Inga Eicaite | Suminagashi Notebooks

Contemporary printmaker Inga Eicaite has recently expanded her printmaking parameters by producing a collection of pocket notebooks. With an abstract graphic approach to creating, Inga’s work explores the dynamic intersection between science and nature. Within her practice she puts a strong emphasis on paper and its qualities, and often utilises washi (Japanese paper) and hanji (Korean) in order to connect printmaking with craft.

This new collection of notebooks were created as an “extra curriculum challenge” that Inga decided to take on in between bookbinding course breaks. “I needed a project that would embody the materials and techniques I normally use in my printmaking practice, deepen my skills in crafts,” says the printmaker. Each of the 240-page notebooks is composed of Context Birch Recycled paper, with endpapers in Kozuke White washi hand painted with sumi, and a cover in Mura Koban washi enforced with Pimlico bookcloth. Adding further beauty and craftsmanship to the notebooks, the edges have been finished with Suminagashi, a Japanese marbling technique.

Commenting on the notebooks’ design, Inga states; “Recently my eyes kept wandering towards artworks that are very clean. I find white cover designs to be very strange, it is unconventional, rather absurd to make a notebook that is so light in colour and balance it with intense dark suminagashi edges.” She continues; “However, books have a function to perform. It will get dirty, it will take upon users character, will embody their ideas. It will transform into something completely different with time”.

Wanting the notebooks to be reasonably paged, but still pocket sized, she chose 120x145mm as the final size. They are then finished with multi-section case binding and headbands made from her intaglio print details wrapped around red leather strips.

Telling us more about what she learnt during the process of making notebooks for the first time, Inga says; “Bookbinding is quite unforgivable, very little space for errors or possible fixes, it takes a lot of patience. I was warned against using washi, as it is harder to handle and has different properties than rag paper. However the texture and feeling is so special that I do not mind the extra challenge.”

Following her recent explorations in bookbinding, Inga is planning some more books in the near feature using orizome covers and bible paper book blocks.

Each notebook is entirely handmade and unique and available for £60.

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