How To Make A Giant Book
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- čas přidán 11. 09. 2024
- Possibly the first "How To" video written in rhyme and set to music! It's unusual, quick and fun!...
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A GIANT BOOK, CLICK ON "SHOW MORE" to read many details about what it really took to build it.
In January, 2013, I created a giant-book-video-screen for Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. So many people commented on it that I thought I'd make a video to show the process. Special thanks to Ryan Chapel for the drawings of the book and the form. And many special thanks to Jim Anthony for the word "Bigature".
Here's some additional information not covered in the video:
It took approximately fifteen, 4 x 8 foot sheets of 1/2 inch thick, styrofoam insulation, (available at building supply stores) which were used for the base as well as the support slats. Since just a half-inch thick isn't the right scale for the book's cover, I added 2.5 inch strips under the base, around the outside edge of each section, with a couple strips across the middle of each for support, making the base pieces (the book's cover) three inches thick. (See the photo of the back in the video)
For the 12 formed pieces, I got 1.5 inch thick, 4 x 8 foot foam sheets to add more strength to the structure. Since the forms are only one foot tall, I cut all twelve pieces out of three sheets. I used a "hot knife" to cut out the shapes.
Rolls of paper 9 feet tall can be found through photography suppliers - paper backdrops. If the paper you get happens to be too thin and the slats show through, you can simply add another "page" to the structure. But when a projector shines on the book, the reflected light is usually bright enough to hide the supports underneath.
When gluing the three sections of a half-book together, I also used several 2.5 inch screws to help hold things together before running hot glue all the around the outside edges between the pieces.
The two halves were never glued together. They just sat next to each other on stage, propped up with four music stands, and with two strips of duct tape holding them together from behind. Each 7.5 by 9.5 foot half-book was ridiculously lightweight - at about 10 pounds - maybe less.
The book was built lying flat on the floor, but when it was stood up, there were a couple large wrinkles in the paper that appeared from slight sagging. However it's not a problem since the light from the projector hits the book straight on, so the wrinkles simply disappear.
The lighting on stage added the dark strips along the sloped edges of the pages.
The graphics created to project onto the book all had a darkened strip down the center, so that the area near the spine looks a bit darker.
If you really want a giant book - but don't want to make it yourself, I might be persuaded to do it for you - for the right fee, of course.
If you have any other questions about making a giant book, please feel free to ask.
I also composed the music for this video. A Song Called "Giant Book." Coincidence?
I have been tasked to build a similar, somewhat smaller version, for a children's play here in rural Japan. Found your video and love your ideas! Thank you for making and sharing this video!
Thanx a ton Randy for sharing this unique project with Perfection
. Do share more videos..
Wow....informative and enjoyable!!! Great job Randy and perfect for a project I am working on.
This is the best, sturdiest giant book Inhave seen yet! Your a genius! Thank you for this fabulous idea.
I'm doing this!! Absolutely brilliant!!!
Absolutely incredible! I had some questions so I sent an email. You did a marvelous job and I’m in awe! ❤️🙌🏼
Hey Randy! Great video I made a 7x8 version and was very easy. As long as you use a drywall square, hot knife method and spray adhesive you are solid. I went with that size so I could find a paper that was 48 inches in width which made it way easier to find and cost effective. I spent about $150 on materials in total! Sizing down with this method was the way to go and it came out great! Thanks for the video
Hi Alex. So cool! It's nice to hear from someone who actually made a big ole book. Glad my video helped. Any pictures posted? Would love to see it.
This is fantastic! Thank you for sharing!
Awesome going to try this. I am pretty good at following direction even putting my own twist to it.
Thank you for this video, it's just what I needed for the classroom.
I love that! Glad you can make use of it. Thanks for letting me know!
Wow. That was cool. Thanks for sharing.
THANKS FOR THIS VIDEO. IT WAS THE BASIS FOR "GIANT BOOK FOR THUMBELINA".
You're so welcome. Glad you could make use of this information. Would love to see a pic of your book. Got a link?
CHECK OUT "GIANT THUMBELINA BOOK" OPEN TONIGHT AT SPOTLIGHT YOUTH THEATER IN PHOENIX
Spray adhesive works well for paper/vinyl! Just a heads up for everyone...
