Yesterday, I made a new comic diary --
The front cover
is a four selvedge tapestry
(woven hand spun coffee filters),
and the back,
a scrap of stiff cardboard
(it is nice to have something to lean on).
is a four selvedge tapestry
(woven hand spun coffee filters),
and the back,
a scrap of stiff cardboard
(it is nice to have something to lean on).
The paper inside
is Rives Lightweight printing paper.
It's got an odd texture for drawing
and is hard to erase thoroughly,
but I love that it is both thin
(I can get lots of pages in one book)
and highly absorbent
(I can slop watercolors and black ink
on both sides of every page
without any show through).
is Rives Lightweight printing paper.
It's got an odd texture for drawing
and is hard to erase thoroughly,
but I love that it is both thin
(I can get lots of pages in one book)
and highly absorbent
(I can slop watercolors and black ink
on both sides of every page
without any show through).
This time, as the drawing says,
I decided to use a four needle
Coptic binding --
well actually it is a two needle technique
(one needle on each end
of each piece of waxed linen thread),
and I did it twice.
Here is a link to the instructions
(thanks for the link Velma!),
which are wonderfully clear and easy to follow.
I decided to use a four needle
Coptic binding --
well actually it is a two needle technique
(one needle on each end
of each piece of waxed linen thread),
and I did it twice.
Here is a link to the instructions
(thanks for the link Velma!),
which are wonderfully clear and easy to follow.
It occurs to me now
(just a little belatedly)
that if I'd followed the binding directions as written,
I could have had a four color binding
instead of "just" two.
Phooey.
(just a little belatedly)
that if I'd followed the binding directions as written,
I could have had a four color binding
instead of "just" two.
Phooey.
Not that I'm all that wedded
to binding perfection
(as you can see from the pics),
but it is fun to mess around.
Maybe next time.
to binding perfection
(as you can see from the pics),
but it is fun to mess around.
Maybe next time.
I do try to draw in these diaries every day,
and with the decrease in size
of these last two books
(from 5" x 4 1/4" to 3" x 2 3/4"),
it's amazingly easy to fill four to six pages
without even really noticing
(rather than than one or two as before),
so if I keep this up
"next time" could come fairly soon--
even with the extra signatures
I added onto this new version.
and with the decrease in size
of these last two books
(from 5" x 4 1/4" to 3" x 2 3/4"),
it's amazingly easy to fill four to six pages
without even really noticing
(rather than than one or two as before),
so if I keep this up
"next time" could come fairly soon--
even with the extra signatures
I added onto this new version.
For comparison,
the big diary on the bottom
lasted for almost four months,
while the one in the middle
won't even make a month and a half.
the big diary on the bottom
lasted for almost four months,
while the one in the middle
won't even make a month and a half.
It could be that my life
has suddenly gotten MUCH more exciting.
has suddenly gotten MUCH more exciting.
It could also be
that the smaller pages
have influenced my style.
that the smaller pages
have influenced my style.
Or maybe its the influence
of the tiny houses--
though I'm not quite sure how.
of the tiny houses--
though I'm not quite sure how.
What I am sure of
is that the portability of the smaller format--
now enhanced by the extreme portability
of this teensy pocket palette
filled with handmade watercolors
created by K. Jodi Gear--
makes it extra easy
to have my materials with me
no matter where I am,
is that the portability of the smaller format--
now enhanced by the extreme portability
of this teensy pocket palette
filled with handmade watercolors
created by K. Jodi Gear--
makes it extra easy
to have my materials with me
no matter where I am,
or what I am doing.
