Concertina

Concertina, or accordion fold books, are extremely versatile structures. This chapter provides instructions on creating a basic concertina and variations of the style. You'll also learn how to add features to the basic concertina to make more complex structures.

There must be as many different methods of folding concertinas as there are artists making them. If you find another method that works for you, use it.

Basic Concertina

Almost any paper can be used to make a concertina. Printmaking, watercolor, and specialty papers usually work well for these structures. Text weight and rice papers tend to be flimsy, so if you use them, your hook will need a protective cover.

Book artist Hedi Kyle taught me the folding method shown here. She says it's the only way to get perfect, even folds. I agree.

Mountain Folds, Valley Folds, and Lap Joints

Mountain Folds and Valley Folds

Throughout this chapter, the terms mountain fold and valley fold are frequently used. The following illustrations serve as a reference (see figures 2-0 and 2-0a)

Lap Joints

Concertinas often require long strips of paper, sometimes longer than the paper available at art supply stores. Rather than being limited to miniatures, join two or more pieces of paper together with a lap joint (see figure 2-0b).

Simply create a tab at the end of one piece of paper, fold it over the edge of the second piece, and adhere it in place. Trim a tab of equal size to the lap joint from the second piece of paper (the panels will then be the same size). Be sure to allow the adhesive to dry before folding.

Materials

1 piece of pastel paper, 6 x 28 inches (15.2 x 71.1 cm)

Instructions

1 Fold your piece of paper in half (see figure 2-1). Open it out, making sure the fold points up, forming a mountain fold.

2 Fold the mountain to the edge (see figure 2-2).

3 Take the long edge and fold it to meet the mountain (see figure 2-3).

4 Open the paper and make all the folds into mountains (see figure 2-4).

5 Repeat the process, folding each mountain to the edge until you have created eight panels of equal size (see figures 2-5 and 2-6).

This model is an eight-panel concertina. If more panels are desired, simply continue the process, making all the folds into mountain folds, and folding each mountain fold to the edge of the paper. A concertina can be a book all by itself, combined with another technique, or enhanced with a presentation folder or box.

Variation

Concertina with a Textbook Wrapper

To add a textbook wrapper (remember high school?) to your concertina, open it so two panels are exposed, and place it in the middle of a piece of cover paper. Cut a rectangle ½ inch (1.3 cm) larger than the concertina on all four sides (if you've adjusted your sizes to make a bigger book, measure 1 inch [2.5 cm] around the concertina on all four sides). Measure the height of the concertina. Fold the head and tail of the cover paper to fit (see figure 2-7).

Measure the concertina's spine and score two parallel lines at the center of your cover paper. The space between the lines should be equal to the spine's thickness (see figure 2-8). Fold the cover paper to fit the concertina. Finally, slip the front concertina panel into the front sleeve of the cover and the back into the back sleeve (see detail photo, above).

Note: If you want more space for text, cut off the back cover's sleeve. This allows for text on both the front and the back pages of your concertina (see photo below).

Concertina in a Matchbox

A matchbox makes a great presentation case for a miniature book, and it's easy to make. Keep this idea in mind for use with any binding structure. You can personalize your book and matchbox with decorative papers, collage, rubber stamps, dangling beads, or gift tags.

Instructions

1 Using a text weight paper, create an eight-panel concertina (see instructions on page 23).

2 Measure your concertina to determine the base size of your matchbox. Draw a diagram, as shown, using your base size measurement (see figure 2-9). Make sure the sides of the box are equal in size to the concertina's thickness. Notice that the top and bottom of the matchbox are twice the height of the sides. They need to fold over in order to lock everything in place.

3 Using cover weight business paper, cut out the shape of your matchbox according to the diagram and measurements.

4 Score and fold along the lines indicated in the diagram.

5 Fold the long sides up (notice that the ends of those sides are cut into tabs).

6 Fold the tabs under, then across the ends of the box.

7 Fold the ends up and over the tabs. Adhere each piece in place (see figure 2-10).

8 The cover of the matchbox is made from a single piece of cover weight business paper, and its width is equal to length of the box. Measure, score, and fold the height of the box's sides on the cover paper (see figure 2-11).

9 No matter how accurate your measurements are, changes can occur when you're making an object, such as a box. To ensure correct sizes, place the box up against the first fold of the cover paper, and score along each side. Next, place the matchbox against the last fold, score, and fold. Repeat until all the sides are folded.

10 Complete the cover with a flap. Its measurement should be equal to the height of the side of the box. Adhere the flap in place (see figure 2-12).

11 Adhere the back cover of the concertina inside the bottom of your matchbox.

Inverted Concertina and Double-Inversion Concertina

To add more depth and dimension to your concertina, you can easily invert a section of its panels, and create new panels. The inverted panels are an ideal place to focus attention on stamps, collage, or decorative papers.

Inverted Concertina

Instructions

1 Create an eight-panel concertina (see instructions on page 23).

2 Pull...