Index cards
I had been sketching on blank meishi business cards for a few years, but have returned to index cards for several reasons.
They are small enough to carry in the back pocket, but large enough for fine hatching and detail.
Index card jotters are widely available, and I can slip one into my back pocket and have solid support under the card.
Index cards are nearly the same size as mini 6 ring binders (a.k.a. m6 or pocket size ) so I can display finished sketches in book form if I use a hole punch.
I much prefer to flip through index cards in a ring binder than store them in a box.
Postcard jotters
Then I wanted to try a larger format, postcard size.
Postcards can still feasibly fit in a jacket pocket or the back pants pocket (of my overalls, at least).
I searched the web for a postcard jotter, and was thrilled to find a leather crafter in Japan who made them and sold them on a local website called CREEMA which is similar to Etsy.
Then I ordered some cheap blank postcards that were thinner than real postcards but thicker than regular paper.
All I needed was a ring binder to continue the routine I had enjoyed with the index cards.
Ring binders
I had an A6 ring binder (a.k.a. Personal Size or Bible size) and after I punched holes in some blank postcards they fit just okay.
But I felt the binder was a bit too tall, leaving lots of space above and below the postcard.
And the holes were too close to the top and bottom edges of my postcards.
It was possible to use, but this binder was clearly intended for paper that was taller than postcards.
Postcards are practically A6 size which is 105 x 148 mm so a postcard ought to fit an A6 ring binder perfectly, right?
The problem is that most A6 ring binders are not really A6 although they are often marketed as such.
They should be called Personal Size or Bible Size rather than A6.
Fortunately, True A6 size ring binders do exist.
True A6 ring binders
What's the difference between Personal Size and True A6 size?
One important thing to know is that the standard spacing between the holes in all sizes of ring binders is 19 mm (from the centers of the holes).
True A6 size ring binders have a 38 mm gap between the two sets of holes.
Since 38 mm is 19 mm x 2, the spacing between holes remains consistent; a hole could go in the gap without disrupting the 19 mm spacing pattern.
But the gap between the two sets of holes in a Personal size ring binder is 51 mm (2 inches) which disrupts the rhythm of the spacing.
Personal size ring binders take paper that is tall and narrow and have that 51 mm gap between the two sets of holes.
No wonder A6 postcards look awkward in these binders.
Since True A6 ring binders preserve the 19 mm spacing pattern in the gap, M5 and M6 pages will also fit in the same ring binder.
M5 on the left and M6 on the right
True A6 ring binders are not in big demand and are not easy to find.
If the seller does not say it is True A6 or mention the 38mm gap, then it's probably not True A6.
I found an inexpensive True A6 leather ring binder from the Wanderings company. Then I bought a more elaborate ring planner from Moterm.
I also got some Moterm True A6 ring mechanisms and some pieces of leather to make my own ring binders for storing sketches.
A word of caution: one of the rings on the ring mechanism didn't match up exactly so I tried to bend it into place. And it snapped off because the metal is very thin at the base.
Anyway, the Moterm ring planner is really nice, especially for the relatively low price. But all those pockets are more than I needed.
The 30mm rings and all that leather make it too heavy and bulky for my bag. So it has become the home base for my sketching hobby and stays at home.
The simpler Wanderings ring binder has 19mm rings and is lighter and smaller. So it is my field sketchbook, and goes everywhere in my bag.
Photo from the Amazon website
By the way, this ring binder had a fold-over flap that I didn't need, so I carefully cut it off. I also removed an elastic band that was to keep it closed.
I mentioned above that I also made some very simple ring binders that consisted of a single piece of leather and a ring mechanism which is fastened by screws.
A local store sells A4 size leather pieces, and they were the perfect size for A6 ring binders when turned horizontally and doubled over like a book. So all I had to do was trim a little to get the right book height.
I plan on using these for storing my postcard size sketches as they accumulate.
I must admit that the DIY ring binders are all I really needed for carrying postcards like a sketchbook, but the leather isn't as nice as the two ring binders I bought.
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