One Page At A Time

A bibliophile will cringe at the sight of one dog eared page, let alone every single page of a book, and under normal circumstances, I do too! Yet, it is possible to be a purist about having a pristine book, while at the same time appreciating the time and creativity involved in the art of book folding.  

In spite of the belief that book folding destroys books, book folding actually gives them a second chance at life.  More than 300 million books are thrown out every year.  Yes, thrown out! Not recycled, but landfill bound!  And that includes books thrown out by libraries to make space for new books! Fortunately, some of those books are saved by book folding artists as they are transformed into works of art and personalized keepsakes.  

I started my book folding journey a mere couple of years ago.  I had seen book fold art online, and when a friend invited me to a book folding class, I jumped at the chance.  After a short introductory course for making a basic heart that involved only measuring and folding, I was hooked.  I began the journey of teaching myself the creative art of book folding.  

The attraction to this art form for me is multifold. First, I find book folding to be an outlet for my artistic needs.  It is one of the least expensive hobbies you can start.  All you really need is a ruler, a pencil, and good pair of scissors.  As I progressed into more intricate patterns, I purchased additional tools which were more precise and made the process faster and more accurate. There is no shortage of available free patterns online, but I discovered that I could make my own based on designs swirling in my head.  Sometimes the next design would come to me while driving to work or walking my dog…the source of inspiration is everywhere just like in every other form of art. I have folded books with images of artists, presidents, actors, animals, and flowers. I have added special effects, like adding lights or a LED votive candle, as I always try to take it one step above my previous fold.

Second, the process of marking, cutting, and folding the pages is quite therapeutic.  Because the task requires precision and keen attention to detail, you cannot let your mind wander. A momentary loss of attention, and your cut is off and the design possibly ruined or requiring fixing!  Think of it as a form of mindful meditation - being in the moment.  When your measurements are one millimeter apart, you set all your worries aside and concentrate on the task at hand.  But, while laser focus and attention to detail are crucial, probably the most important trait necessary for this art is patience. If you have it, bravo!  If you don’t, and want to make a book fold, you better learn.  I’ve done books with 500-600 pages, with some pages having 30+ markings on each page, thus 30+ cuts, and half that many folds - you do the math!

This art will test the patience of many and I’ve been told, “I would quit after 10 pages!”.  But, oh the reward when that pattern is done!  It’s truly a labor of love!  You forget about the hundreds and hundreds of cuts and folds; you forget about the countless hours you spent on it; you forget about the missed markings that made you have to redo pages.  All you see is the beauty of the finished piece.

There are many methods to book folding. The most basic is the “Measure, Mark, and Fold” technique. All other patterns require some sort of cutting: cut and fold, shadow cut and fold, combi, and various spinoffs from each. Book folding is a beautiful addiction. The more books I folded, the more I wanted to fold. I wanted to discover and invent new methods and tools to help with accuracy and speed. One invention I had was a type of ruler to mark the pages for consistent folds. I’ve shipped them across the US, to Europe, and Australia. It’s amazing to realize that through my invention I was able to help someone enjoy this art: “I have Parkinson’s and this invention of yours will so much help the challenges I face to make my books more precise.” I wanted to share this craft with others, whether through gifting a finished book fold or teaching others the process of folding through online videos.

Book folding is an art form that delights all who partake in it. So won’t you join me in this art form and be amazed as your marks, cuts, and folds on a page bring to life a piece of art?