Making More Sketchbooks – and Filling Them Up…

There’s so much about bookbinding I find fascinating: the various stitching methods, the tools….making covers… Given time I hope to delve into it more. For now I’ve chosen to use relatively simple and quick bookbinding techniques for my sketchbooks – namely: “Perfect” binding, “Saddle stitch”, and more recently “Accordion” styles.

In the above picture, the one on the top left is “Saddle” stiched – though I used staples, instead of thread. The others I bound with glue – using the “Perfect” binding method. I printed some of my art for their covers. (*There’s many really helpful YouTube tutorials about “Bookbinding”…I’ve inserted a few quick ones in this post). The top left cover I painted directly with watercolour, and for the bottom right cover I enlarged and printed a part of it, to which I then added some more watercolour.

*Below is an example of the “Perfect” binding method, in a tutorial by “Sea Lemon”. She has many excellent bookbinding tutorials. In bookbinding tutorials I’ve watched there are sometimes small variables on how you can do the “Perfect” binding method (and others).

This type of “Accordion” book is sometimes referred to as a “Meandering” accordion fold. It’s folded from one sheet of paper, after certain cuts are made to the paper. Below is a quick video by “Ingrid Brook-Kothlow” on how to make one. Quite an unruly type of sketchbook, which I rather like!

The two on the right are more “Meandering” style accordion books, with covers. I enjoy folding them (made from one sheet of paper) and love the rambling way about them. They can also be held and opened page by page. I glued heavy weight card/paper for covers; and painted designs on them. The one on the left is an “Accordion” fold – two sheets of paper folded and joined with masking tape in the middle.

In this little “Meandering” style accordion book (as seen closed above) I glued some of the pages together for more structure. If not it can be quite unruly to handle, and thats ok too!

Watercolour and coloured pencil. For this simple “Accordion” fold sketchbook I sliced in half, length wise, a piece of A4 drawing paper. Then did folds in both halves, and joined them together with masking tape. The paper is 200gsm, heavy weight enough so when I place it upright it will stand easily. I may add more to the length. Also to finish it I may add a cover each end, and attach a ribbon to keep it together.

The video below is from a YouTube Chanel called “Bookbinding Studio”. It shows an example of this simple type of accordion fold book – joined together a little differently. *Of course there are various ways you can join paper together – and also add covers in whatever bookbinding method you use. Good fun experimenting!

Some of watercolour and ink pen sketches in my handmade sketchbooks, and two A6 paintings in the middle.

This is drawn on 2 pages from a stapled (saddle stitch style) sketchbook I made. I used light weight cartridge paper for this type of binding, as it tends to lay flatter that heavy weight paper. I began the drawing with inkpen, and also used yellow neo pastel (non soluble) I like how the neo pastel resists the watercolour washes.

Below is a video by “Sea Lemon”, making a “Saddle” stitch book. She is using thread, which I occasionally do, though more often I use a stapler.

In this post here are examples of some “Saddle stitch books I made using a stapler.

Little sketchbooks — A basket of little sketchbooks. The one at the front with the house is tiny; I folded it from an A5 sheet of heavy weight cartridge paper. Each folded page is about 3cm x 5cm..1” x 2”.

I love to mainly work/play with water based media on paper, and try out different types of paper textures and thicknesses (for my inkjet printing as well). And enjoy all the processes of handling paper. Making sketchbooks is an added pleasure. Sometimes a whole sketchbook can be a piece of art in itself. Also I enjoy making them to give to others, to fill up with their own artwork.

Thank you for visiting. Hope you have a lovely creative day!