Leather Field Notes Cover by 1.61 Soft Goods

I read about 1.61 Soft Goods on the Baum Kutchen blog and checked them out. Very cool stuff! Their leather Field Notes covers caught my eye and I though I'd give it a try. It arrived today and I have to say it's pretty nice.

I chose one in british tan from their sample sale. The look and feel is great and the new leather smell is awesome. It's a very simple design; a leather cover with an elastic cord that keeps your notebook in place and also serves as a closure. (I actually had to adjust mine to keep the knot at the bottom, but it's very easy to do.)

Everything from 1.61 is hand made. Wrapped in hand stamped craft paper with a personalized stamped hang tag, tied in red and white bakers cord. All nice touches. 

These will certainly draw comparisons to the Midori Travel Notebook (which I also have, and like very much) but this isn't a cheap knock off. It's nice quality leather that I'm certain will age and wear beautifully and the little design touches, like a notch for the enclosure cord, prove it's been given consideration. I do wish the enclosure cord was separate from holding the notebook in place, but other than that I think it's terrific.

And for $20.00 it's not a bad deal. Plus they offer free shipping in the US. 

The leather cover does not come with a notebook. This is a craft cover Field Notes book with grid pages.

The small design details, like this notch, is a nice touch.

The items from the sample sale might have imperfections. I think they add character to the leather. There is a very modest 1.61 branding on the inside back cover.

You can see the texture of the unfinished inside cover.

This is how the cover looks without a notebook inside.

Moleskine paperback notebooks fit just as well as the Field Notes.

1.61 Soft Goods does and awesome job. My order shipped quickly... and free! So will yours!

My vintage Ed Emberley sketch pad.

While cleaning out a basement cabinet in my parents home, I found a pile of my childhood drawing pads and sketchbooks. I remember my father buying this pad for me; I loved it, carried it everywhere and drew superheroes in it (I was way too cool for cars and trucks). I was blessed with parents who fostered my love of drawing.
I still love this little pad. I'm glad it's in my studio now.

Forty years later and I have a real appreciation for Ed Emberley; a prolific illustrator and artist.
Click here to see a great video about him. If you don't know his work, seek it out, just amazing.

Front cover of the coolest little pad I had as a kid.

The back cover where Ed says drawing is FUN, INTERESTING and EASY!
(Two out of three ain't bad..!)

 The easy instructions weren't easy enough for me.... but gimme a break, I was five!

These cool little instructions are on the inside front cover.
I honestly could not follow along... besides I was busy  drawing "Ameba (sic) Man"!

The above mentioned Ameba Man... I know, I know it's spelled "amoeba"... again, I was FIVE!

A few more of my cast of characters... why did Bullethead have such short arms!?!?!

Martian Chronicles with Carbon Black

Some small sketches in a Canson 3.5 x 5.5 just to test a freshly cleaned flex nib.

14K flex nib filled with Platinum Carbon Black.
Ray Bradbury's Martian Chronicles (or any of his books) are a wealth of inspiration for drawings.

Happy Graffiti

Okay, not my best work by any means... But one of the reasons I always have a Sharpie on my person!

Sketching at The Dead show

Last night's Wall Street Dead aHead  event reminded me about a draft post I've been meaning to publish. These are sketches from a Dead performance at the PNC Art Center. Thanks to Antonio Reonegro, (Grateful Dead artist extraordinaire) we were backstage during the concert; up close to the musicians as they performed.

With the close quarters and and equipment that was around us I thought it would be a good idea to stick to dry medium. (A spilled bottle of ink would have spelled disaster!) So I used a stick of General's Kimberly compressed graphite. 

Wall Street Dead aHead Drawings

Wall Street Dead aHead is a professional networking event that was held last night at Studio 36 in NYC.  It's a great opportunity to mingle, meet new people and listen to live music. My friend and Grateful Dead artist, Antonio Reonegro, who is well known to Dead fans, created artwork and graphics for the event. Check out his work at this link.

 

I made some very quick sketches in a small 6x8 Strathmore 400 Series pad and with my Pelican M205 yellow demonstrator. (Filled with Platinum Carbon Black ink.)  

It was a very relaxed atmosphere with plenty of opportunities for conversation and drinks. 

I had plenty of both!

The Band was called the "Deadbeats." They performed to a very enthusiastic crowd.