Brooks Jensen Arts

Site Table of Contents
Complete List of Projects

Kokoro
Bi-monthly PDF Image Journal

Every Picture is a Compromise
A Series About Keepers, Also-rans, and Learning from Mistakes

Printed Artwork
Folios     Chapbooks

On Creativity
Books, articles, podcast

About . . .

Sketches from Kokoro — Background

The camera is the perfect sketch tool. This Kokoro series is part notebook, part sketch book, part diary, part travel journal, part random thoughts, part photographic portfolio — a mixture of images and words. An eclectic series of observations, Kokoro allows me the freedom to look at the world in front of my lens and share what I see and think about this marvelous process of living.

I think of Kokoro as the photographic equivalent of short stories. They are short projects, often just a handful of images and short text that are intended as quick observations. Less than a book, more than a single photograph, these Sketches are, well, sketches of life. I'd like to say they are profound, but I really hope they are simply fun and way for us to share a few thoughts, experiences, and travels.

 

Two Media Choices

This series is being parallel published in two media for different audiences — ePublication PDFs for digital download (bi-monthly, titled Kokoro), and as printed and bound chapbooks. The ePublications are for viewing with any computer, tablet, or smartphone device that can view a PDF. The chapbooks are handmade artist's books with a decided collectibility for those who love physical prints and the handheld viewing of fine art photography. Try sampling the content with the free PDFs and choose which titles your might be interested in collecting in their physical form.

chapbook sample

Chapbooks and Pricing

A chapbook is a wonderful way for artists to publish small, finely crafted handmade books. Chapbooks have been made by poets and calligraphers for generations. A chapbook is also a wonderful way to present photographs. My chapbooks are from 4 to 12 pages in length containing anywhere from a few up to a dozen images and text. These hand-sewn volumes are all printed to the highest archival standards and are truly collectible publications. I particularly like that they offer and intimate, handheld viewing experience that brings the viewer in direct contact with the materials. These are a delight for anyone who loves paper and the tactile experience of handling a finely crafted object.

Most importantly, I strive to make them affordable so everyone who is so motivated can own them. I cringe when money gets in the way of sharing art. With this in mind, I've priced the chapbooks so there won't be a barrier to ownership for anyone who wants one. Chapbooks are from the current issue of Kokoro are just $15. Chapbooks from previous issues of Kokoro are $20.

See all available titles here.