2023 Nature Journal book.
My 2023 Nature Journal Book is the culmination of a year of documenting the changes in the seasons where I live. 2023 was my seventh year of keeping an ongoing nature journal of my patch.
A handmade, handbound reproduction of my 2023 concertina watercolour nature journal.
A handmade, handbound reproduction of my 2023 concertina watercolour nature journal.
I use a hand made concertina watercolour sketchbook to paint my observations from January to December. I had such a huge response and interest in my first finished journal, that I began to look into having it published and printed for sale. Being a concertina/accordian style I found it hard to find a printer that would take it on, and had no idea where to start with having it properly published. So I began learning how to make books myself, in order to create a handmade version of my journal. The end result is a hand fabric bound book, with a concertina pull out of my years journal (a printed copy of my original paintings), and a written section.
This book is the culmination of a year of observing nature on my patch.
🍂1 year
🍂 4 seasons
🍂 37 pages
🍂 125 paintings
🍂 Approx 5 1/2 metres long
This particular book and the 2022 book has a leaning towards trees, as I had been involved in a few different projects related to my local trees.
All the writing in this book was made with my own handmade Shaggy Ink cap ink, giving a deeper connection to my local environment. This felt like a reciprocity between myself and my local environment. The ink has an unusual earthy smell, and everytime I used the ink in the book, it transported me to a chilly Autumnal day when I spotted some growing on the edge of a local farmers field.
Sketching with Shaggy Ink Cap Ink that I made with mushrooms from a local farmers field.
Sketching with Shaggy Ink Cap Ink that I made with mushrooms from a local farmers field.
The books are bound in handmade, handprinted bookcloth with my Raspberry Thief logo. The cloth is Oeko tex, 100% organic cotton.
They are packaged and posted plastic free. Books are generally made to order, unless I have one already in stock, lead times are approximately two weeks from payment.
You can purchase all my Handmade nature journal books in my UK Shop and in my Etsy Shop.