Back in the day (in the 1990s—yikes!) I took a number of Adult Ed printmaking/bookmaking classes at our local art school—a great way to exercise the other side of my largely scientific brain. I loved bookmaking so much because it involved the “comforts” of measuring and orderly construction, but still allowed for artful elements like stamping, paper marbling, and creating paste papers, etc. (Thank you, Lisa, for so many years of instruction, patience, good humor, and friendship!)
Though I haven’t made any books for years, it’s something I’d like to get back into after I retire. There’s so much satisfaction in creating a book—something to hold and use however you wish.
In the meantime, it’s so cool to have a friend (hi, Johnny!) who’s teaching himself bookmaking/bookbinding and has created a great little business, Pencil Revolution Press, to sell his beautiful creations. I’m not buying notebooks, except when I am, like when I picked up this recent summery Strawberries and Cream edition.
The book is 5-1/4″ x 4-1/8″—not too big, not too small—and lays flat for easy use of the dot-grid paper. Here’s Johnny’s complete description:
Have your cake, and eat it, too! These books are bound in the innovative Secret Belgian (AKA Criss-Cross) binding, allowing a hardcover book with a spine board to open wide, like a Coptic-bound book. For nourishment, I filled them with creamy “Baronial Ivory” from Neenah’s Classic Crest line. This dot-gridded stock loves fountain pen ink, graphite, and dessert!
(Dessert in book form? I mean, c’mon—how could I resist?!)
What will I use if for? I haven’t completely decided, but I think I’ll turn it into a photo diary to hold my 2″ x 3″ Sprocket printer photos with a few handwritten thoughts about each photo. The book feels like the perfect size for that little project.
Bookmaking remains close to my heart. Those classes were so relaxing and meditative—full of laughter and fun creative work. Good times I’ll never forget despite the passage of so much time.
Someday I’ll dive in again, but until then, I’m grateful for bookmakers like Johnny who offer their time and talents to the stationery community and beyond.
“That’s the thing with handmade items. They still have the person’s mark in them, and when you hold them, you feel less alone.” -Aimee Bender
So so true.
From the Pen Cup 