Calligraphic Connections
  • Home
  • My Blog

St Cuthbert's Gospel - making a facsimile

9/4/2017

5 Comments

 
This structure is based upon the oldest English book in existence, dating from the 7th/8th century CE. The original was found in the year 1104 in the coffin of St Cuthbert.
The original is displayed in the British Library and a detailed examination of the volume was carried out by Claire Breay and Bernard Meehan and the results published.  The manuscript is also published online.

Picture
Photo of my binding not yet complete.
St Cuthbert’s Gospel is sewn with Coptic stitch with thread laced into wooden boards.  It has a primary Coptic headband (challenging for most of the class), with a secondary end band sewn through the spine leather. 

A Celtic knot work pattern is laid out on the boards with thin cord which is attached using an ingenious technique of weaving and pegging.
The book is covered in terracotta goatskin, molded over the cords, which picks out the design in relief on the upper board.  It is then embellished with a little blind tooling and part of the tooled area is picked out with yellow paint.
The measurements are 9.7cm by 13.7cm.  Quite small.  It fits nicely into the palm of my hand.  The oak boards are 5mm thick.
I have not yet completed my version of the binding.  I need to trace the design and then embellish it with blind tooling.
It is a beautiful binding and I was especially pleased with the results.  Many thanks to Michael Burke who showed a group of us how to make this structure with both patience and humour.
5 Comments

Canberra Bookbinder's Challenge

17/12/2015

2 Comments

 
Picture

The challenge this year was to create a 'Stack of Books' using five different methods of binding.  This was a fun challenge which saw many participants produce more than one of each type of binding.  I settled for one of each secured with an old belt reminiscent of days when books where carried with leather straps. 
All of my books used the eco prints I had printed earlier in the year.  I thought that this made them look like more of a set.

First up was Oriental Stab Binding which I approached in the traditional way.  Very satisfying.

Next, the pamphlet binding.  Mine was certainly very basic compared to others, but did fit the criteria.

Then came the exposed sewing binding.  I rather like sewing coptic bindings so....
Next the sculptural book.   I thought that my tunnel book fit the criteria perfectly.
Picture
and to finish up, a case binding.

2 Comments

Beginnings

9/2/2014

0 Comments

 
I guess we all know that works of art don't just happen.  There has to be a beginning somewhere.  I have just started on two projects.  One is an illuminated M commissioned by the person who bought the illuminated E.   Here is the start with an eco printed page and the start of the illuminated letter M.
Picture
And the second project is a hand made art journal for a friend.  It will have coptic binding, eco printed covers and some eco printed pages interspersed with plain drawing paper.  
0 Comments

Coptic stitch journals with eco leaf printed covers

1/11/2013

0 Comments

 
Just finished two Coptic stitch journals with eco leaf printed covers for friends.   I just love the little cut out penny that I'm using for the button.   
I wonder if I will ever get sick of these beautiful mono prints...  the great thing is that having used so many of the papers, I can now have fun making a whole new batch that will be different to the last prints.  
I have been busily collecting fallen gum leaves in anticipation.
0 Comments

Large Eco print Clamshell box 

10/8/2013

2 Comments

 
I have spent the last week making a large eco print clamshell box and a Coptic bound journal.   It was a lot of work but very satisfying and I am pleased with the results.  


2 Comments

Eco printing on clamshell box

29/7/2013

8 Comments

 
Lee and I were lucky enough to represent the Canberra Bookbinders' Guild on 666 Radio.  Melanie Tait who hosts the Canberrafile was delightful and put us both at ease.  The message we wanted to get across was about our upcoming exhibition and the diversity of the exhibits from fine bookbinding to confronting art.
Because my little eco book was chosen for the invitation I was invited to bring it along with me when we met with Melanie.  I needed then to dress it up a little by presenting it in a box.  What fun was that!

Picture
This is the first time I had made a clamshell box and not only that, I was working from an instruction manual using my own measurements.  Just the type of challenge I like.
I used eco printing paper to cover the box and I am very pleased with the final result.
8 Comments

Eco Printing meets Coptic Binding

3/7/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
Another lovely day spent perfecting (or at least trying to perfect) Coptic binding with Wendy.  I used some of the lovely eco prints for the cover and the beads.  
I decorated the papers inside the book with embossing.  Embossing is quite hard to capture in photos but I have tried to show a little of what some of the pages look like.  I am particularly fond of the embossed cat.  I use it frequently.  
I am quite happy with how the book turned out.

0 Comments

    LYNDELL DOBBS

    Calligrapher, Printer and
    Book Artist

    Categories

    All
    Accordion Book
    Alaw
    A Letter A Week
    Alice In Wonderland
    Amity Parks
    Ann Hechle
    Art Deco
    Bamboo Pens
    Boab Trees
    Bookbinding
    Book-cloth
    Books
    Boxes
    Calligraphy
    Canb
    Canberra
    Canberra Calligraphy Society Exhibition 2019
    Canberra Show
    Cards
    Cat
    Celtic
    Chine Colle
    Chine-colle
    Cockatoos
    Collaborations
    Collographs
    Concertina Binding
    Coptic Binding
    Cranes
    Criss Cross Binding
    Cross Structure Binding
    David Jones
    Decorated Papers
    Denise
    Dominic Riley
    Dos Rapporte
    Drum Leaf Binding
    Dry Etching
    Dry Point Etching
    Eco Printing
    Eco Printing
    Eco Printing Process
    Embossing
    Envelopes
    Environment
    Environmentally Friendly
    Erin Zamrzla
    Fiona Dempster
    Flowers
    Folding Pen
    Gelli Printing
    Gemma Black
    Gestural Writing
    Gilding Cushion
    Gold Leaf
    Gourd Accordion Book
    Graphite
    Hexagons
    How To Eco Print
    Hyacinths
    Illuminated Letters
    Illumination
    Irene Wellington
    Japanese Stab Binding
    Jo Hollier
    Journal
    Keith Smith
    Kimberley
    Leaf Printing
    Leaf Printing
    Maps
    Marbled Paper
    Margaret Morgan
    Mari Ono
    Massimo Polello
    Medieval Binding
    Melbourne
    Michael Burke
    Millimetre Binding
    Neuland Script
    Olive Bull
    Onion Skin Binding
    Origami
    Papers
    Pastels
    Paste Papers
    Peter McLean
    Printing
    Quills
    Quilting
    Rosie
    Ruling Pen
    Secret Belgian Binding
    Sewing
    Sgraffito
    Slipcase
    Solomons-song
    Split-board-binding
    SSiW
    St Cuthbert's Gospel
    Stone
    Tsunokobako
    Tunnel Books
    Victorian Calligraphy Society
    Wallabies
    War On Waste
    Weathergrams
    Wedding
    Witches Broom
    Yves Leterme

    Archives

    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013





    Inspirational People,  Places & Blogs I follow

    A Letter A Week 2014
    Paper Ponderings 
    BEMbindery
    Gemma Black