Creative Director/Multidisciplinary Artist Joseph Ernst commissioned LEAP’s Print and Promotions team to provide digital printing and specialist bookbinding and finishing services to produce limited edition copies of ‘Bible The’.
Reimagining books as complex literary algorithms crafted by their authors, Joseph Ernst and his fellow member of Sideline Collective, Programmer Jan van Bruggen, have embarked on a project to transform some of the most significant books in human history with a new algorithm. Using custom-made software, they take the entire text of a book and reorganise it alphabetically. The first book to be produced for this transformational series was The King James Bible. The second was the US Constitution. In addition to work on ‘Bible The’, LEAP printed and produced the paperback editions of ‘America Constitution Of Of States The The United’.
LEAP had previously worked with Joseph and his team during his tenure at Grey London. He served as Creative Director for the 2018 Creative Circle Annual, a book designed to stand out, literally. The base of the naked-bound book is cut at a 25-degree angle to prevent it from sitting back and being tucked in amongst other books on a shelf.
It was important that ‘Bible The’ would have the look and feel of a genuine Bible.
Joseph explains,
The process of working with Neil and David was fantastic. There were so many hurdles to pulling off a project like this, especially with such a limited print run, and LEAP overcame all of them, with a smile and a sense of humour.
We tasked LEAP with finding the right kind of stock, with the right texture, weight and transparency. There was the binding process – producing the spine and getting the book to be able to hang open just right. There were the ribbons to select – their style, colour, texture, angle of trim.
For the cover, we explored materials to get the right texture and overhang. We looked into the type of board under the leather to get the right kind of spring, and we considered the various ways that can attach to the book. There were also the inside covers, the gold foil blocking on the cover and gold edges of the pages to consider.
At each stage in this process, we went through a range of options and performed a number of different tests to make sure that when we did the final piece, it would be perfect. And that is exactly how it came out: perfect. Thank you!
LEAP provided the extensive development process as well as the final fast turnaround, low print run all at our in-house printworks in Woolwich. LEAP’s print experts are currently enjoying the testing phase of Joseph’s latest creative endeavour, a photography book being created in collaboration with a well-known photographer. Follow us for a follow up story when we can reveal more details.
