Author Topic: Guideline alternatives...  (Read 4523 times)

Offline Janna Mauldin Heiner

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Guideline alternatives...
« on: June 12, 2021, 05:11:27 PM »
Hi!

I'm not a professional calligrapher. I'm a semi-skilled amateur with decades of off-and-on practice behind me. But I was just handed the most amazing project, and with one small exception, it's perfectly suited to my skills and abilities.  It's a book inscription--but the book is a massive leatherbound tome with a tooled cover, inset stones, pivoting latches down the side...oohhhh, it's so beautiful.....and the inscription is a poem that's Wiccan in tone and spellbook-themed, so perfectly elegant copperplate would be out of place and my half-elegant efforts will be perfect!

Anyway, here's the problem.  The book is bound in multiple signatures and is over 1.5" thick.  The paper is fairly thick and slightly toothy and so soft I honestly thought it wouldn't take ink well, but the client had an extra sheet for me to test on, and the ink laid down without feathering or starring, with nice hairlines even.  However...I can't figure out how to manage the guidelines.  I'm almost certain that putting my lightboard inside the book and under the page I need to work on will be a bad idea--I'm super nervous of damaging this gorgeous volume.  But I tested my finest eraser on the same sample page I tested the ink on, and while erasing doesn't create a visible roughed-up area, it does pull fibers from this soft paper. 

How would you handle something like this?  Any tested methods, best practices, or crazy ideas?

Thx

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Guideline alternatives...
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2021, 02:29:23 AM »
This kind of job always stressed me out. Some like to do the writing on a separate piece and then “tip in” the paper using photo corners or double sided tape (archival).

If you are OK with writing right in the book, you could try a phantom liner which reflects the guidelines onto the paper. Good luck!

@jeanwilson Didn’t someone ask about something similar recently?
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Offline jeanwilson

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Re: Guideline alternatives...
« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2021, 07:09:17 AM »
Yes, I do have a method for writing in a book.
It will be easier to explain with some photos - so, I'll post a response later today.

Offline jeanwilson

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Re: Guideline alternatives...
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2021, 12:34:58 PM »
I posted some photos and tips on my blog.
Good luck with your project.

https://pushingtheenvelopes.blogspot.com/2021/06/extra-post-regular-daily-post-is-below.html

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Guideline alternatives...
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2021, 12:12:12 PM »
And might I say, Absolutely Brilliant method! Thank you @jeanwilson !
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Erica
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