Danny Gregory and I Discuss Visual Journaling From May 2008: Part one of a two-part podcast. Danny Gregory, author of "An Illustrated Life," talks to me about journaling, art media, and materials…The second part is in the same location. Be sure to check out the great interviews he does with other artists included in his book!
Finding Bits of Time Ricë Freeman-Zachery, author of "Creative Time and Space," talks to me about finding time to be creative. (Taped October 23, 2009.)
Left: An artist's book I made using some of my 2011 Minnesota State Fair Sketches and a black and white photocopier. The covers have a window cut out and a tipped in color print of my Spin Art.
For two Monday evenings this spring—March 26 and April 2—from 6 to 9 p.m. I will be teaching a class on creating artist's books using the black and white photocopier as your press at MCBA.
Learn how to prepare and layout art and text to create an artist's book to be printed on the photocopier. In the first session we will discuss ways to gather, to size, and to create artwork that will reproduce well on the black and white toner copier. (You do not have to be computer savvy to create your final masters—paste-up techniques will be demonstrated. Alternately you can elect to work on the computer and I can give you suggestions for that as well.)
We will discuss ideas for layout and design. You'll learn the various parts of the book and their importance and function. Students will also learn how to customize the size of their final structure.
Students will then have a week to prepare their printing masters on their own. During session two we will print your pages, fold and collate them. The pages will then be bound into a Japanese stab bound book with decorative sewing and a colorful paper cover.
This is the perfect way to make editioned artist's books, or share your work and images with friends and family to commemorate a special occasion. Each student will make 2-3 copies of her/his book in class, but will retain the masters for future copy-making.
Working with color (on color printers or color copiers) and different cover options will also be discussed.
Join me to start planning and creating your next artist's book today!
$90 ($80 for MCBA members) + $15 supply fee
Early bird registration for certificate program enrollees: $80/$70, expires 2/27
Above: First sketch in a series of "sketchy" dogs, with splashes of paint. I had a Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Calligraphy pen (black) at hand and some almost used up gouache on a plate. I just wanted to move the brush around. This is a page spread from a recently completed journal I made with Velin Arches (formerly known as Arches Text Wove); when closed the journal is approx. 6 x 8 inches. I was working from my dog park photos up on my computer screen. I needed to paint something before going to bed. This was the warm up for what would be a three-piece series (more posts to come) which is also a theme. Click on the image to view an enlargement.
Awhile back I wrote a note to my journaling students about themes. I wanted to share some of my thoughts here.
I think one of the great joys of keeping a journal is watching to see the themes that emerge, so I like to encourage people to think about THEMES consciously: the themes in your life, the themes that pop up in your day, the themes for creative projects that you keep returning to or would like to keep returning to.
How does this relate to journaling?
Visual journaling over time actually helps us clearly identify the themes that keep showing up in our lives. One would have to be blind to look through my journals and not see that I love dogs and birds, always draw road kill, make frequent visits to the Zoos and Bell Museum, always sketch people at the allergist's office, and am distracted by (attracted to) small insignificant things that many people simply walk past.
And that's just a few of the obvious themes. It isn't just a matter of subject matter occuring repeatedly over time. Themes emerge out of how I handle and address the subject matter. Attitudes become obvious.
The same reader of my journals could also see that there are some themes of avoidance as well—I don't like to draw scenes, rarely do landscapes, don't sketch a lot of architecture.
Since I see that as well, when I look through my journals I often set goals for myself to work on what I think would stretch me—those very things that I avoid.
Sometimes a friend will mention something to us and that will keep that item or event in our mind. For the past couple of years my friend Ken Avidor has been interested in sketching snow piles. He's searching for the largest piles he can find (the huge ones the city creates with snow trucked out of the roadways). His interest and his drawings inspired me this past winter to sketch a couple snow piles of my own, in my journal. This led to a bit of a game for me. I started looking for snow piles simply so that I could sketch them and report back to Ken. And that game led in turn to the creation of my Snow Piles Zine for the MCBA Visual Journal Collective Journal Swap.
That's the fun and serendipity of themes—the more you notice and work on something in your journal, the more it is available to you for other creative pursuits. You see things with more detail and not just the details that you draw.
Something you can start right now: Over the next month keep your eyes open for themes that are popping up in your journal (and your life). Think about how you can capture them visually. Generate themes for yourself that will help you work on your drawing skills. Pick subject matter that interests you, that comes out of you and is not externally imposed. Listen to what is calling you. Don't worry if it isn't attractive or interesting to anyone else. Find what appeals to you, what calls to you. Write about what you see popping up in your life. (Every year the MCBA VJC has a portrait party and I make a point to deliberately work on my people sketching skills well in advance of the meeting; with the result that over the years there has been improvement and I sketch more people all the time.)
Another way to use themes in your journaling is to check whether or not you are dwelling on negative images and thoughts. We all have sad and tragic things happen to us. We need to acknowledge them. But we also need to move our focus beyond those events to the wonderful things that happen and can happen when we open our hearts and minds. If you look in your journal and discover that you are returning again and again to visual images which touch a tragic or negative point in your life, use themes to switch gears. Set yourself a positive theme as a goal.
This doesn't mean you are pushing your feelings under a rug or avoiding thinking about the serious events in your life. In fact, over time, if you practice meeting all the events in your life head on with honest journaling I believe you'll increase your ability to move out of negativity, grief, despair, and stagnation. You won't be carrying baggage with you. You'll be focusing your energy on positive growth. You will move more quickly into new areas in your life taking the learning with you.
