Remembering how to bind books - Part 3. Colored endpapers!

An endpaper is a sheet of thick paper glued on one side to the cardboard cover and on the other to the book block. The main hinge of the book. And usually it's just white.

But often after binding work, there is leftover paste that can't be stored for long, and it's a shame to throw it away. So people (many centuries ago, actually) figured out that if you add a drop of paint and a little water to it, you can use it to dye paper in a very interesting way. For the same endpapers (or even covers).

The photo shows The Path of Ukusai with endpapers made of marbled paper. This is when thinly diluted paint floats on the paste. And if you mix the paint into the paste itself and apply it with a brush, that's a different story (though also interesting).

#books #backstage