Art Journal, Tobacco Pouches, Belt, Pen Roll, Chisel Roll..

[MonicaJacobson]

I made a large batch of presents (worked all of November and December) for my family back in Texas. I would especially like feedback on the art journal cover -- I need to figure out a way to make a journal cover that holds in the hardback journal/sketch book and doesn't interfere with sketching.

If you see what I mean (I'll try to find the picture of it soon), the flap folds underneath and the square of stitching at the top and the bottom is a piece of leather that holds the flap closed and allows you to slip in a new cover. However, when you sketch, that means that the whole fold and strap makes a large bump all down the page. But none of the sketch book covers that I've seen deal with this problem. What are you supposed to do, use a piece of cardboard between the leather flap and your paper? That seems a bit lame.

Here's an illustration for sale on etsy right now. It's a beautiful piece of work, but they are dealing with the same problem I am. If you try to draw in it, or even write, the flap of leather holding the book will interfere with your writing/drawing.

Anyway, any help would be appreciated!

By the way, the actual painting that I used on the art journal is by an amazing artist named Lisel Jane Ashlock.

Monica

Edited January 28, 2013 by MonicaJacobson

[dirtclod]

Bring the pocket all the way to the top and cut across with small holes punched at either end so it won't tare out.

[MonicaJacobson]

I hadn't even thought of that as a probvlem... maybe I should have! Heh. Thanks for the advice!

[dirtclod]

I can't tell by looking yours at your because i can't see the inside. But after looking at the one on Esty, i would bring the holder up as high as the back of the pad is and then you can slip it in. The way i said to do it at first would work better if it was sewed across the top, bottom and side. But it doesn't look like any thing on yours is sewn.

[MonicaJacobson]

Oh well, it was silly to ask the question before I could post a picture of it. So here's a picture. My problem is that the paper lays on top of the flap holding the book into the cover. You can't comfortably write or draw on something so lumpy. Even without the blue strap it'd be bumpy. The only thing I've thought of is extending the leather flap all the way back to the spine of the interior book so that the surface is completely smooth and attaching it there somehow.

Inside flap

Very uninformative picture of the book in the cover

(You might also notice that my dying is terrible. So it is... I've been resisting dip dying because of the cost, but I'm about to resign myself to it.)

This person really got it figured out. (Also on etsy)

However, that idea requires that you drill holes in a new sketch book after you've used up your old one. Most people wouldn't want to do that, I would wager.

In further search of randomness, I've attached a diagram of the problem. Heh. I would just take more informative pictures of the actual leather cover, only it's in Texas and I'm in Georgia.

Diagram

Anyway, thanks for the help!

[dragonworks]

try letting the front cover wrap around to the back of the pad and stick. then work some mink oil into the cover a few times with a soft rag and roll it up and work the leather its what i done to my wifes pad cover...basically the same as your art pad cover. mink oil rubbed in and the leather worked a bit will make it plyable enough to roll out the way when you are drawing and lets the fuss be over. worked for me man. happy leathering. justin

Edited January 29, 2013 by dragonworks

[MonicaJacobson]

Cool book cover! And good idea -- mink oil sounds like something to have on hand. My husband had the idea of installing snaps directly into the inside sketchbook. Could be cool.