Hand-Bound Art Journals

Eureka! I finally figured out how to do the coptic stitching for my hand-bound journals. I've been doing them a different way and wasn't entirely happy with the results. I prefer the coptic stitch because it makes the spine so cool, and you can sew the signatures individually and together all at the same time! My earlier method was more awkward. This is the cover for my first successful coptic or kettle stitched journal - and I'm excited about it! Yes, I know, when it comes to art I'm very excitable. Just show me a few shades of red, pink, blue and orange and you'll get me going. This whole realm or genre of artist books and visual journals is really interesting. There is such a rich variety out there, and people are so creative! It's all very inspiring to me.

I work with rough press watercolor paper for the covers or outside - I think it's 140 lb., I'm not exactly sure, but 140 sounds right. And the inside pages are Strathmore's Bristol 100 lb paper - really nice heavy weight but with a vellum finish. I gesso each page, and they stand up nicely to acrylic paint, glue and gel medium. There's a little more that I would like to add to this page - some steam rising from the cup to curl all over as the hand-drawn design element, and maybe just a few other embellishments. One thing about collage that I'm learning - I can keep on adding to a page, and sometimes it's hard to know when to just leave it alone! This one is definitely NOT done yet - there is more negative space that I'd like to fill. The pieces aren't connected yet. We're supposed to get a winter storm tonight - so this might inspire me to get out my gel medium and get glue-happy! I'm so glad that I was born an ARTIST !! I wouldn't have my life any other way!

Happy creating everyone,
Kate