Section-Sewn Perfect Bound Art Book - To the Horizon and Back

300x220mm Books
4pp Cover onto Wild in Natural Brown 300gsm
Foiling to front cover, spine and back cover. No printing.
188 inside pages onto 150gsm Uncoated
Four colour print throughout
Trimmed, collated, section sewn and perfect bound (softback)

To the Horizon and Back is a big, substantial art book built to hold raw, grainy imagery with real confidence. The monochrome photographs feel deliberately unpredictable, and the pacing stays lively — shifting between full-bleed drama, text-and-image pairings, and grid sequences that read like a visual beat. We shaped the spec around that mood: tactile uncoated pages, a premium cover with foiling only, and a section-sewn text block for a stronger, more “keepsake” finish.

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About the Book

This is a coffee table art book designed for art lovers and anyone who wants to spend time with Alexander’s work — slowly, up close, and more than once. The content leans into texture and atmosphere: grainy black-and-white photography that suits the “raw and unpredictable” feel called out in our production notes, with plenty of variation in how the work is presented across the sequence.

Print Specification & Materials

The physical build does a lot of heavy lifting here. At 300 × 220mm, the pages have room to breathe — especially on the full-bleed spreads. Inside, we went with 150gsm uncoated stock, giving the book a calm, tactile surface that supports monochrome detail without glare.

The cover takes a different approach: Wild in Natural Brown 300gsm with foiling only (no printing). It’s a restrained move that suits the content — the book feels premium without shouting.

Key Spec Summary

• Size: 300 × 220mm
• Cover: 4pp Wild in Natural Brown 300gsm, foil to front/spine/back, no print
• Text: 188pp on 150gsm uncoated, four-colour print throughout
• Binding: trimmed, collated, section sewn, and perfect bound (softback)

Design Details

What makes this book sing is the contrast in pacing. One moment you’re in a full-bleed spread that takes over the room; next you’re reading a quieter page with text and image working together; then you’re hit with grid layouts that feel almost filmic — like frames in a sequence. That variety keeps the flip-through “intoxicating” (to borrow the note’s energy) and makes the reader stay curious.

The Client’s Print Journey

This project relied on close collaboration early on — especially around choosing materials that matched the tone, then making sure the artwork was set up properly for press. Our team supported Alexander through the decision-making (paper, cover approach, binding) and then through the practical file-side details so the final print landed exactly as intended.

If you’re planning something similar, our print journey overview is a useful map of what happens when: /print-journey/

How Ex Why Zed Helped

• Guided choices, not just options: we helped narrow down the spec to what best suited the feel of the work.
• File set-up support: we made sure the artwork was prepared correctly for printing, so textures, tones, and layouts reproduced cleanly.
• Build quality that matches the ambition: section sewing + perfect binding gives a stronger, more durable book that holds up to repeat handling.

Takeaways for Your Next Coffee Table Art Book

• Let the content choose the paper. If your images are moody, grainy, or texture-led, an uncoated stock can make the flip feel more human and less “shiny brochure”.
• A foil-only cover can be a power move. No print forces restraint — it gives your title and author name the spotlight and makes the object feel considered.
• Mix layout modes to control pace. Full bleeds create impact; grids create rhythm; text/image pairings give breathers. Use all three and the reader keeps turning pages.

If the book is substantial, strengthen the spine. Section sewing adds integrity (and a nicer open) while keeping the clean look of a perfect bound paperback.