Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Making books

Over the past couple of months I've started working on a new form of art - bookbinding. I gathered information from the internet and I'm teaching myself how to make books. I'm absolutetly obsessed and I'm enjoying every moment spent cutting, sewing, and gluing.
Having spent many years working in colored pencil, I was finding it hard to stay motivated and challenged - and a colored pencil drawing takes a long time to finish when you're as anal about detail like I am. I can finish a book in a couple of days so the gratification is constant.
I've always loved paper and have collected little trinkets, beads, fabric and buttons all my life. I thought I could combine these and come up with something that I hope is unique.
I'm making sketchbooks, notebooks, recipe books, garden journals, wedding books, baby books, photo albums, scrapbooks, travel journals - the possibilities are endless.
I think it's a good idea to push beyond your comfort zone and try something new. We sometimes get stuck with something that we've become good at since it's a great feeling to master a skill. But learning is growing, and I highly recommend the challange.