Sketchbook Project (Non) Update

Back when I was on summer vacation, I posted about an exciting new project that I had just signed up for – the Sketchbook Project.

That excitement was short lived as shortly after receiving it, I went back to work. So my moleskin is in the exact state it was during my last post…empty. Finally today I had an (almost) entire Sunday free, and my plan was get inspired and create. Well, best laid plans…

As I spent some time getting ready to work I became more and more concerned about the very thin paper inside the sketchbook. I like to work with ink and watercolor and acrylics and glue, and usually work in watercolor journals. I had a strong feeling that it would not hold up very well.

My feelings were soon reality. I took out my Copics and played around a little on the first page. The colors were nice and didn’t seem to bleed across the page too much.

However, it did bleed to the pages 2 and 3….

and 4!

I knew that I would not be happy with this. I could always put a blotter page behind the first page, but that doesn’t help with page 2. It would bother me a lot to not use the back pages of the journal and would limit me to doing single page spreads instead of full page.

So instead of starting any creating today, I decided to take the book apart and refill it with the paper that I wanted to use.
Luckily these Moleskins have a stitched binding and I was able to cut and pull the thread fairly easily
and remove the thin paper.

I cut some lightweight watercolor paper and some regular drawing paper down to size, folded it, measured and punched the holes. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a needle large enough to rebind the sketchbook with my paper. I ordered one online, but now I have to wait until it come in and I have another free day to make the book and finally start working in it!

Hopefully the next time I post about the Sketchbook Project, I will actually have some sketching to post!