... homemade journal ...

[TMLee]

Some Yusen papers, from THAT outlet in Kyoto named Morita Washi

 

Amazing store, I was paralysed from the stunning variety of papers - and they were ALL beautiful !

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/YUSEN%20paper/006.jpg

 

 

This is so intricate

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/YUSEN%20paper/007.jpg

 

My favourite

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/YUSEN%20paper/008.jpg

 

 

 

Crepe paper

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/YUSEN%20paper/009.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/YUSEN%20paper/010.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TMLee]

These are Karakami papers.

From another shop named Maruni Co. Ltd , KYOTO, Japan specializing in handmade papers.

 

All done handmade, using age-old ancient techniques of woodblock printing.

 

Paper is handmade, and the printing of motifs by hand too ...

 

They were very costly but I just couldn't resist...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/KARAKAMI%20paper/011.jpg

 

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/KARAKAMI%20paper/012.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/KARAKAMI%20paper/013.jpg

 

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/KARAKAMI%20paper/014.jpg

 

 

 

 

This one here is my prized purchase of them all ...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/KARAKAMI%20paper/020.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

The motif is a flower from the paulownia tree- from where we get the lightweight wooden boxes that the precious Nakaya pens come boxed in.

 

The flowers are called Kiri I think.

Its one of many symbols used by Japanese royalty.

The species that is used in such Kiri motifs are thought to be Paulownia tomentosa .

 

 

The flower motif is embossed - its quite thick and significant - the raised detail.

At least half a millimitre thick .

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/KARAKAMI%20paper/023.jpg

 

 

 

 

This is how they do it,

They use this wood veneer as a template and then apply the material to form the Kiri flowers.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/KARAKAMI%20paper/veneer1.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/KARAKAMI%20paper/veneer3.jpg

 

 

 

( look at the carved wooden stamps in the background ... simply beautiful , intricate . I understand them to be magnolia wood . These are stamp-sized. There are other stamps too that are large like iPad size. And they use these to print motifs on paper - an ancient technique they practise to this day.)

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/KARAKAMI%20paper/veneer2.jpg

 

 

 

 

The final product is the emboss which is as thick as the veneer template.

The high quality of the workmanship can be seen in how each tiny piece within that motif is of the same thickness.

And this thickness is consistent from motif to motif.

Awesome

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/KARAKAMI%20paper/021.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/KARAKAMI%20paper/022.jpg

 

 

 

Very tiny pieces forming an overall picture of the flower.

Very clever in practical design too - cos this way , it can be rolled up without fracturing the motif if it were to be one piece instead.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/KARAKAMI%20paper/024.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

This paper is actually very large - door size - for Japanese sliding screen doors.

they didnt have smaller sizes

so I had to buy the entire piece.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/KARAKAMI%20paper/019.jpg

 

 

 

I bought the paper without knowing the meaning of the symbol nor how it would be used in my journals.

It was too beautiful to let pass.

 

But after googling its symbolism and meaning, I am inclined to use this unique paper for wedding guestbooks.

Not sure how exactly, but I am quite sure it will be something beautifully elegant.

The design of the paper itself , I am confident , is enough to make anything its applied on, elegant .

Edited December 15, 2015 by TMLee

[mhguda]

Wonderful find. Such beautiful papers. For a paper junkie, those shops must represent heaven. I'm sure you will enjoy working with them.

And imagine if you could have a doorsized paper screen made from one... for instance to screen off your working area... wouldn't that be an appropriate use of the embossed design paper? You could look at it every day while working with paper.

I am so looking forward to choosing one of the papers for a cover for my new journal. Any day now... will you make an A5 book with them?

[TMLee]

Wonderful find. Such beautiful papers. For a paper junkie, those shops must represent heaven. I'm sure you will enjoy working with them.

And imagine if you could have a doorsized paper screen made from one... for instance to screen off your working area... wouldn't that be an appropriate use of the embossed design paper? You could look at it every day while working with paper.

I am so looking forward to choosing one of the papers for a cover for my new journal. Any day now... will you make an A5 book with them?

 

 

 

haha ... yes indeed ...

