new journal, partly bound

My next sketchbook journal is only partly put together. This leather cover is meant to hold refillable traveler’s diary pages, with elastic bands holding folded folios together. I folded pages of Fabriano Artistico and Stonehenge 150# watercolor papers, sewing them together as I normally do. But instead of making a cover for it now, I’m putting the book block in this leather cover while I fill it. After the pages are filled, I’ll make a permanent cover for it.

After folding papers and creasing the folds, I like to let them sit under these antique irons for a few days. They once belonged to Bill’s grandmother.

The leather cover came with a binder clip and pen loop, but my regular fountain pens don’t fit in the pen loop. My Kaweco Liliput fountain pen does fit though!

The elastic band holding the journal closed is built in.

As per usual, I added a watercolor palette to the first page — but instead of sketching one of my palettes or a few pens, I painted random dots of the colors I’m using in this book.

For years, I’ve arranged my palette in “rainbow order” but I’m shaking things up this time. I just arranged my studio palette after Jane Blundell’s studio brass palette — 4 rows of limited palettes, cool, warm, earth, and dark. Plus 2 or 3 other colors just for fun.

Maybe I’ll sketch it after the leaves I’m working on.