Extreme Sketchbook Makeover!

So it occurs to me I haven't posted a photo of my second attempt at making my own sketchbook. So here it is.



Much better results than the first try, that's for sure. The stitching is way better, and the ends of the pages line up better than with Dani Jones' method. I like how she does covers though, so I'm sticking with that part.

Now back at Christmas, my mother sent me a sketchbook as part of the usual shipment of presents, which was very thoughtful, nice, etc. Trouble was, the backing board had creased during shipment, making it harder to use. That, and it's a bit of an awkward size to put on a scanner and so forth. So since then it's been languishing in my art materials drawer, waiting for a good purpose.

Here's what it looks like:



Fast forward to today, finding myself at home due to a bit of...let's call it "gastric distress" this morning leading me to call in sick. So here I am with unexpected time on my hands, so what to do? Why, tear out half the pages and make a custom sketchbook using an old Judy Francesconi calendar, of course!

I think you'll agree, there's been some improvement.




70 pp, 50 gsm paper, 9x5.75" pages, hardcover.

Craftsy not Artsy

So check me out! I decided to do something I've never one before and made my own sketchbook! It's about 8 1/2 x 5 1/4", just perfect to fit in my purse or whatever, and comes with a stylish hard cover that'll survive a lot of what I'm likely to throw at it. 48 pages.

I used this tutorial, and while I really like the cover setup, I can't say I'm fond of the binding stitch. I wasn't able to make it tight enough for my liking. So I'm probably going to see if I can modify this one instead for my next one.

This book's likely to get filled up with life sketches, since I'm getting interested in that these days.