From my previous book binding, I was able to see the importance of materials and how the quality of the paper can really effect the quality of the book. I chose to still experiment and print off my book on plain A4 paper but I found that it was too weak and fragile. This means that the book would easily fall apart.

Testing the different materials for this book was very important because if the quality of the paper is bad then it could ruin the whole image that I want my book to resemble.

I also found that the type of paper that I wanted was important because I was going for an earthy look and so experimented with three different types of paper. By laying them out and asking people which paper would look the best in terms of looking earthy, it was the more brown paper with a bit more texture. Having other people give their opinions on which paper was better was important because I would want the readers to appreciate the paper used.

Choosing the book cloth was quite simple. When I think about meditation, I think of quite neutral colours and so I wanted to incorporate my own colours into the cover of the book to make it more personal. I knew that the inside would be filled with Pastel colours that are quite bold and exciting, so I wanted that balance between the colours within my book. I also thought about different statues of buddhas that I had come across in the V&A and how many of them were brown or a creamy/ nude colour.

If I was to change anything, I think I would choose a slightly darker book cover but overall I was happy with the paper that I chose. I found later on that the colours printed well on the paper and it was easy to bend but not too fragile that it would fall apart quickly.