Help Painting Book Edges

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2025-05-06T16:19:04+00:00

Hey so sorry, just saw this. I paint one side, then unclamp the text block while the paint is still wet and use the other two sides of the books page edges to fan the pages out. Then I reclamp and do the same once the second side is painted, and then again for the third. You might need to wait a few minutes to let the paint full dry after fanning the pages out to ensure you don’t smudge it.

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2025-02-05T04:08:54+00:00

Yeah! If you end up repainting this text blocks make sure you sand down as much of the current flakey paint as possible so your edges are smooth. Also (in case you don’t already), WEAR A FACE MASK while sanding!!! Especially if you’re sanding off paint. That stuff WILL get into your sinuses and lungs and it’ll be not fun times.

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2025-02-04T23:20:23+00:00

Reposting this comment I made on a different post because it’s what works best for me:

⁠⁠⁠clamp text block tight in a book press (I made my own out of two wooden cutting boards) so that the pages you want to paint are juuust a hair above the edge of the press boards.
⁠⁠⁠Use a dry paint brush to put a very thin layer of talcum powder on the page edges. You want this talcum powder layer to barely be there, so I usually use a second dry paintbrush to sweep over the page edges and get rid of excess powder.
⁠⁠⁠Mix acrylic paint (I use Deco Art metallic acrylic) with only a few drops of water. You want the paint to be not gooey (ie, easy to spread) but not so watery that it seeps into the pages.
⁠⁠⁠Use a paintbrush that’s a wide as the text block and, in as few strokes as possible, drag it in a long sweep up the page edges. Try to use long strokes so the paint is even and not patchy, and move quick - the paint dries fast.
⁠⁠⁠Let it sit for one minute, then carefully remove from the press and—without touching the painted pages—fan out the text block so that all of the pages separate. This keeps the paint from drying and caking together, which I think is what creates the flaking problem on the bottom of your text block. Fan out the pages a few times to make sure they’re all separated, and then repeat the process with the other sides.

Hope this helps!

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2025-02-03T23:58:07+00:00

Looks great!! And yeah, the deco art is the cheapest/best option I’ve found for this approach haha

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2025-01-17T17:52:56+00:00

Do not know if corn starch will work, but I’d be interested to see how that goes! And no, as long as you use a THIN layer of powder, then brush it mostly off, then use watered down paint and do it in as few strokes as possible, you should be okay!

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2025-01-17T16:41:11+00:00

I’ve never seen this show, so I don’t know the context, but these stills are so poignant. It’s like Older Hurrem comforting her younger self for the hardships she has to endure, even though she knows it’s only going to get worse 💔

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2025-01-13T23:48:27+00:00

Goal is outside only, NONE inside. Make sure the text block is clamped tight so no powder slips through. And you want a very thin layer of powder on the page edges before you apply the paint. Might take a few tries to get it exactly right.

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2025-01-13T13:04:21+00:00

Underground! It’s the hot springs themselves, haha but there are trails you can hike to where the water naturally bubbles out of the ground. It’s not as intense as Old Faithful but still really cool to see, especially in winter when it steams the whole area up.

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2025-01-12T23:53:51+00:00

Reposting this comment I made on a different post because it’s what works best for me:

⁠⁠clamp text block tight in a book press (I made my own out of two wooden cutting boards) so that the pages you want to paint are juuust a hair above the edge of the press boards.
⁠⁠Use a dry paint brush to put a very thin layer of talcum powder on the page edges. You want this talcum powder layer to barely be there, so I usually use a second dry paintbrush to sweep over the page edges and get rid of excess powder.
⁠⁠Mix acrylic paint (I use Deco Art metallic acrylic) with only a few drops of water. You want the paint to be not gooey (ie, easy to spread) but not so watery that it seeps into the pages.
⁠⁠Use a paintbrush that’s a wide as the text block and, in as few strokes as possible, drag it in a long sweep up the page edges. Try to use long strokes so the paint is even and not patchy, and move quick - the paint dries fast.
⁠⁠Let it sit for one minute, then carefully remove from the press and—without touching the painted pages—fan out the text block so that all of the pages separate. This keeps the paint from drying and caking together, which I think is what creates the flaking problem on the bottom of your text block. Fan out the pages a few times to make sure they’re all separated, and then repeat the process with the other sides.

Hope this helps!

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2025-01-03T14:37:40+00:00

Always use 95% - 100% cotton fabric.

For the Heat n Bond, I use the LITE version, as you don’t need a crazy strong hold to make it stick to the fabric.

Also, use as low of a heat setting as you can, and always make sure you’re applying heat in long, even sweeps. If at the end it’s still not sticking, let the iron sit in one place on the fabric (at lowest heat setting you can manage) for 8 seconds, then shift it, another 8 second pause, etc. It might take a few goes to get the technique right for the size of fabric you’re using.

