... homemade journal ...

[TMLee]

Re calendar paper... did you mean the cover of a calendar or the inside pages of it? Because they're different thicknesses.

 

 

Mentioned above

 

Just look at your desktop flip calendar. Its the paper you see covering the stiff cardboard.

[TMLee]

This is Journal #27 - "Pencils "

 

Same in this white series.

 

This i call "Pencils" , using a doodle from my earlier sketches. A5 size.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3460.jpg

 

Did the pocket in matching motif. Also this time I punched rounded corners to make it more elegant.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3414.jpg

 

The same bookblock using CONQUEROR paper Laid 100gsm Brilliant white, watermarked. Headband . Mull.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3415.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3416.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3417.jpg

 

Like all my hardbacks, its a 3-board cover

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3422.jpg

 

This time I tried several alternative ways to wrap round the rounded corners. The earlier rounded cornered journals had high bumps where the folds negotiated the rounded corners. I couldn't find samples on the internet that explained what is the proper technique. I'd appreciate if anyone can advise.

I settled on this pattern after trying 3 or 4 variations. This one seemed to offer the flattest bump. But I think it can be further improved.

Also I made the cuts that start AWAY from the cover boards. There is a little gap (abt the thkness of the board) between the start of the cut and the board edge. This will allow the rounded corners to wrap round and without any segmented cuts on the edge of the rounded corners like my earlier ones. (Not as nice to the touch)

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3431.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3430.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3449.jpg

 

I also decided to make cuts at the spine to allow the cover paper to glue into the corners. This will let me achieve crisper edges. Keith Smith taught to use 2 bone folders when gluing this part and it worked beautifully. Impossible with only one bonefolder.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3428.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3432.jpg

 

The cover with crisp edges along the spine boards.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3438.jpg

 

The casing-in. Two sheets of waxed paper (hamburger paper) . Didn't work for me. I'll stick to using my usual stiff magazine paper.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3439.jpg

 

The rear flyleaf before and after pocket added.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3440.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3441.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3452.jpg

 

Stays flat open

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3444.jpg

 

Ink testpage

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3459.jpg

 

The finished product

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3458.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3442.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2027%20Pencils/DSCF3443.jpg

Edited January 7, 2009 by TMLee

[TMLee]

We don't have one of those here either. Maybe an innerwebs source?

 

 

Actually, you could try artist's canvas ... !

 

I think it'll work fine if not better.

(if its too thick, then just downsize the thickness of your coverboards.)

 

You could even paint on it ! Especially the hero characters which you've created. That'll be something , yah ?!

Edited January 7, 2009 by TMLee

[rosemaryknits]

Your journals are stunning. Thanks so much for the wonderful posts, and thanks for gathering them all up in one place (or, three places, but you get my drift. These are inspirational! Thanks!

[TMLee]

Your journals are stunning. Thanks so much for the wonderful posts, and thanks for gathering them all up in one place (or, three places, but you get my drift. These are inspirational! Thanks!

 

 

 

Tks Rosemary...

Your craft is beautiful too ...

Your husbands knitted socks look funny ....

but in a warm way

[liapuyat]

I love the ones with your own art on them best. All you, and therefore inspiring

[TMLee]

This is Journal #28 - "Letters"

 

I have been wondering for sometime now how to do the exposed coptic stitch with those hardboard covers. Relying on instructions from Keith Smith's books, I decided to give it a try.

 

This is one of the many assorted scrapbook sheets I have in storage just waiting to be used for when my ideas fall into place. Its about a foot square and a high quality print paper (read - not $cheap) Its a montage of old envelopes and postcards. Quite appealing . The wrong side is equally attractive.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3519.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3521.jpg

 

Using leftover boards from used sketchpads, (yes, don't throw them away...) I proceeded to do the covers first since this binding required finished covers to be sewn together with the bookblock rather than casing-in later. I cut round corners on the boardcovers. And glued the coversheet. The round corners were glued first.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3462.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3461.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3465.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3466.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3467.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3468.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3469.jpg

 

The completed covers front and back. They are the exact same size as the A6 bookblock. This is bcos the spine is unsupported and would sag and won't sit well on a bookshelf if the covers are bigger than the bookblock.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3472.jpg

 

The flyleaves (or endsheets). I find this added flyleaf (a borrowed idea) a very good idea. Again, it took sometime before I decided on a colour to contrast against the muted colors of the coversheet. The red paper is strangelooking. Its got a sorta plasticky feel to it. I think its coated. Its a glosssy red on one side with a matted back. It has texture imprint too. I decided the matte red looked a lot more elegant that the glossy surface.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3473.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3474.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3479.jpg

 

Marking the sewing stations and drilling the stations on the coverboard. The marking has to be on the outside to achieve holes that line up bcos the coptic stitch will be the feature of the book.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3483.jpg

 

Using a twist drill with a drillbit small enough to permit the thread thru. Also pierced a hole at the valley of the flyleaf to allow the thread to emerge neatly on the exposed spine side.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3484.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3485.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3486.jpg

 

... cont'd /- ...

