Making Miniature Books

Thought I would post about how I make books for my miniatures to interact with. I'm going to make some basic ones and a special book that might appear in a mages workshop or in a holy place, like a temple.

I cut 10 mm strips of cereal card for the outer sleeve of the book.

And cut some 6 mm strips from either thick card or because I have loads of it, self adhesive floor tiles.

Then I cut the thicker card/tile into a variety of lengths, these will be the pages of the books.

Have to mention DMGinfo who does a brilliant film on this subject and who I have shamelessly copied. See his you tube channel.

Then I glue the inner page onto the outer thinner card, although in this picture I used wood glue I quickly returned to either superglue or a glue gun, they hold better. Your choice.

Then I fold over the thin cereal card to form to the right shape.

Then I open it add the glue, re-fold and then cut with scissors or pliers.

Different sized page sections create larger books.

This larger book will have a clasp to make it look a bit more special.

Glue the clasp to one side then the reverse.

Then to add a little detail, a skull motif.

You can make books that are open too.

Instead of just one piece of card for the pages, glue in 2, and fold, but do not glue.

Now cut a strip of 6 mm paper for the loose leaves.

Cut and fold each one. I usually just use 2 pieces.

Glue in the centre cut not at the edges.

Here you have all three styles of book.

Keep painting very simple. I paint the leaves first in white then undercoat outer in black. Then paint the centre in colour of your choice, I mainly do browns and tans for leather, a few coloured books thrown in. I leave a gap where the undercoat shows through to give a black edge.

For the open book I paint the pages in bone first to give that ancient tome feel. Then add some lettering to give the illuminated magical feel it needs.