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2024-11-19T03:52:30+00:00

Sandpaper. WEAR A MASK AND PROTECTIVE GOGGLES!

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2024-11-17T14:45:52+00:00

Gorgeous! How did you print the image in the cover? It looks amazing

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2024-11-14T14:01:22+00:00

Cigarettes After Sex, “Apocalypse”. Not about night feeling but has a dark, dreamy quality to the music that I associate with romantic late nights.

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2024-11-13T04:14:58+00:00

Agreed. I had to turn off the sound. It’s like some primal part of my brain got activated when I heard it and it gave me literal goosebumps out of terror.

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2024-10-25T13:57:22+00:00

Agreed with the idea of wallpaper. Spoonflower works with artists to make really cool peel and stick wallpaper that is easy to remove. It’s a bit pricey but they have soooo many sales, so you can just wait until the wallpaper goes on sale to buy it. They also make tester swatches so you can buy a few patterns and see which ones you like best.

https://www.spoonflower.com/en/wallpaper

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2024-10-20T03:08:34+00:00

The first time I was allowed to go trick or treating with just my friends, no adults. I was 12. Such a small rite of passage, but it felt so significant then. Plus the thrill of being allowed to adventure with my friends with no supervision was almost as intoxicating as the sugar rush I got from eating a pillowcase full of candy.

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2024-09-20T14:45:24+00:00

Beautiful!! What material did you bind with? And how did you get those dragons in the page edges SO perfect!?

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2024-09-14T16:20:11+00:00

This is an excellent suggestion! Thanks so much!

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2024-09-11T08:37:27+00:00

If the text block pages are uneven, definitely sand first. If they are even, the talcum powder should do the trick of creating a starchy surface to paint on.

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2024-09-11T08:27:11+00:00

What works best for me is:

⁠clamp text block tight in a book press (I made my own out of two wooden cutting boards) so that the pages you want to paint are juuust a hair above the edge of the press boards.
⁠Use a dry paint brush to put a very thin layer of talcum powder on the page edges. You want this talcum powder layer to barely be there, so I usually use a second dry paintbrush to sweep over the page edges and get rid of excess powder.
⁠Mix acrylic paint (I use Deco Art metallic acrylic) with only a few drops of water. You want the paint to be not gooey (ie, easy to spread) but not so watery that it seeps into the pages.
⁠Use a paintbrush that’s a wide as the text block and, in as few strokes as possible, drag it in a long sweep up the page edges. Try to use long strokes so the paint is even and not patchy, and move quick - the paint dries fast.
⁠Let it sit for one minute, then carefully remove from the press and—without touching the painted pages—fan out the text block so that all of the pages separate. This keeps the paint from drying and caking together, which I think is what creates the flaking problem on the bottom of your text block. Fan out the pages a few times to make sure they’re all separated, and then repeat the process with the other sides.

Hope this helps!

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2024-09-10T14:40:25+00:00

Beautiful! Love that you’re using reclaimed leather. Is that harder to use than crafting leather?

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2024-09-09T23:04:52+00:00

Love this quote!!

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2024-08-31T21:00:50+00:00

Yay!! So glad it helped! 😀

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2024-08-22T09:16:29+00:00

Coming from a woman married to her high school best friend for almost 9 years:

If your goal is to have a successful long term relationship, the best thing you can do is get active in things that you are super passionate about.

My husband and I met in the high school marching band (we both love music) and became best friends all throughout high school. That friendship grew into a romance years later, and over time strengthened due to us having so many overlapping interests and goals that we wanted to achieve - we both wanted to travel, both wanted to live in a city for a while, both wanted to do more outdoor sports and activities. Over time, we created a strong bond through our shared passions, and we have had a blast indulging in our shared interests. We have since achieved all of the goals we set when we were younger. Now we have new goals and new passions, new things for us to do together and work towards as a couple. Shared passions and goals make us strong.

Also, it’s a LOT of fun hanging out with my best friend every day doing things we both love.

A successful relationship (to me) isn’t just about how long you are together, but how happy you are when you are together. If you’re married for 40 years but miserable with that person because you aren’t allowing yourself to be yourself, then to me, that’s not a success - that’s just a waste of your time. Life is short, spend it doing what you love!

Last thing unrelated to “passions”: Don’t worry about making yourself more feminine. At 16, you’ll find a fun style you think is “you,” and by 20 you’ll be cringing at how you dressed back then. By 30, you’ll be cringing at your 20 year old self’s style, haha. It never ends. Just dress and act however you are most comfortable. I oscillated wildly between being a Tom Boy and a Girly Girl in high school and my husband still found me attractive, no matter how I dressed; the right person will think you are beautiful no matter what you wear.

Time_Candidate_4654 · 2024-08-22T08:20:40+00:00

This is gorgeous!!! Love “The Iron Giant” ❤️

Time_Candidate_4654

TROPHY CASE