Spellbook, Custom

This client wanted a spellbook that looked like something their PC would have made.  Re-organizing the interior of the book to sort the spells by their spell level and sprinkling in some sketchish art took up most of the time.  Then I used a japanese binding style since that's, hypothetically, what would be most approachable to a layman adventurer.  It makes for a sturdy binding but does mean the book can't lay flat when open.  Then I used milled veg for the cover engraved with a little Draconic labeling.  I'm really happy with the cover's feel and structure though I was hoping the stain would cure a tad lighter. 

This project has definitely given me a lot of good thoughts for when I get around to overhauling the standard spellbook. ^_^

Journal, Hydra

I was surprised how well the stain bound to the engraved leather.  Hail Hydra!

Journal, WuTang

I'd come up with the binding for these before developing the more complex binding I use on the spellbooks.  That one's based off how old medieval books were bound and this stitching of the spine's a bit more... direct. I asked my wife though and she was of the mind that this binding was dandy for journals that were more likely to be used for notes than reference material.  Since she's a librarian I took that for a professional opinion and ran with it. =p

Spellbook, Draconic

The spellbooks have always been available with a few different alphabet choices.  Draconic (aka
Iokharic) is proving to be a pretty popular option.

Spellbook, Woodsy

The recipient of this spellbook really like elves so the client wanted a more forest-y color scheme.  Which worked out great because I've been waiting to try out some of the brown goatskin for awhile.  I really like how it matches the green.

Binder Tome

This order's been on my docket in one way or another since June.  The client wanted a binder in the same style as the old spellbook-y toolboxes I used to make.  I'd figured I could utilize the new printer to improve on the old pattern quite a bit but, among other things, that meant doing a lot of tight-tolerance modeling.  The print bed is just shy of 11" square and since letter paper is 11" tall the binder needed to be just a bit larger than that.  So any of the structural parts needed to be printed in two parts that would then fit together to build the whole thing.

The order was paid in installments so it wasn't fully purchased until August and when I got down to production I kept running into problems that forced me to start over.  I had to remake or tweak the models a few times or trim them down to fit nicely.  I'd originally intended to stitch the perimeter for some added durability but then I found out that 2mm of pla isn't strong enough to withstand the tension inherent to a saddlestitch.

The good news is that after all those trials, setbacks, and headaches the final result doesn't look half bad.  The walls have a little "chop" on the outside so they actually look kinda paper-y. And when the binder's closed you can't really tell it isn't all one piece.  The structure's stable and durable enough for every day handling.  Not too bad all told.

More Spellbooks!

I've been getting a fair few orders for spellbooks.  I probably won't make a blurb for every little variation but these were the first photos I could take on my new photo booth and I'm quite pleased with them.

One noteable variation was a commission to make a necromancy-style spellbook.  We wound up making a skull-applique and putting the label in the mouth.  It came out pretty cool!

5e Spellbook

I can't remember how long this idea's been sitting in my development queue just waiting for everything to come together for it to become a physical thing.  I had to figure out bookbinding, formatting, what sort of information was useful, etc.  I didn't want to just copy paste the SRD into yet another product but it isn't easy to improve on Wizards of the Coast's own products.  This was a prototype but it was building on a dozen other projects. 

And after all that I playtested it on my druid for about a month before calling it good.  The appliques are still solid and what minor looseness there is in the binding comes down to it being a prototype.  It's a solid build and I'm proud to finally add it to the shop!

Journal, Legends of Sword Coast

I just added the journals to the shop about a month or two ago so I think this is the first one I've made for a client.  I wound up having to make the cover twice since it wound up warping too much the first time.  If that continues being an issue I might try switching to a milled veg for the cover so it stays nice and flexible.

Now adding: Leather Journals!

I made four or five prototypes of different books and journals last year in order to land on this pattern for production.  I'm really very happy with it.  I've been using the first of these journals (brown one with the armadillo) for my notes in our current campaign and it's been working pretty great.  We recently hosted my parents while they visited from San Antonio.  The blue journal is one my Mother and I built together and it came out super well!  That particular one's not for sale (because it's back home in San Antonio by now) but the journals themselves are finally up on the shop.  Looking forward to making more over the course of the year.