My deepest most emphatic thanks to the 21 intrepid sketchers/bookmakers who attended tonight's portrait party. We made our goal and finished all the books by 9:25 p.m.!
I had eight great helpers: Janice Parranto, Marsha Micek, Suzanne Hughes, Miss T., Karen Englebretson, Rachel Nusbaum, Tom Winterstein, Barb Gibson, and Jean Shannon. (Dick also came after the sketching to help with hole drilling.) Each had more than one task at different times of the evening. They all kept things running smoothly. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help and input.
This is the day of the year I look forward to more than any other. It's as exciting as bookbinding gets—a group of people creating content and making an editioned book in 2.5 hours. Aren't photocopiers grand? Isn't sketching marvelous? Isn't staring at someone for 10 minutes an education?
I will always cherish this book and the wonderful way you each captured your drawing partner. I have looked through the book several times this evening and can't stop smiling.
There was one "glitch." Because we were an uneven number I paired myself with two people and did portraits of each of them in 6 minutes. (Each artist had a two-minute warm up and a 10-minute final sketch allotment so I sat still for the first 12 minutes while Marsha and Rachel sketched me, and then sketched each of them for 6 minutes of my 12-minute time allotment.) On the lighter side that means there are two portraits of me in the book (a sort of infiltration).
But it took my mind off any notion of taking photos! I sadly have no photos of the group making books. When I bind the archive copy I will take a photo of the books and post that. We used the Japanese stab binding format from last year because it cuts down on photocopying time (single-sided sheets), and the folded sheets minimize show through.
Next year I'll have to arrange for a non-sketching volunteer photographer.
We were able to cut our production time down by precutting all the templates and by having five people drilling holes for everyone with electric drills. (Beats trying to use awls!) I plan on keeping these improvements in the future.
Think about joining us next year if you have missed the fun so far. Once again it will be the third Monday of January 2013! It's a great group of people and how fun is it to come home with a book at the end of an evening!
Thank you all!
And thank you to MCBA for believing that this is the way adults should spend their evenings.
If you would like to read more about past portrait parties with this group and see information and photos on the pamphlet structure we made the first year and the Japanese stab bindings we have done these past two years please follow this link. (Look for a video on binding the book in the next two weeks.)