This is great! Thanks for sharing
I love how your presented the tutorial! Are the left and right panels glued together in anyway or separate? I’d like to make this as a photo backdrop but I’m afraid that the kids will lean on it and it will slide forward or fall on them. Thank you!
Glad you liked it! I never had to glue the two sides together. They were just sitting next to each other on stage, and the book was so lightweight that each side was propped up with two music stands.. (Taped so that they didn't slide down) You definitely don't want anyone to lean against it. It is only paper and Styrofoam, and people would fall into or through it. If it falls on someone, it shouldn't hurt them at all. I could easily lift each side over my head. But just make sure no one goes that close to it to avoid any damage.
I need to make a large book. The foam in the video looks a lot thicker than 1/2. Looking at the finished book with the edge being 3' the curved supports look more like 1 1/2 to 2 inches.
WOW!!!! ❤💗❤💗❤
What type of paper did you use and where did you buy it.
Amazing
So wonderful! Didn't the hot glue melt the foam? what kind of screws can hold styrofoam which just shreds? I'm so intrigued!
Thanks! Glad you liked it. The hot glue does melt the foam just a little bit, but that only helps it hold together better. We used 4 inch drywall screws and simply put them in carefully so that they didn't strip the foam. They are only for additional support because the hot glue easily holds most of it together.
Can I ask about what the budget for this fabrication was approximately? I'd really like to attempt something similar, and am wondering what the approximate costs in dollars and man hours might be so that I can include them in a quote for an NFP that likes this idea to tell their story
Great thank you!
How sturdy is the structure. Could it be used in a Parade setting where it transported about half a dozen times?
Patrick Gaul It's fairly sturdy, but I wouldn't use it outdoors on a windy day. It's very light and would make a great sail - so it would need to be secured well. The one I made was used once, then stored "roughly" - then used again months later. I had to replace the crinkled paper and re-glue a couple supports, but it worked great once again. (The photos in the video are from both times)
This is genius!! I did this book for my church but 8x6. I haven't used it yet, but I'm having trouble with my projector as it is warping my photo (photo doesn't project straight onto the book) Did you/your team have to edit the photo to match the curved surface of the book? Help!!
Hi Katrina - Sorry to hear about your issues. I didn't have anything to do with building the graphics, but I don't believe they had to warp the image. I do recall that they put a darker shadow down the center of the images - between the left and right sides of the book - where it projected into the center where the pages are curving together. This helped the total illusion. Is your projector shooting straight on to the book? If it's off center, that might create the problem you're having. And I mean that the entire projector needs to be centered. If it's on a stand on the floor, the book would need to be standing straight up, facing it. Our projector was mounted in the ceiling at the same angle that the book was leaning. Hope this helps. If you think of any other questions I'd be glad to help however I can. Good luck!
wow awesome! this is very very helpful, what material did you use for the small version?
Thanks! I used foamcore - also known as foam board - which is available at most art supply and/or craft stores. I put it all together with hot glue.
Hi! I came across your video because we are in the midst of making a giant bible for our church parade float for our upcoming Xmas parade. The question is in regard to your video display on your book. What kind of projector, and how did you project your image; laptop or usb? We are brainstorming on how we can project an image on a moving vehicle.Thanks for your tutorial and time.
Hello - I'm very sorry, but I really had no involvement in the projection part of this. We had a large crew of brilliant production people up in the video room who worked out all of that. There were permanently-mounted projectors in the ceiling of the church, and the guys worked out the math and angles, etc. But if you call a local A/V company that rents video equipment, I'm sure they could give you all the advice you'll need, and possibly help you with putting it together. I hope that helps. I've tossed out a question to a friend about this. He's very busy, but if I hear more from him, I'll let you know. Good luck with your project! Post some pics afterwards to show us how it went.
I appreciate your reply and taking your time. Will do 😊. Thank you, and Happy Holidays!
AWESOME! I'm going to attempt this for my wedding! Any tips on measuring? I would like it about 8ft tall
Gosh - Uh..... The original was 9.5 feet tall. Not sure what the math would be for 8 feet. The dimensions don't have to be perfect, as far as height X width. So I guess you could just shorten everything a little bit. Keep in mind that a book that large, although light in weight, is difficult to move large distances. I built the original in the building where it was used. If you can do the same, you should. I'd be glad to answer any other questions that occur to you. Good luck!
