In The Works

I'm running out of journal pages to sketch on, so it's time for some bookbinding. Every time I do this I need to tell myself to have patience. There are many steps in binding a journal and it does't get the rewards as fast as a sketch journal entry. I think the sketch journal encourages fast results. Bookbinding takes time, so it's a different mindset. Here are seven text blocks (the guts of a book), ready for covers. I'm still exploring different sketching papers, so there are three types here. Seems like nobody posts pictures of the intermediate form of a book.

I find the whole bookbinding process quite satisfying. I tend to be detail-oriented so the careful steps don't scare me away. It's also nice that it's so low-tech. I can get absorbed in the process without "needing" the latest technology this or that tool, which costs a lot of money.

FYI - The work surface is a folding table in our family room. It's a temporary abode, but it's cold out and this room has a wood-burning stove for supplemental heat. Love the ambiance. It beats my sketch table in the unfinished section of our basement. What I prefer is our dining table, with its firm surface, windows to the back yard and access to radio, food and the coffee pot! But when I use it, I need to clean up and move every mealtime. Life is a compromise.