Lefty sketchbook hack.
-
I’ve mentioned in my introduction post, that I had a bad accident 2 years ago, that has forced me to become a lefty. I’ve really struggled with sketchbooks, as I love traditional media. Digital has been much smoother, as I just moved my procreate bars to be suited to left hand work. Finding a good sketchbook though…ugh. I don’t like coils to be on the top of the page, I find that the pages have too much movement and end up all getting smudged out. I totally prefer a left side bound book, but this is a new challenge that I’m faced with that I can’t stand the coils under my hand.
I have found an awesome solution!
I bought an ARC custom notebook, an Arc punch, and a big pack of printer cardstock ( I’ve always preferred heavier paper in my sketchbooks, and Bristol sketchbooks come with so few pages). I punched a huge stack of paper, and even punched some lined for note taking, and some graph for those floor plan situations. Arc also has prepunched dividers, so I can rearrange my pages if I wanted to categorize my artwork.
I love that I can draw on a flat surface, and then pop it back into my sketchbook. And it looks way more professional than a 3 ring binder.
So, if you’re a lefty looking for the ultimate sketchbook, or you just want to combine different papers into one sketchbook…. Check staples for the arc system or similar concept systems.
-
@angelinakizz good choice. These are one of the best. I didn’t know they still sold them.nice drawings as well,
-
@stayhomejoe
Thanks a bunch joe! There’s lots of options for brands in Canada, there’s off brand rings, there’s happy planner rings, there’s the arc rings… I think as long as you find a punch and rings you’re good to go. I even made my kiddo a sketchbook with small rings and heavy cardstock for the covers. She’s constantly ripping paper out of her sketchbooks to cut, where I want to keep the beautiful drawing in books for her to see in the future. It’s a win win. She can tear out and I can put back hahaha. -
@stayhomejoe I remember them from a long time ago too - I think they just came back recently. When I was holiday shopping I saw a whole new section in our local chain crafts store (Michaels) devoted to these notebooks.
-
For "Lefties": If you usually draw on only one side of the page in sketchbooks, you could also just skip the 1st "page" & draw on the backside, then continue drawing on the left-side page throughout the notebook.
-
I think I've seen one of these notebook systems that doesn't even use punched pages, it just clamps down on them. (I haven't tried them, though.)
Just searched for it: they're called Punchless Binders, Clamp Binders, or Springback Binders. -
@miriam the only thing I don’t enjoy about clamp binders is that you have to bend the page to turn them.
-
@angelinakizz Oh yeah, I didn't think about that.
