If you have an interest in sketching the world around you, here is an inexpensive sketchbook you can make yourself using only a few materials - a large sheet of drawing paper, ruler, a pencil and scissors, and a bone folder or back of a metal spoon.
Accordion books have been around for awhile. They can be elaborate works of art in themselves but they are just as beautiful as a simple creation that can be closed and tied with a string and easily displayed standing up on a mantle or shelf if constructed with a sturdy paper.
There are lots of "how-to" tutorials online but this is just a brief overview of how I made mine.
The first and most important step is to find a sheet of paper that will work well with the medium you will be using - in this case, graphite pencil. I have used a piece of Strathmore 500 2-ply Bristol, vellum finish. It has a bit of a "tooth" to grab the graphite so you can achieve nice darks as well as fine detail. Any sturdy drawing paper will do.
I have measured the paper a height of 7" x 30" length. This made a book of 6 sections measuring 5" x 7" when it is closed. Once the sections had been measured and folded, I used a bone folder to crease the folds smooth and flattened to make it more like a book. You can also use the back of a metal spoon for this.
Now your book is ready for your sketches! This would also be a great project for children. A classy keepsake that is easy to display and easy to store.
I'd love to hear from you if you chose to do this project. Just leave a comment with this post - perhaps with a photo? :)
Materials used and where I got them ~
My favorite art supply source ~
No comments:
Post a Comment