Winter, with its cold temps and shorter days, seems like a season for slowing down and making something with my hands—vegetable prep for a rustic soup, baking cookies, or making hand-bound books.
 |
| Coptic bound art journals. 5.5” x 7” size. |
Recently, I came across a few winter Art Challenges that focused on spending time on mindfulness, creativity, and self care. Inspired by these Art Challenges, I made two junk journals in order to practice the hand sewn Coptic binding method I learned this summer. It was a good opportunity to focus on making something by hand, practice hand bookbinding, as well as getting the bonus of two new journals for future use.
Making Coptic bound journals, Junk Journal style
Rummaging through the recycled paper bin, I gathered various papers and old sales boards to make these small junk journals/sketchbooks. Coptic bound books require no glue and have a flexible spine that allows the books to open and lie flat. It’s a good binding method for art journals, junk journals, or sketchbooks that are used for drawing, painting, writing, and collaging in.
 |
| Hand sewn Coptic binding. |
 |
| The Coptic bound book lies flat when opened. |
Recycling brown packing paper
One of my new journals was made with discarded brown packing paper. (You know, the brown paper that is stuffed in a box to keep items from shifting or rattling during shipping.) Before cutting the paper to size for the journal signatures, I ironed it with a warm iron to diminish the folds and wrinkles. Not all wrinkles were able to be removed, but the neutral brown paper and residual fold lines make it an interesting, imperfect surface to draw on, particularly with a white gel pen or white Posca marker.
 |
| Drawing with white gel pens, colored pencils, or Posca markers on the brown pages. |
There’s something satisfying about binding a book by hand while transforming everyday materials into something useful like a sketchbook or journal. These journals are 5.5” x 7”— a slightly smaller in size than what I usually make for my junk journals, but I like the portable, pocket size.
 |
| Back covers of coptic bound journals. 5.5” x 7”. |
With gentle encouragement, the quiet winter season beckons the hands to fill the pages with meditative marks and slow drawing.
 |
| Inked line drawings with white colored pencil marks. |
White and black marks on a neutral background. Reflecting the sparseness of the winter landscape.
