Polar Latitudes
Explorers Experience Log
About the Project
In early June I began working with a client who contacted me to create a custom logbook for their expeditions to Antarctica. They represented Polar Latitudes, a group dedicated to introducing people to the wonders of Antarctica. With regular trips to our Southern Continent, they help reveal the beauty and majesty of a vast landscape, full of awe-inspiring locations seemingly untouched by time.
As we set forth to bring this idea to life, I dedicated myself to creating the book this group deserves. The results of our work together will hopefully be something their travelers will enjoy, allowing them to record their experiences on their journeys.
The Process
The client was clear in their vision, which always helps. I could tell immediately that they knew what they wanted and it was up to me to bring it to life. They came armed with drafts of potential results, giving me options to work with. Additionally, we knew the size of the book would be quite large – 12”h x 15”w. The surface area alone presented the challenge of sourcing enough leather to cover the required space. Using a quarter-bound approach, where the spine and part of the covers are bound with one hide of leather and the remaining space of both front/back covers are encased in another. For the spine, we chose a fine morocco (goatskin) with a “garganey” color. For the covers, we decided to work with veg-tanned sheepskin to accomplish the design. Since the background compass rose was so large, rather than commissioning a custom stamp to be engraved (which would have been costly and unwieldy), I suggested we employ cuir-ciselé to carve it out. Since that technique is my specialty, I knew it wouldn’t take much work to make something nice that would complement the overall feel of the finished product. The center logo was created with custom-engraved stamps, breaking it into two elements – the Antarctica “P” and the nautical star. We did this to allow the aqua-blue metallic stamping for the star, leaving the Antarctica “P” as a dark depression.
Another fun aspect was the bookmark. I usually include a satin/silk ribbon with all my bindings, but the client had someone in mind to create a custom knot-work cord for the marker. It arrived shortly after I began work and I included it into the binding. Since it was made of cord I was able to actually sew it into the spine, securing it to the book itself.
The Endleaves
I don’t normally write much about the endleaves, but in this case, it’s a bit different. I personally like working with marbled paper from Hollander’s, however, my client had particular images they wanted to use for this book. Welcoming their future travelers into the logbook, the images they provided helped bring out the full breadth of the book’s mission.
Front Endleaf
Back Endleaf
