Bare minimal sketching kit

 

I don’t know you my fellow sketchers, but over the years, I’m sure we are all in the same boat when I say that we have tried different sketching materials for multiple reasons. After having used a fair number of sketchbooks, watercolor palettes, pens and other goodies, my ultimate goal is to reduce my sketching gear to the bare minimal, the “to go” kit. Yes, I’m still looking to reach that point, after many years of sketching. My hopes are high to see if this will be it. 

One of the last sketchbooks I tried was the Hahnemühle A6 100% cotton. This sketchbook is bigger that other A6 popular sketchbook brands. I loved the size. I filled this sketchbook faster that others that I haven’t finished and started first!

So I made lay flat binding sketchbooks like the Hahnemühle size with material that I had at home. I used Japanese book cloth and paper, 0.06 board, Hot Press Stonehenge Aqua watercolor paper. The sketchbooks have 20 sheets or 40 pages. I rounded the corners also.

This beautiful Japanese paper is supposed to be resistant to wearing. I used a plastic cover to protect previous sketchbooks made with this very same paper, but I didn’t want to do the same for these new ones. Soooo, I copied the Midori  (Traveler’s Notebook) system to protect the new sketchbook and carry it comfortably and made it to this specific size. I cut a piece of leather, sealed some plastic to hold the slim palette and plan to carry one line maker (either pencil or pen) and a water brush, that’s it.

This is how it looks. I hope this is it. 😉

Learning to make paste paper

 I’ve never heard of paste paper before. With a few online tutorial videos I thought this creative project could be fun. I used what I had at hand, copy and stock paper, corn starch and acrylic paint, the one is used for crafts.

First I made the paste of corn starch in water 1:10. Let it cool, it was a little warm when I used, and added about 1 to 2 teaspoons of acrylic paint to ¾ cup of mix. 

I submerged the paper to wet it, removed the excess of water with a sponge helping to smooth the paper on a flat surface and to remove any trapped bubbles. Then an even layer of paste was applied with a wide brush. The patterns were made with my fingers and a cut plastic fork. I had to be very careful to transfer the copy paper from my working table to the drying surface, I ripped some corners, so I used a small spatula to pick them up carefully. The card stock was easier to handle. Here’s what I got.

I applied applied a layer of varnish Liquitex on both sides of sample of paste paper made with copy paper. I wanted to test how it behaves for bookbinding projects. It’s manageable, it glues well, but it’s still delicate. I think this paper can be used as end paper for bookbinding or for books you don’t care if they damage with use.

Here’s a sample of varnished paper glued to a board. 

I don’t know if I liked making paste paper, it’s a bit messy, but it was fun to experience something new to me.