INDS 702

A 01
INDS Seminar1
Fall 2014
Preethi Hannah
SCAD Atlanta
Professor Culpepper

Plexiglas (sometimes called acrylic or plexi for short)

is a material used to make this artist book

Plexiglas or generic acrylic sheet, 1/16

plexi scoring tool
cork-backed ruler
cutting mat
pencil and scrap cardstock
jewelers saw, Faux Bone blade, bench pin
sandpaper (medium grit)
file or rotary tool (such as a Dremel)
fine-point permanent marker
alcohol inks
awl
drill (or drill press)
no. 60 (or similar teeny-tiny) bit
1/16, 1/8 and 3/16 bits
24-gauge wire
index cards or other paper for interior
typewriter (optional)
tissue paper
gel medium
corner rounder punch
binder rings

Plexiglas or a generic version (called acrylic sheet) can easily be

purchased at any big-box hardware store in a 1/16 thickness. Pick
up enough to create a journal the size you want, including several
plexi pages. My journal measures 3-1/2 x 4 and has five tabbed
pages, for a total of seven 3-1/2 x 4 pieces. Try to avoid buying too
large of a sheet because it will be more challenging to cut down.
Sometimes the stores will sell pre-cut sheets as small as 8 x 10
(intended for picture frame replacement) and if that is available, get
that or as small as possible

After determining the size you want to make your journal, mark where it
needs to be cut, and then using a cork-backed ruler and a plexi scoring
tool, score where the plexi needs to be cut

Turn the plexi sheet over and pressing your thumb near the scored line, pull
up on the sheet to snap it. (Alternatively, you can leave the sheet right side
up and break it over the edge of your worktable.)

Repeat the scoring/cutting process until you have enough same-size

pieces for your two covers and the interior pages. Now youll need to cut
some templates to create tabs on the interior pages. I used index cards
cut to the size of my pieces. I then created five evenly-staggered tabs,
where the indent from the edge of the piece was 3/8

Trace the tab sections from the templates onto the protective paper
covering the interior plexi pages, using a permanent pen.

Load a Faux Bone* blade into your jewelers saw. (Note: In order for the
saw frame to clear the width of your plexi pages, you may need to use a
deep-throated saw. Working on a bench pin, saw along your drawn lines to
create the tabs

Repeat the sawing process for all tabbed pages

Decide how youd like the front and back covers to look

To create the patchwork effect, begin by drawing with a permanent pen on

the protective paper, the shapes youll cut out. Then, use the jewelers saw
to cut everything out, creating something that resembles a zig saw puzzle.
Use the pen to mark a series of dots along both sides of all of the shape
edges. Take the awl and carefully press a divot into each mark. This will
make it easier for the drill bit to find your marks and drill the holes

Peel the paper off of the non-marked sides of the pieces

Sand the exposed surface of each piece. I find this easiest by rubbing it in
a circular motion face down on a sanding block

Create some interesting texture in the surfaces of the pieces. One way to
do this is to make a series of lines using the scoring tool. Alternatively, you
can make divots with your awl, or drill dots that only go half way through
the plexi

Working with one piece at a time, add color to the pieces and accentuate
the texture by dropping alcohol ink onto them

Use a paper towel to move the ink around and blot up the excess.
Experiment with the amount of ink and the blotting. If you dont like what
youve done, sand off the color and try again

Using the tiny no. 60 (or so) bit, drill a hole at each mark. Go slowly, keep
breathing and take your time. When all of the holes have been drilled, peel
the protective paper off of the other side of each piece

Cut a length of wire and using round-nose pliers, make a tiny loop at one
end to act as a knot. Hold two pieces together and whip stitch them
together with the wire, through the drilled holes. Pull the wire taught as you
go and take care not to kink the wire. (This takes a bit of patience, but after
you get into a groove its a fun and meditative process.)

At the other end of the seam, cut the excess wire to leave about a 1/4 tail
and use the pliers to create a loop here as well. Press the loop flush with
the plexi

When the cover is completely sewn together, sand any sharp edges and
use a file or rotary tool to make nicely rounded corners. Set the cover aside
and do as you like for the back cover

You can create labels for your pages using a typewriter and some tissue
paper. Alternatively, you could write directly on the plexi, or you could
write/print/type on a different type of paper. If youre going to type onto
tissues, its threaded into the typewriter easier if you place a sturdier paper
behind it.

Peel off the protective paper from your tabbed plexi pages and sand both
sides of each. (Sand the edges and file-round the corners on each page as
well.)

You may draw personal symbols, which represents the values onto the tab
portion of each page.
You can even write words themselves, using a pen, but a pencil works on
the sanded surface as well and gives a different effect of course

Now youll need to drill holes for the binder rings in the covers and all
of the pages. To do this, create a template first. My holes were 1
from each side and 1/4 from the top edge. To accommodate my
rings, my holes needed to be 3/16 in diameter. But I know from
experience, that its very risky to just drill a hole this large into plexi
without first drilling a short series of smaller holes. That is to say, its
a good idea to work your way up from a tiny hole to a larger one, redrilling the same hole, about three times. Start with the bit used for
the wire holes, then drill the hole with a 1/16 bit, then a 1/8 bit and
finally, a 3/16 bit. Drill matching holes in all the pieces

Decide what paper you want to go into your journal (I used white
cardstock), and cut enough pieces to size. (Note: Size is the tabbed plexi
page size, minus the extension of the tab. Otherwise, the paper will not
leave the tabs visible.) Use a drilled page as a template to mark where the
holes in the paper will be punched

Punch all of the paper, then use a corner-rounder punch to round the
corners

Assemble your art book. I cut graph paper the size of my covers (rounded
the corners with the punch) and typed the title on one piece, so that it
would show through the cover. If you discover that your binder rings will
not accommodate the book, youll simply need to go back and drill/punch
slightly larger holes

Assemble your art book. I cut graph paper the size of my covers (rounded
the corners with the punch) and typed the title on one piece, so that it
would show through the cover. If you discover that your binder rings will
not accommodate the book, youll simply need to go back and drill/punch
slightly larger holes

ReferenceHow to Make a Plexiglas Journal - Create Mixed Media. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.createmixedmedia.com/make/how-to-make-a-plexiglas-journal

INDS 712
A 01
INDS Seminar1
Fall 2014
Preethi Hannah
SCAD Atlanta
Professor Culpepper