I am building a small book case to fit on another book case.  A book case book cask.  What???  Well this is the problem.  I have this book that is huge!  It is easily three times larger than any book I have.  It is so tall it looks odd with all the other books.  In addition if I set it vertically it will crush other book as it leans over.  So I want to set it horizontally on the shelf.  But then all the space above it is useless.  So I am creating a book case so I can pull the massive book out and shelf books above it.  Trust me all will be clear eventually.

So first step designing it.  I could make a 'n' shaped shelf.  Where the book would fit under the 'n' and the other books would fit above.  But the books on the top would topple off the sides.  So an 'H' shape shelf.  The vertical will upper books and the cross bar will hold the upper books off the lower book.  Actual it is going to be a 'H' with three cross bars.  The lowest will hold the book off the shelf the next will support the upper books and the top cross bars will hold the vertical together.

Some measurements, the massive book is 17 inches tall, 2 1/2 inches thick and 13 inches deep.  I told you it is massive.  I measured my other books and found I have a few that are 13 inches tall.  This means the book case's lower shelf need to be 17 inches wide by 2 1/2 tall and 13 inches deep.  The upper shelf should be at least 13 inches tall.  These are interior measures, the actual shelves exterior measurements will be larger.

So now it needs some style.  I have a couple of books about south west furniture.  I like some of the designs in these books.  There are these "pie safe" cabinets that are interesting.  They have cut outs to let the air circulate.  I think some cut out on the sides would look good.  I tried various patterns on paper and final came up with a "Lightning Bolt" pattern made up of repeated triangle shapes.  The pattern will be made of negative space.  Space removed from object.  I made a simple template with a triangle cut out to draw a pattern on the sides of the case.  I cut three pieces of stock that when glue together will be 13 inches.  I cut the pattern out of the sides then glued the pieces together.

 Here is the template used to create the pattern.  It is a stiff piece of cardboard with a triangle cut out.  There are two register marks to line up the patterns.  I repeatly drew triangles on the interior seams where the stock would be joined.

 Here is a shot of cutting out the triangle pattern with the skill or saber or jigsaw.  Which ever name you want to use.  When the panels are joined this edge will be interior and will contain the negative space.  So joining will create a negation cute huh?

Here the three pieces are joined into one panel.  This panel will be one of the sides of the book case.  The top of the case would be the right side in this picture.  The bottom the left side.  Notice the pattern doesn't extend all the way down the side.  I wanted bottom where the shelf will be, not have cut outs.  Notice the patterns are different lengths.  This gives them a more random and asymmetrical look.  Which, since the patterns are sort of 'Lightening Bolts" this adds that feel.

Next steps, build another side and cut out some shelves.