I use my visual journal to record things I'm grateful for, even in the midst of stressful times. The result is that when I look through my journals the happy and wonderful moments are clearly represented, and if anything my memories are skewed more in their favor. It makes facing new stress easier. Stress is a part of life.
And because my visual journal is skewed towards the wondrous it actually brings more positivity into my life because I keep looking for more of the same.
So look for those themes that you've already done and redone which aren't helping you in your world view or your skills.Decide that you will leave off working on them for the time being and instead focus on new themes of interest, like the light on a bird's wing, or hair on the muzzle of your dog.
Themes which touch our gratitude and sense of awe have power to transform us in marvelous and healthy ways. And because we love the subject they also provide built in stamina to come at the theme again and again.
When I started my Daily Dots project in 1998 I was coming off a year-long daily writing project and looking for something more visual for a year-long daily project (I didn't even think I would be doing it until her death, almost 5 years later).
Also, even though Emma (my first Alaskan Malamute, Dottie's Aunt, who overlapped with Dottie for the first 6 years of Dottie's life) had been gone for 2 years already, I was still in the grieving process, prolonged because of other issues in my life at the time.
Focusing on Dottie during this period helped me clear up so many things in my mind and heart. I was able to let go of the grief I had over losing Emma. I was able to focus on all the positive things happening in my life, I was daily working on my drawing and observational skills in a way that was different than my regular journal keeping—a way which changed and still informs how I keep a visual journal.
So much benefit simply by finding a theme I loved and sticking with it.
Look for these themes in your life because they will increase your commitment to journaling and help you retain access to your creativity regardless of what pops up in your life. At the same time you'll be making room for serendipity to enter your creative life and projects.
Above: the completed zine sets in their simple cases. Each will be put in an archival plastic bag. Click on the image to view an enlargement.
In March 2011 the MCBA Visual Journal Collective had a Journal Zine Swap. Participants made an 8-page zine on a journal topic (either direct journaling or a compilation of journaling pages).
When the Journal Zine Swap was completed we had 8 additional sets of zines. One was purchased immediately by a visitor to the group that evening. One set is going to MCBA for the Library. The remaining 6 sets are going to be sold this summer at MCBA. (I'll post details as I learn more how this will be handled, auction or direct purchase.)
As I set about making the 6 additional cases needed so the sets could be sold, I realized that some people reading this blog might not have gone through the process of making an "edition" or a bunch of cases for an art project. I decided to take some quick photos to break down the process.
If you haven't completed a project like this before it might seem too large and intimidating. Once you start breaking a project down like this you'll find your approach to everything from cooking dinner to brushing the dog might change! So whether you're binding a series of books or painting a bunch of pages in your journals take time to do a little planning. Make a list of steps that will keep you on track and ensure that you use your time as productively as possible.
1. Make a prototype. I did this before the March meeting and also had an unglued prototype that I glued up at that meeting as a demo. Making a prototype will allow you to work out any problems before you go into production. You'll verify that you are making your case wide enough for the edition or set you are containing. You will work out any construction difficulties that need to be modified. This can be the most interesting and fun portion of the project as you get to solve problems creatively. (If you've never made a prototype before I recommend you start with some simple thumbnail sketches in which you note down the aspects of the prototype and guestimates of the measurements.)
Above: Prototype for the cases. This one shows the labels in position. Also, since this prototype was glued together at the meeting I had to cut it apart for my production run (to remind myself of the measurements etc.) so some of the tabs are cut off. But here you see all the labels as they need to be positioned.
2. Make a list of steps in the order needed for efficient completion of the entire production run. For example, on my list for this case making project I needed to cut and fold 6 cases (gluing would come later). You might step back even further and begin by cutting 6 strips of paper that are the right size from which to cut and fold your case. (I didn't have to do that because I knew I could fit 3 cases in a parent sheet of paper so I simply cut 1/3 off the sheet of paper as I needed it.)
3. At each step of production make additional (extra) pieces just in case you have an accident or problem and need a substitute piece. It is easier, for instance, to print out extra labels than to return to the computer for an additional label, print it, affix adhesive, trim, etc. just one extra label later.
4. If you can't work on and finish your project in a couple days be sure to take notes so that you can refresh your memory of the process and where you are in it. Try to completely finish a step before stopping for the day, or a break—this will help ensure consistency (e.g., we all fold slightly differently on any given day; if you do all your folding at once there will be consistency throughout the items).
5. Look for time-saving actions at each of your steps. This can be as simple as folding all the verticals before you fold horizontals (or vice versa); or doing all your folds before you do any cutting, etc.
Left: By printing out labels ganged on one sheet I saved time in trimming. I could trim all the right edges at one time, all the left edges at one time. That left only the tops and bottoms to trim individually. By placing your labels specific widths apart you can also make one cut instead of two when separating them at the top and bottom. More savings of action and time. Click on the image to view an enlargement. ("Ganged" is a printing term which means that items have been grouped together on a single sheet. You can gang items that are different so that you save on costs, or you can gang items that are similar, as I've done here, to speed up your production.)
6. Look for material saving actions. How can you best use your paper, bookcloth, etc. with the least waste? I find that doing all my gluing at one time as in this project, allowed me to save on glue because I could put out how much I thought I was going to need, and be a little on the skimpy side so that I wasn't wasting. That meant I didn't have lots of glue that was developing a skin. (I used PVA to glue the sides of the cases together.)
