Note: ‘The lab’ posts features stuff that are currently in the works that I thought would be great to share, its ideas, workflows and thought processes.

It excites me when I try to create something new out of nothing, that is, something of a relatively new concept.

As I sat down on my work table in my bindery, I started mentally creating a folio in my head. Now the folio is something I have been making for almost 10 years, it is a staple in the work I do at simplr.my, usually for displaying photos, storing USB drives or even DVDs. But here I was, trying to create one that would work as an accompaniment for artists to keep their basic tools- a couple of pens, brushes, and perhaps palette if possible, while heading out for a quick sketch. Something not too complicated, with not too many bells and whistles, just one that will hold the essentials and sketchbook while resting comfortably on the lap.

The result below is one morning of just forging ahead with what’s in my head, not really knowing if it will work (or not). It certainly is something I would like to make available for artists, but it does require some refinement.

The idea is to have one ‘fold’ to hold pens/pencils or even travel brushes, and that would be versatile enough to accommodate instruments or tools of at least various sizes.

For obvious reasons, one of the core function of the folio is to have a stable insert for the sketchbook to stay in place and in which the folio will ‘sit’ on your lap when you are out sketching. Here I’ve decided going with a slip-in concept for the back cover.

It worked great, however for obvious reasons, the red band will also be slipped in together with the cover. So the next thought I had was to create an additional band that’s attached to the folio that will hold the sketchbook in its closed position.

We’ll see how this one goes as I try to get it as close to being ‘perfect’ in a sense, although I know that would be impossible due to so many different preferences and needs of artists out there, but we’ll see.