Commercial Journal Personality

Front cover with my acrylic painting on watercolor paper.

The last journal I used was huge and bulky and I decided to change things up. So, instead of hand binding a mixed paper journal using the sewn-over-tapes method, I bought a blank 8.50" x 11" Cachet Sketchbook and added one of my paintings to the cover. Instant personality! As you can see, I did not cover the spine area so the painting doesn't interfere with opening and closing of the book.

I have long used this sketchbook brand in a smaller size, mainly for writing, before I began painting and bookbinding. 

For me, the limitations are the paper and binding style. 70 lb. paper mainly likes dry media (although I have used acrylics and watercolors sparingly before). And this hard bound spine will not tolerate too many glued-in items before you need to remove pages to keep it from bulging.

The advantages are larger pages and a much more portable journal. I'm finding ways to alter the blank white pages such as cutting parts of a full page away and playing with long-neglected color pencils.

Back cover with the other part of my painting.