In this project I found a time and materials savings by realizing when I was trimming the labels that I could attach the participants list to the back of the case instead of putting it on a sheet of cardstock and inserting it into the case. This meant that I saved on trimming 6 pieces of cardstock as well as saving the actual cardstock. It also meant that I could add the list label at the same time as the other labels and only have one round of "burnishing." Another physical action savings. As you can see, planning becomes really fun for me. In part this is a function of years as a graphic designer—bidding on jobs and then working to get them done accurately but quickly. But it is also simply part of my character and the way my brain functions. How can I do something better in less time? Try it and see how fun it can be!
Use of the Xyron for the labels eliminated glue drying time from the label step! This allowed me to complete the entire project in an afternoon.
Another time savings for me was "eyeballing" the placement of the labels. I've been doing this for quite some time and my eyeballing skills, the placement of something by eye without any premeasuring, is pretty good. It makes no sense for me to take time to measure out the exact placement of each label. This is afterall a handmade item. What I do, when placing the labels is look for other "landmarks." On the case the obvious landmarks are the folds. Since I took time to cut the labels accurately with straight sides and 90 degree corners I can line them up visually parallel with those folds and they will look accurate to the eye. Also, by placing the participants list on the back panel first I now have a top and bottom edge (of that label) to look at when I place the spine labels. These labels will not all be visible at one time when the case is completed, but the fact that they have the same drop down from the fold gives a tidy and uniform appearance.
Above: A view of the cut and folded "case" before the labels have been affixed. Click on the image to view an enlargement.
Above: All the cases have been cut and folded. The labels have been attached and burnished into place. I find that having a stack of work completed at the end of each step is also a huge "morale" booster. You can see real progress on your edition. Click on the image to view an enlargement.
Above: Here the cases have all been glued together, or into shape as it were. They were left standing for an hour while I took a break. I wanted to be sure all the glue that might have seeped (I'm not known for seeping glue, but you want to be careful!) would be dry before the zines were inserted. The stacks of journal zines can be seen behind the cases. Click on the image to view an enlargement.
Another great reason to work out a production sequence is that not everyone has everything he needs at home! If you find that you can rent time on a cutter or a Xyron or some other type of equipment at a scrapbooking or office supply store it saves you MONEY to be organized when you arrive. It also saves you worry because you work quickly through your project in an orderly fashion, don't need to return for something you "forgot," and are less likely to lose any of your component parts.
Next time you have to finish an edition (of artist books, zines, cases, whatever) take a moment to break it down into steps. Short cuts will emerge. Hidden costs and problems will appear—and you'll be able to address them. As you work your way through the project you'll be buoyed up by your progress instead of stressed by tasks ahead.
It's amazing what a few weeks of warm temperatures can do, even with all the snow we had. I was with a friend, on our way to dinner, so I couldn't stop and sketch, but I had to share the "skeleton" of that snow pile with you.
Above: completed journal zine case. The open maroon case with journal spines sticking out, is made with Murano paper, the painted case was made with a sheet of pre-painted 140 lb. Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper. Click on the image to view an enlargement.
After the March meeting of the MCBA Visual Journal Collective, when we exchanged our Journal Zines and made a case for our zines I wrote that I would post instructions for the case. Here are some photos and instructions. The instructions assume that you have a working knowledge of folding and scoring with your bone folder and can determine paper grain direction.
Shameless Self Promotion:If you don't know how to measure and mark and score and fold your paper then I recommend that you sign up for my FREE visual journaling class at Strathmore Paper. (Click on workshop logo at the bottom left of their homepage and then click on register—it's FREE. Next find workshop 3 which is mine.)
In one of the lessons I demonstrate how to mark, score, and fold paper for a journal page fold out and all those skills are applicable to making this case. In addition, I talk briefly about using a triangle, so if you don't know how, seeing it in my hand and in place, might help you understand the discussion of triangle use below.
Did I mention the workshop is free? The workshop begins on May 1, 2011.
Left: View of the inside of the case, with labels to use when following the instructions below. Click on the image to view an enlargement.
If you zines are the size ours were (4.25 x 5.5 inches) you will need to determine the size of your stack or "spine" width of your box (measurement A in the photo).
You can stack your zines together and measure them with a ruler as you hold them slightly compressed (but not tightly so or it will be too difficult to get your zines in and out). I prefer to use a measuring strip—a strip of paper with trimmed edges that you align with the object you're measuring and mark off the width, height, etc., right on the strip. Then you don't have to mess with a ruler and small increments on the ruler. At MCBA we have a box of cut strips always ready to act as rulers. I recommend that you take this practice into your own studio.
However you determine it, you'll need to know the thickness of your stack. If you are new at this and unsure, I recommend that you make a case with inexpensive paper first, to get the hang of it, and then use that as the model to build your final case, adjusting the measurements as needed.
Besides the thickness or spine, you'll need your width and height measurements. To make sure these measurments work with the folding of the case you need to add 1/16 inch to your measurement. With thicker papers because of the extra bulk when folding things in at the base of the case, you might need to add 1/8 inch. Again, another reason to make a mock-up first.
I put all my measurements on my measuring strip. I begin at one end by writing BOTTOM (but you could write START—it's where all the measurements start from). The measurements are marked as tick marks and labeled, H (for actual height), H1 (for the plus measurement needed), W (for actual width), W1 (for the plus). Two marks labeled S which indicate the start and finish of the spine are made at the end of my measuring strip. When I write height or width below I intend you to use H1 and W1.
If you are using a ruler, simply note down your measurements.
The first thing you need to do is cut a piece of cardstock or other heavy weight paper that is 16 inches wide x 9 1/2 inches tall (if your case is sized like ours was; note if your spine is thicker you'll actually need more height). The grain should be parallel with the height (9 1/2 inch side).
