Sketchbook

One of the best parts of sending packages to friends is that I get to play with new ideas. I like to approach things systematically. Once I am happy with a design, I plan out most of the steps with room for needed modification before I start working. This year I got to make a few things for a couple of friends, and I was excited about that. I used design elements from my travels which made them extra fun.

My friend Dixie and I send each other little surprise packages every now and then. In the last package, I included a tiny little 1″ x 3″ book for this artist friend of mine.

Before I made the book for her, I made a book of the same dimensions for myself first. Because of their size, these little books can be a little fiddly to make, and I didn’t want any surprises while making hers. It looks like a lot of tools for a 1″ x 3″ book cover, but I really did use all of them. No matter the size of the book, sometimes I end up using the same set of tools.

I thought of walks in the woods, amongst moss-covered trees and rocks, Celts and druids when making this book. Hence the colors. The washi tape on the cover could not be a better match.

Once I was happy with mine, I made this blue book for her. She loves flowers and the color blue. So I made hers with blue cloth and added a little yellow flower on the cover.

This is the wonderful package filled with cards, bookmarks, stickers and art supplies Dixie sent me. She sends me small surprise packages every now and then. She also somehow knows exactly what I need. I needed a new kneaded eraser, and (not) surprisingly I found one inside the box.

She is quite the artist. The card is made from one of her paintings and the bookmark is made by her too. Do visit her website at Arranged Words for very peaceful reads and beautiful works of art.

Both of us share a love for Sennelier watercolor paints. She included a tube of Quinacridone Gold. I am very used to the color itself, but from a different brand. However, watercolor varies a lot depending on the brand, so I was eager to see how this one would behave.

I always start with drawing in my sketchbook, then copying the drawing over to watercolor paper for painting. This way the watercolor paper gets a clean copy of the drawing and the paper is not damaged from continuous eraser usage.

I love to visit old ruins when we travel. I decided to paint a small sandstone ornament.

Quinacridone gold is an orange to yellow hue shifting color. Creating a monochromatic painting is a great way to learn about a color / pigment. I learn about how the pigment moves with water and the dark/light values this way. I loved the way Sennelier’s Quin. gold behaves and how gentle it looks. I can’t wait to use it for a larger painting next.

This year, I did an exchange with another friend of mine. I will share the amazing package I got from her another day. She hand-stitches a lot, so I made a sewing needle book for her. I designed the book, then worked from my plan one step at a time – first on mine, and then on hers.

I had medieval style notebooks in mind when I designed them, so I made them using book binding methods. I bonded two pieces of faux leather together for the cover to get that look. I could also show off those colorful linen threads with the stitches I chose.

Please Click on the image thumbnails to see the photos.

I added tons of pockets for supplies and included notes pages for projects. I thought of heather at the English and Scottish countryside when choosing colors for the woolen felt I used for the inside and for the threads. I added a print of a little drawing I did of a bridge in Mull, Scotland quite a few years ago.

I am looking forward to using mine for hand stitching and knitting as well.

Concertina books are very fun books to make by accordion folding paper. I needed to join two sets of folded paper to extend the length of the book. I tried out a few options using plain copy paper before using my good paper for the final book.

At the end, I used a strip of strong Japanese paper to join two pieces of folded watercolor paper together. The join is hardly visible, and it also makes both sides of the book usable.

You can of course leave the folded paper books as is or add covers. I decided to make cloth hardcovers. For the front cover, I made this drawing of the Glenfinnan viaduct in Scotland. The inset on the cover keeps the artwork protected from rubbing / shelf damage.

Here is my copy of the finished book. I used heavy watercolor paper, so I can use both sides of the paper. I am thinking of using it for ink paintings. If you any have ideas other than painting, I would love to hear them.

Sometimes it is a long path from design to finish, and I enjoy every bit of it while playing with glue, paper and scissors. I hope this inspires you to try something new too.

Until next time,
-Soma

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Hi Everyone! I want to extend a warm welcome to both my new readers and many thanks to my returning readers for sticking around here for years. I love to dabble with different things and travel. This is where I share my recent attempts and photos. After coming back from such a big road trip, it took awhile to settle back into everyday. I always take a sketchbook with me when I travel. This particular one has recently been my companion. When I bind a book, I don’t often have a purpose in mind. Sometimes a book finds its own identity as we spend time together.

I made this little owl book a couple of years ago as an after hours project. This year I found the perfect use for it.

It was one of those days when I was mentally exhausted. After dinner, my eyes landed on the little book. I grabbed a Tombow watercolor marker and started doodling leaves. It was the perfect peaceful thing to do before bedtime. I had found a purpose for the book.

My husband and I were walking in Japan Center in San Francisco one evening, and the strings of lights caught my eye. It was a misty day with occasional drizzling rain. I wanted to remember and recreate that peaceful feeling in the sketchbook. I painted the dark indigo sky, and drew the power lines and the bulbs with a pen. Then I started painting the myriad yellow dots with a brush while listening to my favorite music, remembering the night at Japan Center.

This year, I am trying to set some time aside regularly to do simple mindless doodle painting while I let the mind wander and find a peaceful place. The little owl book is just perfect for those whimsical paintings.

I love to zone out while book binding. I had a few loose sketches that needed a home. I added a stack of drawing paper to these sketches and made a book. Just like the owl book, I made the book with no particular purpose in mind.

As the months went by, I found myself sketching moments I wanted to remember in that book. The pages started to reflect my feelings at those times. The book still didn’t have a cover, but I started to have an idea of what I wanted to draw.

I wish I had taken a few photos as I was making the cover. It’s not printed; I used markers to draw directly on the cover.

I ran into a bit of problem with washi tape while working on the white area. I used the tape as a guide for drawing the straight lines. Except, the tape tore the paper when I tried to remove it. So I had to take the book apart and rebind it.

Once I recreated the face, I decided to trust my own hand to draw the straight white and black areas without any guide. I took my time, stayed relaxed, and it was done.

FYI – I used Posca markers for the white. I tested the marker on a scrap first. One thick coat caused pilling on the paper. So I did multiple thin coats and let it dry completely between coats. That resulted in a really good white.

I love to play Japanese role playing video games. The girl on this cover and I share more than just the fluffy red hair. I identify with her the most. This drawing and this book are as good a self portrait as it gets for me. Hello!!

Just as this website is a journal of sorts, I also see very much of me through the books I create. I really love it when the books that I make start to tell a story. When I finish making a book and send it to its new home, I often wonder what journey awaits it.

See you next time with my new sewing pattern and a new book!
-Soma

I am linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page. Please consider paying a visit to some of them.

Design Elements

The Time Together