EDMONTON, AB | An urban sketcher and artist, Angie has been designing sketchbooks and notebooks that you can take with you anywhere, since 2016. She found commercial sketchbooks were very limiting, and the result was her company Dragonfly Book Press.
From the Artist
"I wanted to be able to take different papers out with me, on location, in a way that I wouldn't lose or bend them. Most of all, I wanted to be able to take my preferred paper, a 100% cotton watercolour paper, out in a bound form instead of in a variety of cut sheets. This way I could keep a sequential record of my sketches all in one place. Friends soon began asking me to make them custom sketchbooks and I was happy to put my new found skills to practice.
In 2020, when the pandemic hit, my twenty plus year career as a theatrical artisan was put on hold. This turn of events eventually lead me towards having more time to train, learn more about book binding and the book arts. I started experimenting, making even more books, and thinking about turning my book skills into a small business. I decided to adopt the dragonfly as my company masthead as it symbolized adaptability, transformation and change. All of this was happening around me and it seemed fitting as a way to describe the new direction I was being drawn in.
Today, I'm excited about this bend in the road I have taken. I want to inspire others to take up the act of keeping a book you do creative things in. Whether it be art journalling, sketching, calligraphy, collecting or poetry it doesn't matter. What matters is taking the time to slow down and enjoy some creative meditation."
About the Books
Paper
I cut my papers down to size from large sheets and stitch them together by hand using a linen thread. I love 100% cotton papers and work with them a lot but any quality paper is something I'm interested in using. Paper made by companies that take care to work in an environmentally responsible way are always on my radar of papers to work with. I'm constantly on the look out to add new papers to work with.
Working across the center fold is possible with all my books and I often don't have end papers so filling a book can be done cover to cover.
Cover
The covers are made from a variety of board types. For hard covers, I generally try and chose a light weight, rigid and minimally warping board. Not all of my books have hard covers. I'm experimenting with reinforced soft covers and up cycled materials as well.
Cover material wise, I want this to always be evolving. I have used rayon fabrics, Japanese papers, a variety of hand printed papers from around the world. I don't work with leather- yet. I'm also always looking for interesting found objects and items to up cycle.
I'm hoping to add gold tooling to my repertoire one day along with other decorative techniques.
Media
All my sketchbooks can be used with a variety of media including graphite, pen and ink, acrylics, gouache, coloured pencil, charcoal, pastels and markers. Use them for urban sketching, art journaling, mixed media or collage work. I don't generally call them notebooks but they do make great notebooks. Use them to create colourful day-timers, practice calligraphy, paste in collections or keeping notes. What will you use your book for?
