I collect books, not only for content which is important in my job as an illustrator. Although it's easy enough to get image ref online these days, I still have a large library I use for day to day stuff. In with that is a large collection of both professional and self published books.
The thing about these is that they're often examples of what is possible in print. Sometimes, only when you get huuuge quantities made, but sometimes you'll only get a certain effect by hand making them. Having examples will go far in helping you choose and decide what kind of book you want to make. The other half of your decision will be affected by budget and the printer giving you the EYE and saying firmly "No, that's stupid."
Anyway- there are 2 FULL shelves of self published books in that pic. A lot of them are beautifully made. And some of them SUCK. Some of them I'd bought because the artists have beautiful work, but when I got them, the print was CRAP. Generally- this isn't the printer's fault. The more you get right at the file production phase, the less will go wrong. Oh- and ask your damn printer for samples of work similar to what you have in mind. If you go in blind, you deserve to have crap print.
Your new office looks so cosy!
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