A4 Casebound Books
Cover onto 170gsm Silk
Wrapped over greyboard case
Matt laminated to the outer
2x 4pp End Papers Printed onto 170gsm Uncoated
108 inside pages onto 170gsm Silk
Four colour print throughout
Trimmed, collated, section sewn and case bound
Behind Closed Doors is a substantial A4 hardback artist catalogue packed with incredibly intricate illustration work. The kind of book you slow down for — not because it’s precious, but because there’s always more detail to spot.
From our printer’s-eye view, two decisions really make this project sing: the full-bleed illustrated endpapers that drop you straight into the world of the artwork, and section sewing that lets the book open flatter — perfect for double-page spreads where the detail runs right across the gutter.
Created for fans of line art, Wally’s work and art books you can properly live with, Behind Closed Doors is immersive in the best way. The illustrations reward close looking — especially across the double-page compositions, where the precision just keeps going.
It’s also physically confident: a heavy, hardback A4 format that feels like a proper catalogue — built for repeat handling, gifting, and keeping on the shelf as an object in its own right.
If you’re planning something similar, our artist catalogue printing page is a good starting point, and you’ll find plenty of hardback inspiration in our portfolio.
Silk stock is a smart match for illustration-heavy pages: smooth, crisp, and reliable for holding fine line detail. Then the uncoated endpapers add a slightly more tactile opening beat — and because they’re full bleed, they set the tone immediately.
We also guided file set-up details along the way — bleed, page counts, and cover panel set-up — so the final production runs smoothly. If you’re at that stage right now, these two are worth a look: our hardback book set-up guide and our quick guide to setting 3mm bleed for print.
The standout is the sheer intricacy across the spreads — line work with real patience behind it. Section sewing matters here, because it gives the binding more resilience and lets readers press the pages flatter to take in the full width of those double-page scenes.
There’s also a lovely rhythm to how the book opens. Starting with full-bleed illustrated endpapers means the reader isn’t “warming up” with a title page moment — they’re straight into the world of the drawings, at full scale.
Wally got in touch wanting paper samples and a small run of hardbacks, plus the option of a proof copy. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} From there, we worked through the practical bits together: artwork delivery (including a brief WeTransfer wobble), whether files should be combined or separated, and how to handle bleed and page counts so everything lands correctly.
We also talked through colour set-up — most of the content sits in black and white, with a few colour illustrations — and confirmed that four colour printing throughout would keep everything consistent and straightforward.
Once production was underway, we kept delivery comms simple and specific (including the one-hour DPD window). The books arrived, and the feedback was exactly what we love to hear: “They’ve been delivered and look as good as printing can make them… I’m really really pleased.”
