Even though my tooth was extracted last Friday, I’m hurting way more now than I did on day two. It’s just been getting worse. I had to go back to the oral surgeon on Wednesday to see what the hell was going on and he told me, “Nothing.” He said it was healing well and that I should go back to the dentist to see if there was something up with a nearby tooth. I’m going to see that guy in a couple of hours.

The pain pills, along with a double dose of Advil, lasts a maximum of five hours before the pain comes back to the point where I want to kill myself. I’m not kidding. I thought my depression drove me to suicide, but this has got to be worse. Now I understand why people in pain want to be put out of their misery.

In the hours while the medication is working, I’ve been heavily distracting myself by working on all aspects of the new Artist’s book, Outlander. I made a quick mock-up of a dummy book–at least for how many pages, and which pages are going where, and on what kinds of paper. It’s all planned out now (for the most part) and 100% of all the materials have been purchased.

Instead of using blue linen, I’m going to use this natural handmade paper from Nepal on the covers behind the embroidered title:

So essentially, the book cover will have more of these colors. This is just a digital mock-up:

My name will also be embroidered in a natural embroider thread.

I decided to paint the boxes black too. I’m referring to these cigar boxes, which is what the book and the other items will be fitting into, but I do not have the cover of these boxes designed yet:

I bought the compasses that are going into the boxes. They will be in little open boxes within the cigar box. The compasses are pretty decent and are not just for “looks.” They are used in navigation. Not the most expensive compasses on earth, but not cheap pieces of shit either.

The book will also come with a pocket first aid kit in a little black tin that I’ll hand paint red and white with enamel paint. I’m also hand-carving a mini bow drill kit, but I have no idea if it will be workable. I’ll try to start a fire with it, but I’m no professional bush crafter. I have yet to find five perfect-sized branches to carve the bows, but I did buy myself a bush knife.

So, the book itself is going to have thirty pages, not including the semi-soft covers (111 lb. black cardstock). The papers include the Nepal paper from above (I’m using it for the centerfold too), Moab Legion papers for original drawings and digital prints, cream Strathmore drawing papers, screen printed Japanese paper for the flysheets, Arches hot press for other drawings and watercolors, Rives BFK for linoprints, and some bright white text paper.

There won’t be a “story,” but there will be three pages of very short “prose,” all handwritten and/or rubberstamped. Eight pages are printed (artwork and photographs), and the rest is original art. One page is a fully original topographical fold-out map (the front and back will be original watercolor, pen and ink) of a non-existent place. Five of those might get intense.

The book without the feet is only 4.5 x 7 inches (closed). With the black feet hanging off, it’s another inch and a half wide. They’ll have a hand-stitched binding. These are going to take forever and I still don’t know what the retail price will be, but of course, they won’t be cheap.