January Already!

So now that the holiday rush is over, I'm back in the studio still tidying up and getting back in the groove.  I am back to keeping appointments with myself on Mondays and Tuesdays so that I have time to do practice lettering out of the Sunday bulletin and to start using up my paper stash to do some lettering in ink.

I am still in the process of making out my annual To Do list - but it'll include birthday cards, design work for lettering projects and Christmas cards.

My big organizing project currently is to put all my stray class notes from classes in the past couple of years in their respective folders and to make sure they have been added to my cv for future reference.  These notes include those from the most recent Guild class with awesome letterer, Jake Weidemann.  We dipped our toes in Spencerian and flourishing.

Next I need to plan for the Feb. Back 2 Basics class and the March Guild meeting.  Never dull here!

August, already?

Before I speak about my current project, just wanted to confirm that I did use my skill set from the Peter Thornton workshop to create a one-of-a-kind card for my niece, Heather's wedding.  I made it into a piece of artwork to reflect hers and Jeff's new monogram as well as included symbolism for their new family.  Of course, I annotated all the nuances for them.  And, they were delighted.  The colors were copied from a purchased piece - but all the work was original.  I'll post that pix later.

Ok, so since I had three weeks to myself with few interruptions, I decided it was time.  I might as well have just brought in some large earth-moving equipment.  I have weeded out my studio, taking out anything not related to calligraphy or bookbinding.

I have put all the books and magazines back on the shelves where they belong.  I have corralled all the projects and class notes from the last two years into one place - my antique pop cooler.

I have weeded through piles of picture frames and donated the 'least likely to be used' ones.  I moved a bookcase and made room for my sewing table - where I am now able to do my weekly calligraphy practice.  It's at a better height for proper posture.

I found all of my countertop by moving a press onto the top of the relocated file cabinet and by putting away all the unused tools.  I sorted through the third of the closet and combined boxes of envelopes into a hanging organizer.  I also hung on the wall all the organizing shelves and then placed on them the things I either want to look at or need to find at arm's length.  I dusted everything and hung new curtains.  Ah - it is such a delight to walk in now and to see open space awaiting creative activity.

Granted, there is still a pile of stuff to go through and the inside of the cabinets have received at best a long glance.  My paper stash is still intact and quite messy, but still - wow!

Now I am giving half a thought to this year's Christmas card and am mid-process in a way ovedue birthday gift.  I continue to spend almost every Monday morning working on practice pieces in my notebook and I can see marked improvement in my letters over the summer.  I am still working on Carolingian and Copperplate hands from last year.  I continue to use brush lettering on most birthday envelopes.  Who knows, maybe I'll now have the time and space (!) to play with my markers I brought back from Paris.

Weekend Class on color/lettering with Peter Thornton

Whew!  Learned so much about color and how colors lean toward each other.  Learned how to move from one color to the other while appreciating the greys in the middle.  Learned to enjoy the subtleties of color shades.  In the midst of this we played with the forms of Adolf Berndt's letters and how the shapes around them are divided up to incorporate shades of color.  And then today an encore class on playful letters with many shortcuts.  Ah, now to practice it all!

Lettters, notes and e-mails

A rather restful studio day that required wit and about four different pens to playfully address the multitude of envelopes that needed to go in the mail today.  And then a bit of catching up with e-mails . . . writing is writing!

Done!

On Saturday, when I went to line the covers with 2 ply bristol, I realized I really needed more.  So off to Old Colorado City for an foodie Open House with a stop at Meininger's on the way.  As I bought more 2- and 4-ply Bristol, I found out there are various rag contents (I am using the one with the most).  Will really need to start a technical file for such info.

So cut and pasted the boards, being careful to make sure the grain was running the same direction as the spine.  I really don't want a repeat of the other cover and am taking all precautions.  Am using a 70/30 mixture of PVA/paste too to make sure it's not too wet.  After re-reading my instructor's book, I did use a 4-ply bristol sandwich to absorb some of the moisture in the press.  After waiting five hours (more than enough time), I took a peek.  Success!  I did use water once more to open the book to make sure it wasn't stressed at the bend in each cover.

For the flyleaves, I used a sheet of Daler-Rowney Gun Metal Canford Paper.  The grey is the perfect foil for the grey of the cover.  It is just a few shades darker.  The grey of the leather is a silvery mottled grey calfskin.

 On to cutting and installing the leaves.  I cut & folded each flyleaf to size for the cover (which makes them oversized for the book block).  I then tipped them in, per the manual - pressing for 10 minutes.  Then bucking the manual, I finished pasting down the flyleaves to the covers, put back in the 4-ply Bristol sandwich and put it all in the press for 10 min.  Then, carefully opening the book, I pasted down each flyleaf, having carefully protected the book block with an extra sheet of waste paper.  My spatula-shaped teflon folder was the tool of choice here.

I now inserted the 4-ply Bristol for a five-hour press - just enough to make sure it is dry. (Note to self: next time 2-ply would probably be fine - don't want to create too much space in the book).  I then took the Bristol out and inserted plastic pages and then placed all in the press for a very firm, four-hour pressing.  Removing the book from the press, it looks good and all the pull is in the correct direction.

Sunday morning, up early cutting the flyleaves to size and rounding the corners to match the flyleaves on the cover and the shape of the book in general.  As I re-checked the book, I found one more page that had pulled away near the spine.  So one last quick fix with PVA and a bit of Japanese tissue.  Done!   Photos to follow as I did document this final version of the book.  The bill is annotated, including the drama of earlier this week.  And, the book is delivered to one happy customer.

Now, I am ready to venture back into the world of lettering and writing.

Just Out of the Press

So, I waited until yesterday morning to paste up the leather.  Good thing.  After much thought, I realized my paste was too wet, so used straight PVA (a new technique for me).   I had to work very fast as PVA quickly becomes tacky.  Working carefully to keep PVA off the outside (as it is very unforgiving), I smoothed the leather on front, back and spine.  Then I folded in the sides and tops of each cover and and worked the corners until they were well-rounded.  I then finished by tucking in the top and tail of the spine.  Into the press for at least 24 hours.

Today, I got brave enough to open the press.  The outcome looked good and taking the book out of the press today proved my theory.  The leather is lying flat and the edges look great.  The book is behaving very well.  Just opened the book and pasted in the recycled hinges.  I will be lining the covers with bristol later.  Then, I will finally be ready to measure and cut the new flyleaves.  Whew.

Onward!

It's been a productive day.  I just finished rounding and sanding the corners of the cover.  These covers are behaving so much better.  Having just protected the book block, am ready to attach the covers.  The leather is ready, so pasting that up is next.  The book should be back in the press by nightfall.  Whew!