Handmade hardbound sketchbooks.

I'm sooo happy with my newest creations. I finally learned how to hand bookbinding properly. I made this sketchbooks with watercolor paper of different makers. For so long I've heard so many reviews of papers that for me it is hard to remember the features of each paper, there are so many! So I decided to invest in a project to test them myself. 

I don't like having tested paper in lose sheets of paper, so a book seemed like a good idea to keep them all together and also I can practice my bookbinding, a recently learn skill. I will test the paper as I make sketches the way I do sketch, I think that would work well. 

36 sheets, 72 pages  Cold Press 140 lb 7.5" x 7.25"

The first sketchbook I made is a combo of seven makers of watercolor paper, all cold press 140 lb. I bought a sample package of half sheets. The challenge was to square the paper and to find the dimensions that would use most paper. I had to consider the grain of the paper, they were all different! I ended up doing a 7 x 7 (nominal), a very convenient size that fits in my purse and I think I will be very comfortable with.

 24 sheets, 48 pages Hot Press 140 lb 11" x 7.5"

The other one is made with three hot press watercolor paper makers, 140 lb. It's been a while since I used hot press paper. I used it in studio years ago but never on location, so although I've use it before, using it on location will be new experience. I also included some non-watercolor paper in order to write, like a journal. Sometimes I want to write thoughts about the location or the process. I like to have my drawings with nothing written on them, not even the date, so I'll see how this work out. 

I had to come out with a non invasive system to identify the paper I'm working at a time. I colored the edges of the paper, one color per maker and wrote the reference in the back of the sketchbook. I hope this works, everything is a test about this project.

I can't wait to try these custom made books! They are destined to travel with me to Mexico this winter. Woo hoo!