Journal, Slipcase and Portfolio...all in one day
On a lovely sunny Saturday on October 11th, 2008, a group of San Diego Fellow Calligraphers gathered in Rancho Bernardo for a workshop with bookbinding expert, Edna Wright. The day centered on developing an individual journal, slipcase, and portfolio. Edna started the workshop by asking participants to introduce themselves and share a memorable experience with the group. That in itself was worth the price of admission. We started the morning by working on our journal. Edna was gracious enough to provide each participant with all the materials required for the project. This really went a long way as we were able to focus on the task at hand and not worry about taking measurements and cutting book boards. Edna’s only requirement was that we bring our own paper to cover the items … this allowed for each participant to leave the workshop with a one-of-a-kind book and slipcase. And, so we did!
So, how did we complete all of these things in less than 8 hours? Well, we started the morning with putting the journal together. It took a good two hours to bind the book since we had to ensure the glue was dry before we could cover the book boards with our own beautiful paper. The result was phenomenal as each participant produced a unique personal journal. The second half of the day was spent on covering the slipcase. This was a tad more challenging since we had to ensure that the boards were glued at perfect right angles before we could cover them with paper. I know what you are all thinking … not all journals fit their slipcases … true … but no one can deny that the resulting slipcases were so perfect that they could stand on their own beauty. Edna ended the day by having us make portfolios for our books. She provided the materials and instructions and voilą in less than 30 minutes we each had a pretty portfolio- that’s how easy it was!
Throughout the day Edna diligently and with lots of humor answered all of our questions, eased our anxieties and worked with each participant to complete their project. Her knowledge in bookbinding and the wonderful books she has worked on over the years was both an inspiration and humbling experience. She was fun and made the day go by in a flash and I can’t wait to go to another Edna Wright workshop!
By Marianne Mancini
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