Making book
A few people have asked me what sort of books I make my journals in, so here's the short answer:
I bound all the books in this group. It's not as hard as I first thought and let me choose the paper, size and shape I wanted They are not terribly long so I can have the thrill of a new volume and the book itself won't get too dinged up from being toted around everywhere. #1 is in linen with a slipcase, #6 has a foil stamp I did with a die I designed, #7 was a travel journal for a trip to Death Valley.
After I left a journal on a plane and never got it back, I lost the heart to bind books #8 & 10 but I will some day. #11 is an old boy's adventure novel that I refilled with watercolor paper and is a big fat journal with no writing in it at all, just drawings and watercolors. #12 is full of drawings of New York I did for #13 which was an edition (1/1) of Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince I did for Patti's birthday. #14 is another rebound book.
These are all Moleskines, the small kind with drawing paper. #20 has an inlaid initial made of multicolored chicken shells that my friend Quentin Webb made for me. I dedicated it entirely to self portraits.
I had gone away from drawings for a while and did a lot of digital photos and mini-polaroids so I made this all black#22. #23 is a larger Moleskine I kept on a retreat from NY after 9/11. The books I favor these days are very rough and simple and bound for me by my sister, Miranda, who is a printer. #25 is my greatest hits album and with a few mouse clicks and just $10.47 can be on your own shelf in days.
These are various and sundry books. #28 was the journal I kept when Patti was pregnant and which is the basis for a new book I wrote last summer, #29 is the travel journal we kept on our New York vacation, #30 is from a trip to Bermuda and #31 is a pile of the books I use just for writing in and are far more self-indulgent and whiney than even the things you've seen so far on this site.
God, looking at them all arrayed like this instead of shoved in their cupboards makes me seem enormously self-involved, self-aggrandizing, narcissistic and horrible.
(More on that in a few days).
A record of my exploration into all aspects of drawing, illustrated journaling, creativity, and the inspiring aspects of art. By the author of "Everyday Matters," "The Creative License", and "An Illustrated Life" and other books.
Comments
I've almost finished one journal (from rag&bone bindery) and I'm so proud of it. Now I'm looking for the second one. I have several moleskines (easy to get here) laying aorund, but I think they are too small (pocket size). Maybe I should look at the larger versions of them.
Or make them myself. I love bookbinding, but are unsure if I can make a good one which I'll also use (I'm in a beginners stage with bookbinding). :) Can you draw/write easily with black pens on watercolor paper?
It's beautifull to see your collection!
Posted by: Marloes | January 8, 2004 11:04 PM
I don't normally comment on weblogs, i like paper so much better.
Sometimes your work and what you chose to express through your writing etc. make me forget to breathe. You seem to be the kind of person who i wish to someday (when i have a yard/house/dog) to be my neighbor so i can invite you and your fam to tea and we can discuss stupid things and laugh.
Currently i am obsessed with making things (books/wallets) out of paint chips.
Posted by: Sara | January 9, 2004 12:44 AM
Thank you for sharing your works and stories. It makes me feel hopeful again about pursuing my dreams. I'm grateful for being introduced to your site by my good friend and will be getting your book so I can remind myself to not be so uptight about my sketches. After all, they are sketches. By the way, I love your journals. They're absolutely creative and inspiring.
Posted by: Henny | January 9, 2004 04:11 AM
Seeing your work made me realize I don't have to be neurotic about mistakes on my sketches.
To date, I have two journals. The newer one, I got from a thrift store for 60 pesos (roughly $1.09) which I almost always draw and write on.
The other journal, made of italian leather and hand binded with string (the paper is made of cotton and paper as I was informed by the artist)is good for watercolor. This was bought in Soho for $20. I bring this journal with me on plane trips where idle time stretches for so long.
I love your work!
Thank you for being such a great inspiration.
Posted by: Mel | January 9, 2004 04:52 AM
Your web log is so inspiring, honest and great fun. It's become a regular stopping off point for me when I log on.
I am glad to see you have a wide array of journals and books... Have always felt I had a manic obsession with stationery as I seem to have so many books for different things! But looking at others comments and your entry, seems I am not alone..... And pens, well, that's a whole other story.....
Was given your book as a christmas present and keep glancing through it and noticing new things every day. Strange coincidence was I spent christmas in Wales with my family (very near Bridgend), so was SO surprised to see your pages on your trip there.
Would be great if you could write a piece on starting to draw - how you learnt, any books that may be good, fun practice rountines, tips, words of encouragement, whatever!
Keep up the momentum with the weblog - is great to log on and see something new!
best wishes from UK
lou
Posted by: lou | January 9, 2004 05:22 AM
I found your blog through christine's "good things" list, and I'm very impressed and intrigued. Thanks for sharing pictures of all your journals -- I too have a stationery addiction/obsession, and have always felt guilty about it, but less so now thanks to you. :)
We need more people like you to tell the truth in words, pictures, images, and lines -- the world would be a better place. (God, that sounds cheesy. Forgive me. I mean it.)
Posted by: canuck | January 9, 2004 11:04 AM
BEAUTIFUL blog!
Posted by: jimmyt | January 9, 2004 12:14 PM
Beautiful.
Inspiring.
Rockin!
Thank you.
Where did you find those lovely Mole Skin unlined Notebooks? I have been combing the web for something similar to those, but have come up empyty. Any URL you may have handy I would sure appreciate!
Thanks again,
Myra
Posted by: Myra | January 9, 2004 05:37 PM
Will you scan and show some of the self portraits here on your blog?
I love to make books. I found your site through the accolades on Bookslut. Congradulations and well done.
Posted by: Stephanie Merchant | January 9, 2004 07:02 PM
A truly beautiful collection. Boy am I glad that Loobylu linked to your blog. Wow...
(writing smiling with jaw still dropped.)
(happy.)
Posted by: Witold Riedel | January 9, 2004 09:39 PM
The photos of your journals made me get that adrenaline rush like when I walk into an incredible indepedent bookstore, or a shoe sale at Bloomie's!
Posted by: Loretta | January 9, 2004 11:01 PM
I found your site through BookSlut and I absolutely love it. This entry, especially, is inspirational.
Looking forward to the entry about your supposedly being self-involved and narcissistic. :D
Patrick
Posted by: Patrick Stephenson | January 10, 2004 04:34 AM
I've just realized that the "More on this soon," was in fact in reference to the whole journaling topic rather than just the line at the end about self-involvement — to which I still say, thumbs up. (Why I made this mistake: I'm either stupid or I'm up too late. Both.)
An addition, though. I've decided to follow your lead and gather my writing together in a journal my sister gave me a few months ago.
Thanks again,
Patrick
Posted by: Patrick Stephenson | January 10, 2004 05:30 AM