If your zines, or cards, or book that you are making a case for isn't the size of our zines you can use this formula to work out your starting sheet size.
WIDTH = (3 x item width) + (2 x item thickness, e.g., if it's a book you want 2 x the spine width) + 1 inch cutting waste HEIGHT = Height of object (e.g., if a book then it's the spine height) + (2 x item thickness)
For example, you want to make a packet case for some journal cards that are 6 x 4 inches (w x h). And you have a stack of cards that is one inch thick. (That will be your "spine.")
Width = (3 x 6) + (2 x 1) + (1) = 21 inches Height = 4 + (2 x 1) + (1) = 7 inches Bring a piece of suitable cardstock that is 21 inches wide x 7 inches tall.
The grain should be going in the same direction as the height.
When selecting paper choose one that folds well in either direction, both with and against the grain. I set up our case so that the tallest side would be the height, and the grain would go in that direction. You could just as easily do it the other way. I wanted my case to open at the spine of the zines so that it would be easier to reach in and pull them out.
If the paper you've selected cracks when you fold it against the grain I recommend that you select another paper. Think also about how your flap will fold. If it is going to be opened and closed frequently make sure the folds run with the grain as they do in my example.
Start with your paper strip in a horizontal orientation as shown. The top edge of your sheet should be cut straight across the top. Using a ruler or measuring strip (MS) position measure your spine width from the top of the sheet down (you'll be creating that flap A across the entire width of your sheet). Make a mark. Move over about 7 inches or so and do the same thing, measuring from the top of your sheet. Now position your ruler so that they connect the two points you've just marked. Score your paper with the bone folder (edge not tip)—by running it along the metal ruler's edge. Before moving the ruler, reach under you sheet and start to fold it up, against but not over the ruler, to state that fold. Remove the ruler and complete the fold with your bone folder (one swipe, don't shine your paper).
Now with your ruler or MS measure from that fold, downwards, marking your Height. This is the height of the panels labeled B. Do this at two points along that first fold and then make your second fold at the base of that panel, where you see it in the diagram. Your fold will extend across the entire width of your sheet.
Next using that last fold as your starting point mark your spine width again at two points as you did at the top, you are making the bottom panel A in the diagram. Use your ruler to TRIM off the excess at this point across your entire sheet, leaving only the thin spine fold tab that is the same as the top tab along your sheet.
Now you will begin to work across your sheet from the LEFT to the right. Beginning at the left, use a ruler or MS to mark your WIDTH. This will fall at the right edge of the first panel labeled B, just before the first vertical panel labeled A.
If you know how to use a triangle, align the top of the triangle with the straight edge of your sheet at the top and the perpendicular side of the triangle with your mark. Score vertically through your mark, fold up your paper to start the crease, and then remove your triangle to finish the fold.
If you don't know how to use a triangle use the two dots method again. Measure along your first fold from the left edge, and mark your width. Then do the same at the bottom fold. Connect those two marks with your ruler, complete your fold as before.
You are now at the vertical left edge of the first vertical A panel. Measure your spine width, and score and fold. Next meaure your width and score and fold. Next measure your spine width and score and fold.
You are now at the left edge of panel C. For the width of panel C taste and some experience comes in. You want your flap, which is what this is, to come over enough of your cover that you can insert the flap into a slit on the corresponding side of the case. For our purposes I made flap C 3.5 inches wide. Mark this width using a ruler in 2 points or a triangle and CUT off the excess.
Next you will return to panels marked F. Cut as shown, with straight cuts on the sides, following the line of the vertical spine fold; then angle in from each panels corner towards the center. How much you cut will depend on the paper you use. Thicker paper will need more cut away to allow for easing.
Now move over to the RIGHT where you have your last vertical panel A. You want to trim your sheet up and down from the left edge of that panel, getting rid of the horizonal strip A that extends at the top and bottom there. To complete this move you also want to cut horizontally, along the first top fold you made, left from that same starting point to the right edge of your paper. This makes the cutaway you see just above D, and also at the bottom of the A+C panel.
You will still see C as a rectangle and you have to fix that now. Find the CENTER of your paper at the right edge of your paper, where E is located. Mark 3/4 inch above and below the center mark so that you will have a 1.5 inch space that is centered on that side. At the top and bottom of your flap, where D is at the top, and in the mirrored position below, measure 2 inches from the right fold of A towards E, along that top edge or bottom edge. Mark it, both at the top and bottom.
Align your ruler so that you connect the mark at D and just above E. Cut away the triangle of paper to make the edge of your flap point. Repeat at the bottom of your flap, using the mark 3/4 inches below the center mark at E.
Now you need to cut your slit. Fold up the case into its final position, with the flap over the panel at the far left. Try to hold it all together as exactly as possible. About .75 to 1 inch up from the base of the flap make a dot with your pencil at either side of the flap. Once the slit is cut you flap will insert into the slit .75 or 1 inch just as you have marked it. Unfold your box again and cut between the two dots, making your slit.
At this point it's time to adhere your labels so that you can weight your case while the glue dries. I use UHU Gluestick.
Left: Case showing the labels in position, and the cut slot. Click on the image to view an enlargement.
In writing these instructions I realized that if is difficult, without multiple step-by-step photos to show the folding and gluing of this case. I have made a video of the gluing procedure so that you can watch as I glue it up and fold in the various flaps. The video appears at the end of this post. There are a couple things to remember when gluing:
1. It is important that the side flaps alternate in direction. When holding the case with the closed labeled flap towards you on the right you will have a folded edge facing you, and on the left you will have a cut edge point at you, on the side panels. (Or vise versa.)
