I’ve seen various stories about people documenting their time under coronavirus lockdowns, using sketchbooks or journals. Here’s one example, a visual diary kept by a Scottish architect: Prof Alan Dunlop has filled six A4-size sketchbooks since the start of restrictions to limit the spread of the coronavirus. He has sketched scenes inside and outside the … Continue reading Lockdown Diaries
Yikes, just heard the news that Muji USA filed for bankruptcy: Muji U.S.A Ltd., which is operated by Ryohin Keikaku Co., filed for Chapter 11 in Delaware, according to a filing. It listed assets and liabilities in the range of $50 million to $100 million, and estimated the number of creditors at 200 to 999. Ryohin Keikaku … Continue reading Muji USA Filed for Bankruptcy
Nolty has announced their line-up for 2021 Nolty planners that start in January. (They also sell various products that have an April start to coincide with Japan’s school year, but they don’t announce those until later.) I’m going to start with the bad news. They are not going to be producing the Nolty Daily Book … Continue reading 2021 Nolty Diaries and Notebooks
A lovely story about a Cincinnati Reds fan who kept track of box scores for 20 years. Grandma Olges lived alone but she didn’t live lonely. The sounds of play-by-play duo Marty and Joe echoed through the house, keeping her company while her writing in notebooks kept her busy. Every night and every game for … Continue reading A Grandmother’s Score-Keeping Notebooks
I came across the photo below a couple of months ago, as part of an article about the coronavirus lockdowns and how they are causing people to do more writing by hand on paper. But what got me all excited was that it appeared to show a Smythson notebook with unlined pages. The photo caption … Continue reading Handwriting, Lockdown and Unlined Smythson Notebooks
This week’s addict is a comics artist and ebook designer from Israel who has amassed quite a collection of sketchbooks and notebooks! Below are his photos and commentary: 01 Clairefontaine Zap Books – my go to sketchbooks since 2006, these are 320 page recycled paper books and they’re perfect for my pencil sketches. 02-03 Some … Continue reading Notebook Addict of the Week: Hagay
It’s been a while since I actively used a refillable Filofax-style looseleaf notebook, though I have plenty in my collection! Though my Filofax days are in the past, I still find this style of notebook very appealing, and was inspired to buy a couple of new ones after reading about Russell Stutler’s method of using … Continue reading Raymay DaVinci Notebook Review
There was an article recently in the NY Times about all the plants abandoned in shut-down offices, and the people who are still taking care of them during the COVID-19 pandemic. The photos accompanying the article included the one below of one of the indoor horticulturalists’ notebooks: I feel sure that I’ve seen this notebook … Continue reading An Indoor Horticulturalist’s Notebook
I enjoyed this article from Nature by microbiology PhD student Adeline Williams. As a scientist, she keeps lab notebooks in both digital and paper form, and she also keeps a personal journal. She has some great observations about these different forms of journaling and their benefits. Since my school days, long before I started working … Continue reading Keeping Two Journals
From My Modern Met: In 2017, Spanish artist Alicia Aradilla decided to embrace a nomadic lifestyle and travel the world. Instead of keeping a diary of her journeys, however, Aradilla began documenting the architecture, nature, and other memorable sites she saw—and continues to experience—in sketchbooks. So vibrant and beautiful! Read more: Nomadic Artist Shares Her Travels Through … Continue reading Colorful Travel Sketchbooks