How to Make a Pocket‐Sized Sketchbook

This pocket sized sketchbook will give you the freedom to sketch on the go without the hassle of lugging around its full size counterpart.

Part 1
Part 1 of 4:
Creating the Pages

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    Fold each paper into four sections. You can do this by folding the paper in half "hamburger style" twice.
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    Cut each paper along the shorter crease.
    • It should now look like a card.

Part 2
Part 2 of 4:
Assembling the Pages

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    Take four "cards" and line them up so the folded edges are all on the same side and the edges are neat and even all the way around.
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    Place two staples in the spine (the side with the folded edge) of the stack. Be sure to place them close to the edge! One goes at the top of the folded side and the other will go at the bottom.
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    Continue this process until you have five stapled stacks of paper.

Part 3
Part 3 of 4:
Gluing

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    Plug in the hot glue gun and allow it to heat up properly.
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    Place a thin line of glue along the spine edge of one of the stacks of paper. This line of glue should run from the top of the spine to the bottom covering both staples. Your glue should be on the top of the spine, not along the side.
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    Take another stack of paper. Carefully line up the spines of both stacks, and place the new stack on top of the one with the glue. Line everything up and allow the glue to set.
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    Repeat the gluing process with the remaining stacks of paper until you have a single booklet.

Part 4
Part 4 of 4:
Adding a Cover

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    Place the booklet on the cardstock.
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    Using the pen or pencil, trace the around the shape of the booklet forming an outline for the front cover. Leave half an inch of space around the top and bottom sides and one inch around the left and right sides.
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    Turn the booklet over and trace the other side. You should have a strip of cardstock that is twice as long as your booklet.
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    Cut out the cover using the scissors.
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    Fold the cover in half.
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    Make sure the booklet will fit inside of the cover. Then place a line of hot glue on the inside crease of the cover.
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    Place the spine of the booklet on the line of glue to attach the booklet to the cover.
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    Once the glue sets, trim the cover to your liking. Make sure everything is even and neat.
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    Open the cover of the sketchbook and place a line of glue on top of the exposed staples. Then close the cover and press down. Allow the glue to set, then repeat on the other side.
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    Enjoy your new sketchbook! At this point, you can leave the sketchbook as it is or decorate it anyway you want.

Community Q&A

  • Question
    What if I don't have a glue gun?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You can use a strong wood glue or super glue instead, just be careful when you're applying it.
  • Question
    What if I don't have cardstock?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    If you don't have a cardstock, you can use regular printer paper, or glue multiple pieces of paper together.
  • Question
    Can you use construction paper?
    Bhumika
    Bhumika
    Community Answer
    Yes, Contruction paper can be used as long as the paper is not too thick and it can be folded evenly.

Things You'll Need

  • 10 sheets of A4 size paper (8.5 x 11 or 215.9 mm x 279.4 mm)
  • Scissors
  • Stapler
  • Staples
  • Hot glue gun
  • Glue sticks
  • One large sheet of card stock
  • Pen or pencil
  • Optional items for decoration: markers, stickers, scrapbook paper, crayons, colored pencils, stamps, etc.


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About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 7,050 times.
25 votes - 82%
Co-authors: 5
Updated: February 21, 2020
Views: 7,050
Categories: Making Books