Friday, March 21, 2008

New sketchbooks


I have filled my latest sketchbook to the last page, so now I can indulge in these three new-bound beauties! I bought nine Fabriano Artistico hot press watercolour papers to fill these books with. Two of them are rebound from old books (no, I don´t mind slaughtering old books, as long as I buy them in cheapo second hand shops and am sure that they are boring enough so that no one will ever buy them and actually read them anymore), and one is bound with coptic stitch with covers made from an old vinyl record cover (AND no, I don´t mind slaughtering old record sleeves either, as long as the record is scratched and no good - good records need their covers, bad ones don´t).

I have found the best, easiest and neatest coptic stitch description so far in a book called "How to make books" by Esther K. Smith. I found it not long ago in a bookshop here in Stockholm. It´s full of smart and easy books to bind yourself, and a great plus is that the book itself is incredibly goodlooking. The page design is excellent, it´s a pleasure to browse through it just to enjoy the graphic design inside.

Anyway. I´m starting out with the "West Side Story"-book, it has a perfect format for keeping in my bag at all times. The Fabriano paper is actually thinner than the 300 gsm I usually go for (I think it´s 200 gsm). I thought I´d try a paper that isn´t so sturdy this time. It makes the bookbinding easier plus it gives me more pages per spine centimeter (ha, there´s a new term for ya!). It seems to be just as good with ink and wet washes as the thicker paper, so I think it´ll work out fine.

9 comments:

Jennifer Lawson said...

Those are so cool. I would love to try to do this, but it seems absolutely daunting. Maybe someday...

Alan said...

On my list of things to do which is forever long. Here's to a fresh new journals and the potential they offer....with the hope that once filled their are even more cherished.

Anonymous said...

Jag beställde boken direkt, är så trött på dålig kvalitet på papper i "mysiga" skissböcker. Vill använda mitt favoritpapper även att skissa på. Är det svårt att binda själv?

NEIL TOULCH said...

I'm curious why you don't consider stretching 1/4, 1/2, or full size water-colour paper altogether and taking that along with you?
Or do you?

Anonymous said...

They look wonderful, Nina! I haven't figured out the stitch you used on West Side Story yet...I mean theoretically I understand, but I just make a mess! And now I want that book...

Margaret Ann said...

You have so many talents...thanks for sharing them with us...the books are awesome! :)

Yellow said...

I love the idea of using old record covers. I'm collecting cereal boxes, but I'll be painting over them when I make up the sketch books. Whereas your idea comes as a ready made work of art. You're so clever.

MD said...

These sketchbooks you've made look totally scrummy! I love them. I'm longing to have a go at making my own. Love your latest sketches/ drawings too.
MD

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