Hello , would be able to make one for me ?
muchas gracias por el video me sirvió mucho
How much for shipping to Australia? 😂 ;)
Hello! Great idea and great execution. I was just wondering if for the "vinyl" outer edge parts of the "bigature" book what material you used? It appears to be brown butcher paper or something of that nature? If not, what is it, and where might that be obtained? Thank you so much!
Hi Josh - Thanks! And it's not "vinyl" - it's vinyl. Real vinyl. I just bought ten feet of vinyl at a fabric store. It's about 40 inches wide, so it was enough to cover the sides with a strip around 12 inches wide, and the rest filled in the top and bottom. But I suppose you could use a long sheet of butcher paper instead. i would crinkle it really good to add some texture, but that seems like it would work just as well.
+Randy Boyum Animations Thank you!
+Josh James Wow this takes a long time!
Hello! Thank you for this video. I am wondering what it would take for a team of volunteers to make this. I would also like to know if I could make pages that I could design and flip, like a real book.
I'm glad you like the video. Thanks! Though I'm not sure what your first question means? It took about 40 hours for me to make the book alone. If you have a team, I suppose it would go quicker. And at this size, (9X15 feet) it would be basically impossible to make real pages that turn, without ripping them. Please read the info below the video by clicking on "More" to know the details of the construction.
I tried making this book 3x5 feet I can't do it. My measurements suck when I cut it out. Can you make it for me and how much would you charge?
I'm sorry you're having such difficulty. I'd be glad to discuss building one for you, but not on this public forum. Please contact me by email at RandomAnimation@aol.com. Thanks.
Thanks will do
Randy Boyum Animations. hello is your contact email the same?
Mrscreative47 have you made the babies or other characters using this technique and a projector before?
I’m hoping to make a smaller version of this for my Sunday School room. Do you have a template for the pieces you use to make the pages stay up?
I'm sorry, but I don't. Most people just pause the video on the shot of the graphic and take a screen shot. Then you can re-size it to whatever you'd like. Hope that helps.
hi. about how much did it take to make this, and how long?
This is awesome,
If I wanted to tweak the design and and pages that can be turned. What would be the best process for doing this??
I am creating a comic book.
Thanks! A giant comic book would be very cool. If you build it, post a pic or vid showing it. I used real paper for the pages, but they were glued into place. The people I made this screen for built page-turns into the graphics of the video that was projected onto it. I suppose you could just add more real paper pages to it, but I'm not sure how you would easily turn those pages without ripping them. It would take at least two people - perhaps holding a 9 foot stick between them, which they could slide under a page, down to the spine, then walk it to the other side of the book, dragging the page with them from the center. Since real pages weren't something I had to create, I guess it's your turn to improve upon my design. Good luck!
I don't need it that big. So How can I down size 4 feet book? I am not good at measurements
The book is 9 X 15. To simplify the math, try using one third measurements - which means it would be 3 X 5 feet. Would that size work? I'm not that great at math either and taking 15 down to 4 makes my brain hurt.
That would be a perfect size but how would I get the template pieces you used to put the pieces together? This would be a great project for me and my grand-daughter next weekend.
So you made the curved peices by the size of the base of the book?
+Mrscreative47 To get a copy of the template, simply pause the video on that shot and trace it onto a piece of paper. I used an overhead projector to cast an image the size I needed and traced it onto a large piece of styrofoam. I suppose you could just use a bright lamp and make the shadow as large as you need it for tracing. But remember, you can pause the video anytime to study whichever part is explained too quickly. Hope that helps.
Thanks I did a screenshot to get the template.
Do you know where I can find the material to build this? I am planning to build one for my wedding and using as a backdrop in photos.
Please read the info below the video for detailed information about the book's construction.
How can I contact you to talk about price of commissioning you for one of these? My school is putting on a production of Into the Woods and I would really like this (maybe a little bigger) that we can paint the "page" surface! Also, where did you buy your paper from? I have been searching and the only paper that I have found, from the photo stores like you suggested, would be over $100! Is that what you paid?
Yes - the roll of heavy paper we purchased was about $120. The total raw costs for the book were around $350. You can contact me at RandomAnimation@aol.com for questions about commissions. Thanks.
Awesome.....
May have to use your formula?
.