 

I can spend hours in there, but i didnt have the luxury of time for a closer look.

 

The Kiri paper has to be A5 size I think.

I think A6 size would be too cramped a size for those motifs.

 

I'll probably begin with attempts on the YUZEN series of papers first.

 

Feel free to ask anything

Edited December 15, 2015 by TMLee

[mhguda]

 

 

 

haha ... yes indeed ...

 

I can spend hours in there, but i didnt have the luxury of time for a closer look.

 

The Kiri paper has to be A5 size I think.

I think A6 size would be too cramped a size for those motifs.

 

I'll probably begin with attempts on the YUZEN series of papers first.

 

Feel free to ask anything

Alright, first, I'd like to know if when you make a new notebook, will it have the new paper, new cover paper, and the new bands?

And, you've already answered another question: will it be A5? I'd love an A5 notebook like that.

And I hope you can still do it for a reasonable price... (fingers crossed...)

[slippery when wet]

I would also love to purchase a A5 notebook especially with this new paper. Put me down for one should it be made.

 

cheers

[TMLee]

Alright, first, I'd like to know if when you make a new notebook, will it have the new paper, new cover paper, and the new bands?

And, you've already answered another question: will it be A5? I'd love an A5 notebook like that.

And I hope you can still do it for a reasonable price... (fingers crossed...)

 

 

I would also love to purchase a A5 notebook especially with this new paper. Put me down for one should it be made.

 

cheers

 

 

Thank you both for your interest & encouragement .

 

I have a lot of various kinds of materials stashed away awaiting to be turned into journals.

 

I cant craft fast enough to see them all incorporated into the journals.

 

These recent Japanese papers are a new addition to that stash.

 

So what usually happens is that these materials are used when there are specific requests for them.

Requests or orders that specify certain design themes and such.

So what I do is to go thru what I have and come up with some proposals.

Its not a quick process, discussing with the Buyer what would eventually be mutually satisfying in the end product.

 

Then at other times, I would be excitedly embarking on crafting a journal just to find out for myself how challenging would a certain (new) material can be when it comes to actually working on it.

Some recent past examples include the silk peonies fabric - very delicate and needing some special care in terms of techniques to avoid damage.

 

 

So for our present new papers now, I would be interested to see how this Karakami papers with the Kiri motifs can be used on the kind of journals that I make.

The backing paper is thick.

The embossed motifs are also thick.

I am thinking of a journal in A5 but landscape format , which unfortunately means that it cannot carry TR paper.

 

 

 

The Yuzen papers are more straightforward.

I don't foresee any unique challenges in using them.

What is tricky is how to use them in an aesthetically pleasant way.

( I am imagining a lot of various permutations, combining their use with other materials. Lots of possibilities )

 

 

 

 

Yes I can do A5 size.

But only A5 portrait if TR paper is used.

 

The extra $cost for using Yuzen papers should not be intimidating.

 

But unfortunately not so for the Karakami papers.

They cost as much as good leather for that same size !!

They are handmade and hand printed using special paint applied with ancient woodblock printing techniques.

( Now I worry whether if i am ever gonna use them )

 

I think I should be trying out the Yuzen papers first.

 

Contact me backchannel (the both of you) if you have any preference from those pictured above.

Its easier to communicate via gmail.

 

 

[mhguda]

email sent. Looking forward to the whole process!

[TMLee]

Studying some improvements to past designs ...

 

I wanted to improve the straight edge along the spine accent. (left dwg)

So I retrieved my earlier design on this

and

explored some variations ...

 

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/005_zps96uz9vvi.jpg

 

I intend to make some emboss on the spine bookcloth .

The reason is to seat the stitches in a recess (deboss) , this way the threads are kept away from direct abrasions.

 

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/003_zpsbgwg1qpv.jpg

 

 

[migo984]

I can see the principle of why you'd want to emboss along the spine book cloth. The trick will be to get the right balance between the shape of the emboss and the pattern or design of the cover material. It might look too busy or clash, if the design is traditional or floral and the emboss design is modern or geometric. If I were having a journal with one of those beautiful Yusan papers I think I'd want to keep my spine simple and clean.

