Dear Everyone ~
Bookful of Illustrated Notes to Self is my sixth Bookful collaboration
with artist, author & dear friend Cat Bennett. Our four-Saturday workshop via Zoom will debut Saturday, February 26, which is semi-soonish!
The inspiration for this Bookful series came from Cat’s observation that she says (usually silently, but not always) “Note to self”, when she sees something she wants to remember, both for how it looks, and also for how it makes her feel. For example: Look for the good in all things! or Find beauty everywhere! We all have these simple insights that are well worth recording, by illustrating them in a beautiful bound book (rather than snapping a series of phone photos).
Alyson Kuhn, a.k.a. my postal muse, has added her 2¢ worth to this discussion. She says, “An illustrated note to self is imbued with a sensory overlay, because your image is created by hand (yours!), and the touch memory deepens the visual memory of whatever you put on the page.”
The book structure you will make is a triple-signature booklet with woven paper lacings. The landscape format (11½ wide x 8½ tall) provides a luxurious expanse (8½ x 22) for your “notes to self” in the form of paintings, collages, and musings.
Cat will lead us in exercises to create bold images with brief captions, aspirations & inspirations. You’ll use drawing, painting, and painted paper collage to make your images. And, as you’ll see, your images don’t need to be literal or figurative. You’ll want to have colored pencils, crayons, black marker pens, watercolor paint, scissors and a glue stick. And your notes to self! It’s not unlikely that new notes will occur to you as you work.
The palette options are a celebration of my fresh shipment from the masterful papermakers at Saint-Armand Papeterie. I’ve paired colours to create five earthy combinations: Terra cotta with prune lacings, Mineral green with terra cotta lacings, Prune with charcoal lacings, Orange with mineral green lacings & Charcoal with orange lacings. Each kit includes two different colours of waxed-linen thead, so that you can enjoy the humming and hawing of choosing which to use. And if you’d like to order an extra kit or two, please feel free to call or e me.
As always, Cat & I like to emphasize, especially if you are a Bookful newcomer, that absolutely no drawing or bookbinding experience is necessary. The pace and camaraderie are positively soothing yet energizing. Plus you will have the videos to watch and rewatch. We look forward to rezooming our creative pursuits with you soon!
Bookful of Illustrated Notes to Self
Chattily, Bari