2. The triangle flaps on the spine need to be positioned BETWEEN the longer panel flaps. They should also be glued into place as shown in the video. This is an important step in keeping the case edges square in relation to each other (i.e., keeping everything at right angles). If you glue your panels wonky, your box will be wonky. It will be difficult to get things in and out, and it won't close properly.
3. Be sure to add your labels and make your flap slit while your case is still flat!
4. When working inside the case to press the edges together, if you cannot get your fingers inside use the rounded end (not pointed) of your bone folder to reach in and press down. I start to say this in the video and then I get distracted and don't say bone folder!
Above: Some of the participants in the Journal Zine Swap hold up their journal cases. Click on the image to view an enlargement.
On Monday, March 21, twenty six Collective members and visitors (one all the way from Montana) met to swap journal zines and make a journal zine case. The final total for participants was 17. Each particpant brought her own coverstock for her case, hence the wonderful variety in the packets you see held up for the camera.
The group made additional sets for MCBA's library. A few additional sets will be available for sale for $25 from MCBA. I have to make the cases for them. I'll have more details in a later post. (We sold one set right on the spot to a visitor.)
The topics covered by the zines are wonderful. Sketching from Television, musical notation on the kitchen appliance beeps, the Minnesota State Fairgrounds (post season!); coffee cups as a visual record of one's life; birds; a family vacation—to name just a few of the topics.
Left: Carol Neal with her interactive zine—you have to cut and fold it. (Apologies to Carol for the fuzzy photo, I was just smiling and laughing so hard in joy I couldn't stand still to take the photo.) Click on the image to view an enlargement.
Carol Neal made an interactive journal zine. You need to follow the cutting instructions to create a figure.
The work in these zines is stunning, funny, thoughtful, and creative. The journal zines stand as an example of how journaling keeps your creativity flowing. I'm thrilled to be a part of this collection and to own a little bit of everyone else's artwork! It is great to have these insights into their creative minds.
During the construction of the case we also discussed upcoming collaborative and group projects. Those can be viewed at the end of this post. Check them out and join up if you're interested.
Next, while we waited for the glue on our labels to dry, the Collective was surprised with a generous gift from Stillman & Birn. Each attendee received a 5.5 x 8.5 inch hard bound, Epsilon Series journal. These journals, besides having durable covers and sewn signatures, contain 124 pages just waiting for journaling. You can read my review at the Epsilon link. Many thanks go out to this company! With all the different approaches to journaling in the Collective we make a great test group. It will be great to see how people use these journals.
Above: The Collective receives a surprise gift from Stillman & Birn—an Epsilon series sketchbook to test out. Click on the image to view an enlargment.
Other projects that our members have been involved in:
Left: Karen Engelbretson held a portrait party for the women in her family. Here is the cover label which was preprinted and then cut out with decorative scissors and punched with a heart punch. Click on the image to view an enlargement.
Collective member Karen Engelbretson shared with us her adaptation of the Journal Party Book. At a family get together Karen had her relatives pair off and chat with each other to learn something new about each other. Each participant then made a portrait of her partner. To minimize anxiety over the "I don't draw" statements, Karen supplied a variety of art materials, including collage items and rubberstamps. She and her daughter then worked out the imposition for the pages and copied pages so that each pair occupied a single spread (just as in the Collective's Portrait Party books the portraits of each pair face each other). Karen also made a decorative label for the cover. To save time, the books were saddle stitched with a long-arm stapler. The resultant book is a keepsake that all the participants value.
Additional discussion was held on the following collaborative or group projects:
Postcard exchange book: An exchange of illustrated postcards with book artists in Austin, Texas. These will be made up into a tidy little book. The exchange is being held through April and into May. If you are still deciding and want to join in please contact Suzanne Hughes at suzy.hughes@comcast.net.
International Fake Journal Month: Yep, April is fast approaching and I made a pitch for my favorite yearly project. You can read details at the dedicated blog. There are giveaways again this year. And I'm pretty sure there will be a button!
Box of Journaling Bits Exchange: July 18, 2011 is the sign up deadline for this project. The project deadline is November 21, 2011. Contact Roz at rozjournalrat@gmail.com if you would like to join in. On July 19 when the participants have been counted you'll be notified of the size of your edition. Each participant will make an editioned item based somehow on journals—e.g., a journal zine, a print made from a journal illustration, ATC cards on journaling topics; I even suggested to fabric artists that pillows and small quilts would totally work! The key is that all items in the edition must be the same, be based on "journals" in someway, and you must make one for each participant. Additionally your item must fit inside the group box which will be approximately 6 x 9 x 3 inches, and be no thicker than 1/4 inch (though soft things that can be compressed will be given a little leeway). Rolled items that could be crushed are not possible. No natural items (leaves, twigs, animal skin, fur, etc.) can be used. Fixatives and varnishes on items are discouraged, but if used, they must be completed and aired out for a week prior to the deadline. However, small 3-D embellishments are encouraged (as long as you make the same embellishments on each piece in your edition). The exact dimensions and requirements of your piece will be announced at the closing sign-up date when I know which boxes will be ordered—boxes will be white corrugated board. Participants will receive a label and have access to paints to decorate their boxes at the exchange meeting. There will be a slight cost (approx. $3) to cover the cost of the boxes.
On Monday, March 21, from 7 to 9 p.m. the MCBA Visual Journal Collective will have its Journal Zine Swap for the 25 people who signed up. We will also be making a case for the zine collection and then have an open discussion of other collaborative projects.