[TMLee]

The hues in this paper had several shades of purple ...

 

So I decided to use the Dark purple bookcloth

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/003_zpsldcofhdf.jpg

 

 

Beautiful design motif ...

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/004_zpsqfhi9a0n.jpg

 

Made the template

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/002_zpsdvfqrgcv.jpg

 

Laid the underlay cards for the emboss/deboss ...

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/003_zps7ei2jmcr.jpg

 

 

Beautiful ...

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/004_zpsq3x5igjs.jpg

 

 

Laying the emboss along the spine ...

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/006_zps1q66jljr.jpg

 

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/008_zpsmpx9xnug.jpg

 

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/012_zpsp2ftuoxe.jpg

 

 

 

Laying the spine accent ...

This is the hairy part , bookcloth does warp if the glue is too wet .

When it warps, the edges are hard to stay straight , which becomes a problem when positioning it to the cover exactly aligned on the zig-zag edge of the Yuzen paper.

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/013_zps01elqocm.jpg

 

 

 

I find that this technique of merging two different materials solves the problem of either material fraying and peeling off under abrasion or when snagged.

So I have kept this technique in all my journals.

Here you see the Yuzen paper diving under the protection of the more robust material of the bookcloth.

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/015_zpssesbazzu.jpg

 

 

Better morning light for photography ...

All the accent edges ( both spine and corners ) completed ...

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/025_zpslkee9imp.jpg

 

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/026_zpsthc4g3vn.jpg

 

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/029_zps1lpms9bz.jpg

 

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/030_zpsg90s6opb.jpg

 

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/028_zpskxun4lf8.jpg

 

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/034_zps5gc3pj9e.jpg

 

 

Alignment and symmetry of the corner accents ...

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/040_zpsixumnutd.jpg

 

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o704/tmleem4/JOURNALS/2015/206%20YUZEN%20Cranes%20I/041_zpscszmcrss.jpg

 

I think this is going to be a nice one

 

Have to next match the threads and the elastic bands ...

Edited December 23, 2015 by TMLee

[migo984]

Oh my word! I'm drooling over those karakami papers......

[Earthdawn]

And so the skill set moves up to the next level once again ...

 

That is just amazing work. Beautiful !!!

[DrCodfish]

Careful not to over do it. When you have such stunning papers you may want to scale back the dynamics of your craft. Plain brown paper may be an appropriate backdrop for your considerable skills, but when you are using such stunning elements let the paper and prints take the lead role.

 

This is something like woodworking: When you are using dramatic woods such as purple heart, zebrawood, or Q sawn oak it is best to keep the wood working and joinery more subtle. sometimes too much can look busy.

[I.M.]

Some people like busy!

[TMLee]

Thanks all for your comments.

 

And yes they are valid points too.

In fact , making sure the paper does not get overshadowed by anything else was the first consideration in selecting the accents.

 

Thats why the accent bookcloth remains a dark background colour yet able to match the purple hues of the crane motif.

 

The spine bookcloth accent I felt was a neater solution to keep the threads separate from the rather 'busy' (but beautiful) crane patterns.

 

The corner accents serve a functional purpose in keeping a larger sized journal from bumps and abrasions.

 

One of the important stages of visualising the cover design, is remembering not to forget the stitches, both in terms of colour and placement.

Something I learn from re-examining my past creations .

An example of this , is the design of the FPD2015 Journal where space needs to be carved out to let the stitches take its place on the completed covers.

 

In the above pics - the stitches are not there yet, so my guess is that , visually , we might be seeing slightly different things.

 

I do appreciate the comments, there's always room for improvement.

 

 

 

[TMLee]

The FPD2015 Journals are still available for sale if some of you are wondering ...

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/classifieds/item/37434-my-handcrafted-fpd2015-journals/

 

 

[RMN]

This megatopic has been rejuvenated for the new year.

 

You can find the 2016 version at:

 

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/302808-homemade-journal-2016/?do=findComment&comment=3529529

 

 

 

Enjoy the new lean topic

 

 

 

D.ick