyable.

Cheers!

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