Even if you weren't signed up for the swap you are welcome to attend and make a case for something of your own (a book for example, journal cards, whatever, using paper and materials you bring—see below). And of course we want you there to learn about and sign up for new collaborative projects. Don't miss it.
While there is no cost for the meeting you will need to bring supplies to make a case. Please read the following carefully.
Zine Swap Participants Need to Bring the Following • 25 copies of their COMPLETED Zine: already folded, sewn, cut, etc.
• A piece of cardstock or other paper as described under "Paper Choices for the Case," that is 16 inches wide x 9 1/2 inches tall. The grain should be parallel with the height (9 1/2 inch side).
• An X-acto cutter with fresh blade
• A metal yardstick or ruler (yardstick is preferred)
• A metal triangle (if you have one)
• A white pencil if you are working with a dark colored paper
People Who Want to Make a Case but Were Not in the Swap Need to Bring the Following Paper and Tools • Your item of choice (journal cards, bound book, etc.)
• A piece of cardstock or other paper as described under "Paper Choices for the Case," that is the following size.
WIDTH = (3 x item width) + (2 x item thickness, e.g., if it's a book you want 2 x the spine width) + 1 inch cutting waste HEIGHT = Height of object (e.g., if a book then it's the spine height) + (2 x item thickness)
For example, you want to make a packet case for some journal cards that are 6 x 4 inches (w x h). And you have a stack of cards that is one inch thick. (That will be your "spine.")
Width = (3 x 6) + (2 x 1) + (1) = 21 inches Height = 4 + (2 x 1) + (1) = 7 inches Bring a piece of suitable cardstock that is 21 inches wide x 7 inches tall.
The grain should be going in the same direction as the height.
There are limited studio supplies at MCBA and swap participants will be given preference. If you wish to work with us please bring your own items as follows:
• An X-acto cutter with fresh blade • A large cutting mat 18 x 20 inches or so • Bone folder • A metal yardstick • A triangle (metal or plastic, metal recommended but plastic is workable) • A white pencil if you are working with a dark colored paper
Paper Choices for the Case Everyone bringing paper to make a packet case needs to bring suitable paper. We will have PVA for gluing. Bring the piece of cardstock that suits your project as explained in the two sections above (either Swap Participant, or non-particpant who wants to make a case).
You want to select a cardstock or other heavy weight type of paper that is good for folding in both directions without severe cracking.
Possible choices include:
Murano, Canson Mi Tientes (I find that this cracks a bit folding against the grain), Fabriano Tiziano, Fabriano Ingres
Watercolor paper that you have pre-painted and dried before our meeting. (140 lb. is fine. If you use 90 lb. you need to tape it down when painting it because it will be too buckled to use for our purposes. Exception: Strathmore Aquarius II is an 80 lb. paper which you can pre-paint without taping down—it has synthetic fibers in it to stabilize the buckling.)
Heavy weight handmade paper is ideal as it won't have a grain direction and will fold well in either direction.
Decorative scrapbooking corrugated cardstock (you can sometimes find this in scrapbooking and paper stores). You will want the height to run parallel to the corrugations. When you fold your tabs you'll be folding against these and there will be cracking, but only the peak layer. I've made numerous journal cases with this material and it is sturdy even with rough usage.
Note: The case we are going to make has a flap with a slit closure. I will discuss other closure options though we won't have time or materials to act on them at the swap.
Also, this flap case can be made with craft foam, craft felt sheets, watercolor canvas, regular painting canvas, and two pieces of fabric that have been laminated with sheets of heat bond of any brand so that you have a two-sided "fabric."
There will not be time for me to help you adjust the instructions and measurements to these slightly odd materials. However, if you attend and make a paper case with us, you should leave with an understanding of how to proceed with these materials on your own. You will need to purchase fabric glues for such projects.
Above: Page 2 of my journal zine Snow Piles. I looked outside into the yard after a snow storm and saw this scene. Micron pen on copier bond journal zine template. Click on the image to view an enlargement.
For the MCBA Visual Journal Zine 2011 Swap we had some guidelines that governed content and structure.
All zines were to be made by folding a single sheet of 8.5 x 11 inch copy paper in half twice to create an 8-page zine. The spine was to be 5.5 inches, which went with the grain direction of most commercially available copier papers (perhaps all?). This uniform sizing, with no bulky inclusions, would allow the swapped zines to be gathered by each participate and then housed in a simple slipcase of their own making.
The zine was to be made up of journaling the author pulled from his or her regular journal and reduced and fit to the 4.25 inch wide x 5.5 inch tall page. Each participant had to take into account the copier or printer used for outputting the two-sided piece and leave appropriate space at the edges of the pages. (Obviously, if one had access to a larger printer/copier and wanted to use larger sheets of paper a layout could be devised that would allow for bleeds off the edges of the page, but this would also require more trimming. One goal of this project was to increase participation by minimizing production costs.)
With this approach the journal zine could be a collage creation from various journalings and sketches. It could also simply be a straight forward reduction of a journal page (as most of us work in journals with larger page sizes).
The alternate suggested way to create a journal zine was to create the zine on your master 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of paper and use your original art on that page as your master.
I elected to make my journal up in the second way, creating a template for my pages, with a box which would contain my sketch. I then drew directly on the template.
I could just have easily drawn on pieces of paper that were the appropriate size, scanned the artwork; imported the artwork into a page make up program's layout; printed the two-sided document that I would then fold and cut to make the zine.
My choice was made for me both by my desire to print my zine from the original pen and ink work and by a problem with my printer (one side was printed weirdly because it's at the end of it's toner cartridge). I actually had to print my zine templates individually using the part of the page that was printing correctly, and then paste them up on an 8.5 x 11 inch sheet.
