The Sickness - Part 1

I've mentioned once or twice already that I have a passion, i.e. sickness for art materials. I think that oil paint is one of the most enticing odors on the planet. Anyway, I have decided that any post I make concerning art materials will be titled: "The Sickness."  When I get to The Sickness - Part 10,000, I may stop.

In today's dramatic episode I'm going to talk about sketchbooks. Oh how I love to buy sketchbooks. I can't help it, I'm always searching for the perfect paper, the perfect cover, the perfect binding, etc. Well, I have finally discovered a solution.

A couple of years ago, I discovered Rollabind. The Rollabind system is comprised of plastic disks and a special type of punch that punches a series of mushroom-shaped holes along the binding edge of the paper. There is no wire, like a spiral-bound notebook. There are no snap-rings, like a 3-ring binder. Yet, Rollabind offers the best benefits of the two traditional binders. The covers and contents of a Rollabind notebook can rotate completely around and lay flat against the back, exposing only the sheet of paper you are working on, like a spiral-bound book. Any page can be removed and put back into the notebook anywhere you want, just like a 3-ring binder. Rollabind rules. If you are interested, Rollabind has a website, a company called Levenger sells it as their "Circa" system and office supply store Staples now sells it as their "Arc" system. All three are compatible with each other. From Staples, I have purchased a notebook with black leather covers, a punch with an 8-sheet capacity, a set of 11/2" rings, a set of tab dividers, a set of pocket dividers and a poly zip pouch. This set up is now my sketchbook. I buy the drawing papers that I prefer, I cut them down to 8.5"x11" if necessary, and I bind them into my Rollabind sketchbook. I have a mix of white, gray and buff drawing paper, a few sheets of bristol, a few sheets of watercolor paper and a sheet or two of pastel paper with me wherever I go. All in one book. I have also included my Curriculum Vitae, a few sheets of lined writing paper and a 12-month calendar that I use for my scheduling. It doesn't get much more useful than this. I carry this sketchbook and my art supplies in a Studio on the GO sketchbook portfolio that I created.

Please understand, I haven't lost my love for off the shelf sketchbooks, but now I typically discard the manufacturer's binding and punch their paper for my Rollabind sketchbook.

As artists, I think that it is important that we remember the artist's journey. Part of the journey is making the tools work so well for us that we don't have to think about them when it's time to get busy, creatively. Now, I admit that I spend more time on this than I should, but I have had a lot of fun with the process. Based on my experiences, I think that many art supply manufacturers don't really "get" artists or our needs. That being the case, we artists can find a new outlet for expression in how we respond to the quest for the "right" art stuff. Another vital part of this journey is to share our experiences with other artists.

Now go make some art!
Chris Ingram