Fantastic Beasts- Leather Bound

C

chmo78

New Member
So this is my second post but first movie prop. Being a huge fan of the Harry Potter movies and a big fan of all the books people have made, I decided to do one myself. I've always admired the Indy Magnoli Grail Diary and wanted to do my book right. After taking two bookbinding classes here in NYC I'm almost done.

I wanted it to look like it would if it were a real school book. I used the paperback as a reference but I replaced all the doodles of the creatures with more authentic looking drawings I edited in photoshop, added a beastiarium/ gallery section with little blurbs, captions and maps of my own creation, a notes section with blank lines, coupons for further purchases and a listing of every book available from Obscurus Press (just a listing of all the books mentioned in the series) with some made up prices in Galleons, Sickles and Knuts. If I just left the book the way it was as published in the paper back version it wouldn't have been thick enough to look good. Finally I bound it in red, french goatskin leather. The last thing I have to do is hot stamp the title but it's been a pain getting the engraving plate made. I'm having a hard time finding someone to do the stamping job because right now I only have one book and no one wants to be the guy that screwed it up. lol

I'd love feedback.

DSCF2234.JPGDSCF1018.JPGDSCF2334.JPGDSCF2246.JPGDSCF1025.JPGDSCF2243.JPGDSCF1022.JPGfantastic-beasts.jpg
 
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I'm not a fan of the Harry Potter franchise and have only seen the first movie, so I couldn't comment on its level of authenticity, if that's the kind of feedback that you were after, but I can say that as an observer of what you've made, I am really (seriously) impressed with what you've produced. For what it's worth, the only thing I can say is that it looks to be a very professional looking piece, so you'll get a big thumbs up from me then.

Book binding does fascinate me and I'd love to have a go myself. If you did a step by step tutorial, I know I'd been all over it like a hawk as there was a project that I had in mind at the start of the year. Having been on a course, you're well placed to do such a tutorial if you were that way inclined.

Holluba
 
That is fantastic! I always wanted a better version than the one JK Rowling wrote. I love the book, but she should've added all the creatures to it. Like House-elves and Dementors. I would attempt something similar myself but I'm not that good at that sort of thing and I have tried numerous times to talk myself into making Harry Potter things but I couldn't figure out where to start so I never did anything.
 
Thanks for those links, Chmo78, they're really in depth and just the sort of thing I was looking for. Really appreciate that.

Good luck with finding a hot stamper by the way.

Holluba
 
I completely mis-read the thread title. An imaginary 'r' in beasts gave me some very different expectations.
 
It took me a couple seconds to find out where the extra "r" should go but when I did, I laughed out loud. :D
 
You know I've thought about it but I'm not sure. I don't remember ever actually seeing that version in any of the films. I did see it at the Discovery Museum exhibit but not in the movies. Here's my dilemma... the book I did replicate came from JKR and was available for sale. (this was the first printing I'm referring to, not the newer ones) So what would be more accurate to the imaginary "real" world of Harry Potter? A prop intended for the film that's never seen on screen (to the best of my knowledge) or something that was all or in part (as far as cover design) a creation of the author herself?

I just don't know. Plus, if I did it I'd want all that gold to be real foil on leather and that would be a huge undertaking. You'd have to get an engraver to make you a plate based on your illustrator files and that cover would cost about $400. Then you have to pray that once the book is done you don't mess up the hot stamping!
 
Thanks Vortex and Kryptonian,
I was planning on making Quidditch Through the Ages but it's a really thin book so I've got to come up with some ideas for expanding it. Maybe I could add a Notes section, a simple playbook section and one other thing. It's hard finding graphics though. I scour google patents for old style broom pics or sporting equipment and finding victorian style illustrations of people that are close enough to photoshop is turning out to be tough.

As for selling, I'm not sure if I'll put them up for sale. At some point I might sell the one pictured and make one more. However, the leather alone for one book costs about $65 and it takes two or three weeks to make one. If I do sell it I'll make a post and let people know.
 
Amazing and beautiful work you've done so far and I'm really looking forward to seeing the finished item once you find a hot stamper.
 
Beautiful job, chmo78!! I know how much work you must have put into it, not to mention the cost of materials. There's a nice old Dover source book you might be able to find called Treasury of Fantastic and Mythical Creatures by Richard Huber, that might help you.
 
Also, for images of brooms and household items, you might try searching for old Victorian Trade Cards...they have some beautiful and humorous imagery. Also old early Halloween postcards have lots of witches on brooms.
 
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