This didn't bother me at all because I love going old school with paste ups. Unfortunately the downside of this approach to production is that your final alignment is only as good as the copier operator. I no longer have a copier on site (I really miss my oversized copier which sadly the repair man could no longer find parts for). I had to take my master sheets to a copier shop to be copied. They heeded my request to even out the margins on the sides by watching their placement of the master on the copier, but they didn't worry about top and bottom margins. The end result is that on some pages there is a jump in the placement of my page "boxes" (the area within which I drew) across the spread. Happily this also doesn't bother me, calling to mind the handmade nature of the thing—and besides, it wasn't worth driving back to the shop to explain to 20-somethings who've never pasted up something and didn't understand what I was trying to do, why placement was important. They want you to create it on the computer so they can press a button and have it come out (and that's fine too, but not what I wanted to do).
Let's say you don't want to take either of the above approaches when mining your journal for content for your journal zine. Another approach that would be fun is a collage—simply take an 8.5 x 11 inch sheet and collage elements from your journal over the entire surface, repeat for another sheet and copy them back to back creating a "collection" that is more abstract and which when folded and cut into pages would read even more abstract. (And this idea could be taken to other lengths of fiddling and puzzling to create journal zines that fold back into a whole, and so on.)
Whatever approach you take, the end result will be a journal of sorts—either an actual journal of events recorded only in the zine (as in the direct sketching method) or a compendium of journal entries that represent what interested you over the course of its creation—a peak into your main journal.
I worked on a theme for my journal zine—"Snow Piles." There were plenty to draw all around me, and I happened to pick the 10-day warming period when it wasn't awful to stand outside and sketch!
A travel journal could be made on templates and then produced when you returned home so that you could share your trip with friends and family.
I think you get the idea, there's a lot of stuff in your journal, and a lot of fun to be had getting it out.
Tip: Always be sure to include contact information printed somewhere in your zine so that people who see it can find you and ask for more zines, tell you what they liked about the zine, and so on. I think you should also include a copyright notice, but then I'm old school about that too.
I'm going to create a page that combines info on the journal zine posts I've been doing, with the instructions the Collective received on laying out their master sheet and making their journals. I hope that some of you will decide to make some journal zines of your own. (You will find these instructions on the Journal Zine Swap Page.)
How to Get a Copy of Snow Piles—A Journal Zine Swap with You I have printed about 40 extra copies of my journal zine. I would love to trade with interested parties. If you would like to trade one of your journal zines for one of mine please do the following:
1. Create your own journal zine following the instructions the Collective used (so that it will be the same size, etc.)You will find these instructions on the Journal Zine Swap Page, listed in the page list in the left-hand column of this blog. The instructions are important not just for size and structure, but also method of production. The project was designed to be simple and low cost (the cost of 30 double sided 8.5 x 11 inch sheets of copier paper for the original group).
2. Send me an email at rozjournalrat@gmail.com to tell me you have a zine (made to the Journal Swap Page's project specifications) to swap and to make sure that one of my zines is still available.
3. When you get my email confirmation that one is available you can send me your zine at the address I provide. As soon as I receive your zine I'll pop the one I saved for you in the mail to your return address. (Please write legibily!!!)
Please do not write and ask if there are any Snow Piles left if you have not yet finished your zine.
Your intentions may be good about finishing a zine, but I don't want to have to turn down people who have a zine completed because I'm saving copies for someone who is thinking about making a zine. If you request a zine swap and I don't see your zine in two weeks, and someone else requests one, you'll be bumped from the list. I don't see any other simple way to organize this without frequent emails back and forth. I can't keep track of that.
I look forward to making a new collection of journal zines with your help.
And I would love to hear from you if you make a zine swap of your own!
Above: A short video showing the folding, punching, sewing, and trimming of a journal zine. If you can't see the embedded video, see the Journal Zine video on YouTube.
Participants of the Journal Zine Swap will be exchanging their journal zines at the March 21 meeting of the MCBA Visual Journal Collective. To help them as they finish up their zines I've posted this 7.5 minute video, showing how I folded, punched, sewed, and trimmed my zines. Participants also were sent an instruction sheet about making the zine and the various "restrictions" (e.g., in this project the goal was to be simple and straightforward so there were no 3-D inclusions; everyone had to create a zine of the same size so we could make a case for them; and so on.)
I thought that readers here at the blog might also find this short video and some notes useful for starting their own zine swap.
Next week I'll post about the content and initial layout of the zine (there are several ways you can go about this and the topic deserves its own post). Below I have some clarifications and expanded instructions to help you with the information in the video.
• When folding your sheet butt your corners together against the fingers of your non-folding hand. You will get the feel of this with practice. It will allow you to fold accurately. Hold the corners in position with pressure as you see me do, while you use your bone folder to crease. This keeps the corners from shifting out of alignment. Also, push with your bone folder up and out, i.e., from the bottom of the fold, up and away from the page (out). This pushes the fullness out and helps keep a tidy fold. Also, don't over use your bone folder. Stroke up to get a tidy crease. If it needs a bit more pressure, stroke down to reinforce the stated crease. Anything more than that and you'll be shining your paper. (Folding like this is a good time to use a Teflon folder if you own one.) And finally, when you make the second fold which will be your spine, take care to hold those corners together at the fore edge so that they don't shift out of alignment. (The fore edge is the edge of your page that is at the opening edge of the book, i.e., parallel to the spine.)
