Book Display / Sketch Pad / Table Ornament

Print

5
Twitter

Design  
book display books paper paper craft paper cutting paper goods sketching
1 Comments  ·  0 Saves  ·  1 Likes :) I like this  ·  Flag this as inappropriate
  • book_shelf_thing
    1/5
  • Side View
    2/5
    Handmade 6 foot long paper sketch pad is rolled over on itself in gentle folds to create a unique book display. The form reveals both the sculptural and structural nature of the paper.
  • Back View
    3/5
    Orange paper used as the cover of the sketch pad weaves its way around the folds and accentuates the looping form.
  • Side View
    4/5
    Several sheets at the front of the pad are rolled back to hold the book in place. The exposed sheets can be used as a note pad. Snip the fishing line that holds it together and you have a six foot long sketch pad again to use however you please.
  • Installed at Book Auction
    5/5
    A book holding a book.
NSWIFT

Posted by Nathan Swift

A handmade 6 foot long sketch pad folded into a unique book display stand; A sculpture for a desk or coffee table to display a favorite book, and jot down notes; A book holding a book. A few snips with the scissors to cut the fishing line that holds it together and it unfolds into a six foot long sketch pad again to use however. Material cost $5-10. Designed and made by Swift Lee Office for the non-profit Los Angeles Forum for Architecture and Urban Design's silent book auction.

Skill Level

Easy

Active Time

Half a day

Cost

$

    Materials

  • One roll of 18 inch wide by 100 feet long heavyweight white sketch paper.
  • One 6 inch by 6 foot piece of colored paper
  • Clear fishing line, 10 lb. test
  • Several pieces of sturdy cardboard tube in 1, 2, & 3 inch diameters.

    Tools

  • Chop saw.
  • Drill with 1/16" diameter bit. X-Acto
  • Knife or Scissors.
  • Clamp.
  • Stapler.
 
1

Cut one 18 inch wide by 100 foot long roll of paper into 3 smaller rolls each approximately 6 inches wide. Try to make sure the width of the 3 rolls match each other as closely as possible. This photo shows us in mass production but you only need one 18 inch roll to make one book display.

2

Unroll the 6 inch rolls of paper and and cut into 6 foot long sheets. Stack all the sheets up into a long sketch pad. You should have approximately 48 sheets. Leave the sheets loose, do not staple them yet. We set up this spool system so we could unroll several sheets at a time to speed things up. If you're only making one this isn't necessary.

3

Lay the sketch pad out on a table or long board clamping one end to the edge of the table or board. Cut one piece of colored paper for the cover. Using a board helps when drilling to protect the tabletop.

4

With the sketch pad laid out flat place one piece of the 2 inch diameter cardboard tube across the pad about 20 inches from the clamped end to the center of the tube. Holding the tube in place, wrap the loose (non-clamped) half of the pad over the tube so that it's doubled over the clamped half. Make sure the paper is wrapped snugly over the tube. Now cinch the two halves of the pad together tightly just in front of the tube and drill two holes all the way through both halves of the pad. Using sewing needle and fishing line stitch a loop and tie a knot at each hole to fasten. Drill holes approximately 1/2 inch from the edge of the pad. Leaving in place the first cardboard tube, place another piece of 2 inch diameter tube on top of the stitches you just made and fold the loose end of the pad back over the tube the other way. Again drill and stitch the two halves of the pad where they touch. Next use the 3 inch diameter tube and repeat the process. Repeat twice more with the 2 inch tube and lastly with the 1 inch tube. Leave all tubes in place for support until the end.

5

Un-clamp the pad from the board and remove the cardboard tubes. Working from the end that you just un-clamped, and using 1/3 to 1/2 of the sheets, roll the sheets back to create a stop to hold the book in place. Working from underneath drill two holes through the pad and the sheets you just rolled up, and stitch with fishing line as before to fasten in place.

6

You should have 6-8 inches of extra paper at the top of the book display after the last stitch. Trim this with an x-acto knife to create a flush edge to whatever length you want. We trimmed ours close to the last stitch. Create a paper edge binding if you want and staple with two staples.