do it yourself – IdeaFish Publications

14 Mar 2016

How To FyireChilde 0 comment

Single Page Fold Books

This is the simplest method of home binding, and while it is limiting in format it is a fun and easy craft that requires very little in the way of supplies. If you have a six (6) page story in a vertical format this is a tiny little ashcan you can create with one page of printer paper. This is also a great craft for older kids, since you can fold the booklet and then create the contents when using a single page fold format.

PaperSIZE

This guide utilizes a standard letter size sheet, 8.5 x 11, but any standard printer paper size larger than that would work; mix it up with legal and tabloid sheets to get different book sizes.

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02 Mar 2016

Reference Section FyireChilde 0 comment

DPI vs PPI – Understanding the Difference

With advances in modern computer and printing technology the distinction between these two terms has blurred significantly; 300 ppi can be translated to roughtly 300 dpi on modern printers, but being aware of the fundamental differences is essential if you want your artwork to display well on both computer screens and print correctly on your finished projects. At this point a dot or pixel is fairly comparable and the thing to remember is the necessary resolution range you want your files saved to for your desired format(s).

Being able to use the terminology correctly just makes you sound like you know what you’re doing!

DPI	PPI
Dots (or drops) Per Inch	Pixels Per Inch
Used to measure the amount of ink per square inch on printed page.	Used to measure image quality on electronic devices.
Print quality ranges from 150 dpi to 600 dpi depending on paper type you are printing on. 300 dpi is the most common resolution.	Web quality ranges from 72 ppi to 96 ppi depending on your Operating System. Image compression is usually used on files saved for ppi to reduce file sizes.
Print quality requirements are determined by your paper quality and your printer type, professional printers will let you know what dpi is required on raster image files when you submit a job. 300 dpi is pretty universal if you don’t know for sure.	Web quality is about balancing image size, dimensions and ppi against load time. Many computers are now capable of displaying a print resolution image online, but it will take FOREVER to load. Smaller file sizes make for faster load time.

Saving a copy of your final art in a print resolution format with no compression (.tif, .pdf, etc) for print and a copy of your final art in a web resolution format with proper compression (.jpg, .png, .gif, etc) for use online will help your artwork display correctly and quickly where ever you want it.

Microsoft Word tends to over compress image files to grainy pixelated garbage, even for web resolution in this day and age it isn’t ideal. I really don’t recommend Word for image handling unless you know how to adjust it’s advanced settings.

17 Feb 2016

Punches tapes, ribbons, brushes, and clamps

How To FyireChilde 0 comment

Building Your Bookbinding Essential Tool Kit

Most of the mini comics I have made to date are books I have bound myself, using simple methods or complex ones. All of my hand bound sketchbooks are items I have sewn in a perfect bound style, with simple hard covers as I think the spine stitching is part of what makes them pretty. I don’t see why anyone shouldn’t pick this up as a hobby, or even better, make mini comics or zines all on their own!

There are tools that you need before you can actively do anything, so I’m making this informational supply list with links to suggested retailers for anyone who wants to play along at home. Gathering your supplies as needed is the way to go, this can get expensive and depending on the nature of your project you may not need all of them. You might also find you need additional items as your projects demand them, this is in no way a comprehensive list…just a starting point for a true beginner.

I’m all for saving money by using alternative items and eschewing the fancy option, and if you know what you are trying to do buying what you anticipate needing in advance will usually allow you to get the best price on the items you need.

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