Edited January 8, 2009 by TMLee

[TMLee]

... cont'd/ - ...

 

Started with the sewing. A friendly retailer gave me this roll of yellow cord. Something which I looked for very long but gave up and bought polyester cord for leather instead. This is alot nicer. I believe it is cotton. He sells beautiful handmade papers. Bought some from him. They are waiting to be used but only when my ideas fall into place. (read ... more to come ...

The stitching starts from the head of the last signature together with the rear cover.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3487.jpg

 

I am very happy with the overall aesthetics. The colors all seem to work together. (at least thats what I think ... :embarrassed_smile: )

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3490.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3489.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3491.jpg

 

Opens flat. The feature of such a binding.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3497.jpg

 

Well .... I just felt a bit picky about the gap. So I decided to paste glue onto the crevices between signatures. (I know its not supposed to be done like that... :embarrassed_smile: )

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3498.jpg

 

The aftereffects. The glue fills up the tiny voids of the cords. The glue is transparent so the cord pattern is still visible but of course not as nice as without in my earlier pics.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3509.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3510.jpg

 

The finished product. It looks good. One of my best so far.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3517.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3518.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3503.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3504.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3505.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3507.jpg

 

I haven't done the inktestpage and pocket yet.

Edited January 8, 2009 by TMLee

[TMLee]

I love the ones with your own art on them best. All you, and therefore inspiring

 

Tks liapuyat,

I wished them sketches could be copied nicer. For some reason, I can't get them photocopied nice, crisp and black.

 

 

 

[liapuyat]

I love the ones with your own art on them best. All you, and therefore inspiring

 

Tks liapuyat,

I wished them sketches could be copied nicer. For some reason, I can't get them photocopied nice, crisp and black.

 

Isn't there a printing service that can do it for you on the paper you choose? You own copyright on the art anyway. It might add to the cost though.

 

Like tarpaulin banner printing, only the canvas is laminated one side.

[TMLee]

Isn't there a printing service that can do it for you on the paper you choose? You own copyright on the art anyway. It might add to the cost though.

 

Like tarpaulin banner printing, only the canvas is laminated one side.

 

 

Perhaps ...

Tks ...

 

 

 

[liapuyat]

You should be on etsy.com

 

[GonZoneStudio]

Oh my God.

 

Mattias, I absolutely LOVE your artwork, I've just wrote the link of your blog in my notebook to check everything you do.

 

TMLee, lovely drawings, great style. Fresh and soft. I like the way you are capable of make patterns with your drawings and I am crazy on how you can do those wonderful diaries and notebooks. Hope you use paypal because I want to ask you if you accept comissions. Just rambling in my head about possibilities...

 

Right now, here you got some of my artwork.

 

This one was made with my extrafine nib (I'll tell you proper model, not so fine after all), black inoxcrom cartridge ink on simply and normal A4 paper:

 

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/5977/cupidoqv1.jpg

 

[GonZoneStudio]

Here you got another one, this was a personal view on the Dark Horse comic character HELLBOY,

 

love this character

 

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/5862/hellboybwlh3.jpg

 

 

[GonZoneStudio]

Maybe I was a bit offtopic. Is this thread just for pen artwork on selfmade journals?

 

I miss the thread on FP artwork?

[Sailor Kenshin]

We don't have one of those here either. Maybe an innerwebs source?

 

 

Actually, you could try artist's canvas ... !

 

I think it'll work fine if not better.

(if its too thick, then just downsize the thickness of your coverboards.)

 

You could even paint on it ! Especially the hero characters which you've created. That'll be something , yah ?!

 

I actually have some of that, left over from my painting days.... yay!

 

Your work is beautiful and inspirational, and your handwriting's purdy, too. You really make me want to try bookbinding again.

 

[raigne]

We don't have one of those here either. Maybe an innerwebs source?

 

Where do you live? If you're somewhere in the US, you might have one of these near you. I'm not sure how most locations work, but the one near me will let you take single 8.5" x 11" sheets as samples, and if they don't have the type of paper you're looking for, they'll have it shipped in or help you find something similar. They also sell that size by the sheet, but if you're looking for something larger, you'd probably have to buy a whole ream of it.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Thanks for the link---never heard of the place before. There might be one within driving distance.

[TMLee]

Maybe I was a bit offtopic. Is this thread just for pen artwork on selfmade journals?

 

I miss the thread on FP artwork?

 

 

Tks GZS,

But I think your reply shld be posted here instead ...

 

Nice sketches you have there ...

 

 

 

[TMLee]

Journal #28 - "Letters "

 

Finished the ink testpage. This paper is NATURALIS V/White Smooth 135gsm. Its off-white in colour and extremely smooth. Highly recommended. Inktest done with a very wet Etruria Alter Ego 0.9mm stub nib. Pelikan Brilliant Bwn. In total 6 signatures of 4 folios each.

The colour of the paper in this pic is off. Not this yellow. Its a very light ivory colour.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3600.jpg

 

I used the remainder of the coversheet and crafted the pocket.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Journal%2028%20Letters/DSCF3599.jpg

Edited January 11, 2009 by TMLee