Even though I have a small stash of papers to bind my own sketchbook journals, I haven’t really been in the mood to get started on it. I also need to find a better quality glue before beginning on that project.
But for now, I am liking every Stillman & Birn sketchbook I’ve tried, especially the softcover versions. My current book is the deep blue Beta lying underneath this light blue Field Notes notebook that stays in my purse. And in the above sketch, two new books recently arrived by mail order: a Zeta landscape softcover and a Nova softcover with gray toned paper.
I still have nearly half of the Beta to fill, so there’s still time before I have to decide . . .
How fun! I can't wait to see the sketches that fill your new books!
ReplyDeleteThe Nova is lighter-weight paper than I usually like, but I’ve been wanting to play more on toned paper — love using black and white inks on that! The Zeta, while being the heavier paper I prefer, is smoother like hot press paper (I use cold press in most of those I bind myself). The landscape orientation in a full-size journal is another challenge, but I love how Liz Steel uses the space in hers!
ReplyDeleteI have several different journals all started and only one totally finished: several moleskines, a beta Stillman and Birn, a couple perfect sketchbooks, and a couple handbound journals. My favorites are the ones I make myself because they are the size I like and filled with paper I prefer. Now if I could just find more time to fill them. 😉
ReplyDeleteIn the 11 years I’ve kept sketchbook journals, I’ve pretty much stuck with one at a time, except sometimes maybe an additional small pocket-sized one like the smaller one above, and I fill the whole book before moving on. But this time I may change — Sometimes I want to work on white paper and sometimes toned paper; I can’t see staying in the toned journal the whole time!
DeleteHand bound journals are always the best! I like having a variety of papers in the same book, and I love a nearly square shape best. But I don’t want to take the time right now and I do need to find a better glue. Unless I go do the open-spine version . . .