The promising Emptiness and Bliss of a Hand Bound Art Journal

Handmade Art Journal (copyright Hanna Andersson)

Happy World Book Day friends!

Spring bliss book (copyright Hanna Andersson) The promising emptiness is always there. Empty your mind and you’ll see. Or make yourself a blank book and you’ll know the bliss of it all.

I have been planning to make a myself a Hand Bound Art Journal for months when I finally just did it. And the empty watercolor pages is screaming for me to come play now.

Just like my first handmade art journal made at home this one follows Teesha More’s tutorial on how to do it (with some exceptions).

The spine is linen fabric, the cover is a dressed in a vintage wallpaper (isn’t it springy and beautiful?) and the papers inside are thick aquarelle papers. Yummy to work on!

Handmade Art Journal (copyright Hanna Andersson)

The inside is mostly cut down watercolor papers from a A3 pad (29×42 centimeter big ) of Canson’s Montval papers. The papers are 140 lbs cold pressed that I scored and folded before sewing. I think that this paper is a bit to sturdy, the previous one I made had Fabriano cold pressed and that was more flexible and easier to work with. But when I bought the pad I couldn’t find any Fabriano so I got the Canson paper instead. I guess the paper is what had me resist putting this book together for a while, but now it is finished. I will be working in it with joy I think. I will fill it during early spring and upcoming summer days.

Hello nice sunshine, here we come!

Some detail images to make you envious of my new art journal (and maybe inspire you to make your own):

Handmade Art Journal (copyright Hanna Andersson)

Handmade Art Journal (copyright Hanna Andersson)

Made with love (copyright Hanna Andersson)

Handmade Art Journal (copyright Hanna Andersson)

Handmade Art Journal (copyright Hanna Andersson)

Handmade Art Journal (copyright Hanna Andersson)

Right now I’m inspired by art on different canvases by Lisa Kaus [was at lisakaus.com but no longer online] and art journaling by Sparkleface – I just can’t stop looking at her beautiful art journal spreads! Look:
sparkleface inspiration - love her journals!
Here are some of the most recent ones, go visit her at flickr! Don’t you just want to play now?

XOXO

11 Responses

  1. I couldn’t agree more — blank books are so beautiful with potential. Yours is beautiful on its own, of course! Gorgeous book. Makes me want to get back to making my own.

  2. Yay, Hanna! You’ve done it. (again) I’m proud of you, because sometimes if I don’t have the paper I want, I get frustrated and don’t do it. But I bet you kick ass on these pages! I bet they are so fill with bliss when you get done!

    I made mine out of cardboard and glue. It is holding up okay, but this one looks SO much sturdier and comfortable.

    Thanks for the links. I’m loving these sparkleface pages.

  3. This is gorgeous, Hanna! I adore blank books, and I’ve got quite a stash packed away, awaiting me! Have fun working in this one.

  4. oh INDEED bliss….beautiful weather, beautiful book…endless inspiration… off to check out said journaler.. Have a great weekend!

  5. Hi Hanna! I have another journal up for a give away and only one person has commented. Pretty good odds right now of winning I’d say. Not much creative going on in my life right now, so enjoying what I see on your blog!

    Laters,
    Amy in Austin

  6. What a pretty journal!! And thanks for the inspiration, I enjoy sparkleface’s pages a lot!

  7. It’s a beautiful journal Hanna. Someday I am going to give it a try, how great to journal in a book you made yourself. Thank you for link to Sparkleface. Lots of eye candy inspiration!

  8. I think this is beyond my skill set but I would love to learn. I’ve just started to make my own journals. Yours are all beautiful.

  9. Thanks for your comments girls!

    Sparkleface; it’s true art love for sure. I just love your stuff, and I had your flickr stream open in my browser for a few days and just looked at loooked! :-) You inspire me, so thank YOU girl!