On January 3, 2020 I posted about my participation in Roz Stendahl’s group testing of the Clairefontaine Watercolor Sketchbook. In addition to Roz there were five additional artists who tested the book, each of us completing a single signature which Roz returned to us when her review was complete and published.

As a single signature it was vulnerable to creasing without the protection of its companion signatures and hard cover. The best way to offer additional protection would be to either make a slipcase or a wrap.

I would have preferred to make a slipcase but since the signature was so thin I realized it would be difficult to measure, cut and glue a slipcase that slim; the wrap was the better alternative.

I first painted a sheet of 300 gsm / 140 lb. watercolor paper with dilute acrylic paint and cut it to allow the flaps to overlap and cover the signature. I rounded the corners and made two tabs with corresponding slots for the closure.

The wrap has nearly no spine thickness to accommodate labeling so I put all the necessary information on the front of the wrap.

It’s now off my work desk, well-enough protected to be filed away as finished, tucked away with my other previously completed sketchbooks in one of my “remote” storage boxes and I’m ready for the next project.