Please do. That's why I made the video. There' is additional information below it about the process. Good luck and have fun!
Is the video file projected available for use as a template for our bigature book?
I'm sorry, but I don't understand your question. The video is posted to show how it was done. You can pause it at any point to examine some info more closely. There is also additional information written below the video about the process and materials. Beyond that, I'm not sure how you'd use a video as a template. Hope this answers your question. If not, try again. Thanks!
Hi there!
Do you have a website where i can find pictures of the building process?
Hi. I'm sorry... there is no website. But if there were, it would just contain the pictures that are in the video. Not sure what else you're looking for. Please read the additional info below the video for a description of the process. Thanks.
Thank you!! Looking forward to pulling this off with my team!
Hi Randy I was so amaze when I seen this "Giant Book'' how much do you charge for the same size. I am having my daughter sweet 16 Fairy tale theme and this would be a great addition to our decor
You can do this yourself! What a great gift for your daughter, it would be so special if you made it. Don’t forget to do a sweet 16 father daughter dance! Best memories ever!
Hello, do you have any tips for it to be designed to stand up on its own?
Well - to do that the bottom edge would need to be flat (Trim back the book's cover to match the pages) and the book would have to stand straight up. You cold also close it a little more to offer more structural support - ie: the two covers could lean against each other at the spine. There's no way to design it to stand on it's own while leaning back without some sort of stand. You could weld a flat plate of steel with some strong thin bars that run up inside the book to support the back of it while leaning. That might give the appearance that it's just sort of floating there without support. Hope this helps?
@@RandyBoyum Thank you so much.
Hi there this is very helpful! I want to have my fiance make this for our wedding how can we make it stand almost completely upright?
Tara Spaugy It weighs practically nothing. We propped it up against music stands. So just prop it up against something taller than that.
how much did this cost to make? i need to make one for a theatrical production.
It cost around 300 dollars in raw materials. To learn a lot more about the process, read the detailed notes below the video.
Awesome but I can not find this giant paper lol, here I just find small width, the biggest I found was 60 cm only and If I glue together apears the division, its ugly. (sorry the english)
Hi Kenia - Just do a search for photography backdrop paper. It's a standard size - 107 inches tall (8 feet, 11 inches) I got this paper at a local photographic supply store. It's a bit pricey, but comes in a big roll. I also found a video on CZcams on how to make a seamless paper backdrop. Maybe that would work? Hope this info helps.
@@RandyBoyum Thank you I will try to find it.
I cant add this to my list?
What is the "right" price? Can we talk directly to discuss?
Hi, do you know if there is a video of the presentation?
I'm sorry. There is not. I'm not even sure what it was about. And they used the book a second time for a different presentation, about a year after the first one. I had to make some repairs as it had become slightly damaged in storage.
felicitaciones un trabajo brillante
Amazing music Randy. Where can I buy the song?
Hi Amir - Wow! Thank you so much! In my entire life, not one single person has ever requested a piece of music that I wrote. I'm so tickled about the whole thing, and incredibly flattered. However, as of right now I have not posted any of my music for sale online. I am currently working on a new film with a fun soundtrack that I intend to post - and when I do, I plan to post several other songs - including The Giant Book. But that's a few months away.
Since you've expressed interest - and you're the first person ever to do that - I'd be delighted to just send you the song. Please contact me via email so I have your address and can send you the file. My address is RandomAnimation@aol.com. Just put "Song" in the subject so I know it's you. Thanks again! You made my day!
how long did it take and how much did it cost?
Working alone, it took me a week to build and cost about $400.00 in raw materials.
Great
You can just cut the pieces out and I can glue myself
Imagine how big a phone book, with every single phone number in the world listed, would be.
Also, not sure where you are located, but I'd be interested in your quote to do so as well. You can message me on here, or at Vincent@canvaschicago.com if that's easier. Thanks Randy, great work!
😮😊😅
Wish it was a little slower.
If you need to study certain moments or numbers in the video, you can easily hit the "pause" button. Hope that helps.
You can also change the play back speed with the gear in the upper right corner! 😊 I slow videos down all the time!
Hi Randy I need to make a 22in x 20in fake book . like your small model one for my nieces Prom. I am having difficulty making it. Would you give me a quote to make one for me? you can email me at stephaniesky319@gmail.com thank you