• When making a hole punching template for your zine the template needs to be as tall as the spine of your zine/pamphlet. Marking the head and tail (top and bottom) as indicated in the video is not critical if you are making a single signature pamphlet. But it always pays to get into good work habits. When working with multi-signature structures you'll always want to know the head and tail of your template and your signatures so that the holes you punch align properly when you put them all together.
• Use thread that is three times the height of your pamphlet for this three-hole stitch. See how your first book goes. If you end up with too much left over thread then scale back for the next pamphlet. When you have a thread length that works for you and leaves you enough to knot easily, cut all your threads and set them aside. This will save you time and remeasuring.
• When you begin your sewing leave the tail end of your thread knot-less! Leave a tail of 3 to 5 inches (depending on your comfort level when working with short bits of thread to tie a knot—it's better to waste a little bit of thread and leave longer tails then to fuss around with minute tails and an uneven and loose knot).
• Sew carefully through your holes, making sure that you do not sew through the thread when you pass through the center hole a second time. If you do you won't be able to tighten your thread.
• Tighten your thread as you go, holding your loose tail in one hand if possible, or at least tightening that first stitch before you re-enter the center hole.
• When tightening your thread at the end of the sewing be especially careful to pull evenly and smoothly; to tighten, but not pull your holes out, or widen them. It helps to pull the thread in the direction of the spine.
• I used external knots on my zine because my prototype seemed too bulky with an internal knot. It's just a matter of taste and on any given day, with any type of thread I might make a different decision.
• Before knotting your sewing thread at the end of the sewing procedure be sure to have one tail of thread on either side of the long stitch that goes down your spine. The knot will anchor this stitch, and it looks attractive.
• After you tie your square knot, trim your thread tails to about 1/2 inch.
• Trim only the barest amount from the top of your zine where you have folded the sheet (not the spine fold where the sewing is). We will be making a case for our zines and it is important that they are all pretty much the same height. Even without that you would want to be consistent with your trimming so that all of your zines would be of uniform height.
• It really is critical to use a lot of pressure on your ruler when trimming, because when you cut off such a small sliver (1/32 of an inch) the ruler has a tendency to slip when you don't desire it!
• Use a fresh new blade for your cutting. Be sure to cut with, and not drag, your blade or you will find yourself tearing your zine's top edge, typically in the outer corner.
In order to keep the video short I didn't explain alternate methods of production. You could just as easily set up a cutting production line to cut your zine in half at the 5.5 inch point on the 11 inch side of your sheet. With all your pages cut you would then fold each half of your full sheet in half at the spine, and then collate your pages before punching and sewing as shown. You would not have to trim at the end of the process. The advantage to this approach is that you don't have to trim at the end. The disadvantage to this approach is that you have to collate your sheets and hold them together without slippage as you punch holes and when you sew. Try it both ways and see which approach works best for you.
I'll have more to say about journal zines next week.
REMINDER:July 18, 2011 is the sign up deadline for Collective members who want to participate in the November "Box of Journaling Bits" Exchange. Please go to the MCBA Visual Journal Collective information page and scroll down to the November 21 meeting blurb to find details about the exchange. This might be the perfect time to create your own journal zine.
All you pre-planners find "Pages" in lefthand column of this blog and click on MCBA Visual Journal Collective. The 2011 Meeting Schedule is up. The listing includes the topics for the regular meetings (every third Monday of the month, except no meetings in May or December) as well as details on two sketch outs (May and August).
Or you can click here to get the 2011 MCBA Visual Journal Collective schedule (but I told you how to find it in the pages so you can go back there many times throughout the year without finding THIS post!).
I am frequently asked "How can I sign up for your monthly journaling class?"
Folks, the MCBA Visual Journal Collective isn't a class. Sure we learn things, and we are fortunate to have artists who share their art and knowledge with us, but it isn't a class. It is open to all adult journal keepers, of any skill level. (We welcome writers who want to work more visual elements into their written journals as well.)
There is no fee for the Collective and only a few meetings have a minimal supply fee. (I do encourage all Collective members to join MCBA if they find a home in this group—MCBA provides our meeting space without a fee; supporting MCBA will help ensure that the group can continue).
You do not have to sign up in advance.
Most of the sessions do not require any special tools, materials, or fees. And for those meetings where there is a special supply cost I try to keep the costs below $5 to make sure that the meetings are affordable "entertainment." One such meeting is our January Portrait Party. There is a $5 fee for that meeting because of paper and copying costs. But when you consider that you'll get drawing practice and binding practice and go home with your complete edition of everyone's sketches it's a good value for the fun derived. Join us and find out in January!
Note that currently there are a couple meetings that are still under development (August and October, Stenciling/Carving stamps and Collage respectively). Please contact me if you think you have something to add to those meetings.
Also, if you have an idea for a future meeting contact me at rozjournalrat@gmail.com. Let me know that you have a proposal idea. I will immediately send you a pdf of the proposal form so that you can gather your thoughts and complete your proposal by filling out a few short questions about the scope, nature, projected cost, etc. of your meeting proposal. I'd love to talk to you about the meetings for the 2012 schedule!
Go look at the schedule now so that you can mark your calendar. Be sure to consider participating in the various collaborative projects or group exchanges we have going on. This is a great way to meet other people, see how different people work, and collect samples of great work.
I look forward to another inspiring year with this great group of journal artists. Come and join us.
(All meetings are at MCBA from 7 to 9 p.m. on the date listed unless another location is given. Plan a little extra time when attending a meeting to allow for parking, which can be difficult on some Monday evenings. We start promptly at 7 p.m.)
