Here’s the stash of notebooks I brought back from my Amsterdam/Paris trip. First, two little notebooks from a local newsstand/bookstore near where I was staying. They had a nice selection of school supplies, and other notebook brands such as Moleskine, but these two were inexpensive and not like others I’d seen elsewhere. The blue one … Continue reading Notebooks from Paris and Amsterdam
I tend not to review very many notebook-related accessories on this site. There are various pen-holders and notebook covers on the market but I am not usually interested in them, as I like to keep my notebooks pretty simple and unencumbered. But when I first spotted the Penroll, I was immediately attracted to it and … Continue reading Review and Giveaway: Penroll
I recently took a trip to Paris and Amsterdam. Searching for notebooks wasn’t the sole purpose of the trip, of course, but I did a better job than usual of preparing for the journey with some research on places to buy notebooks. In Amsterdam, I had less time to devote to stationery shopping, as I’d … Continue reading In Search of Notebooks: Paris and Amsterdam
I spotted this neat little notepad in one of NYC’s few remaining independent office supply/stationery shops, I now forget which one. I thought the map design was cute, and also couldn’t believe it was only $1.49!
I’m often dabbling with watercolors in sketchbooks that aren’t really made for using them– regular notebook or sketchbook paper can deteriorate a bit with wet paints, or wrinkle and buckle a lot as it dries. So I’ve been experimenting more with using actual watercolor paper in hopes of better results. I’ve had various watercolor pads … Continue reading Review: Watercolor Sketchbook Comparison
Notebook lovers and Lynda Barry fans (I am both) will just die of happiness when they see this book! Syllabus: Notes from an Accidental Professor Not only is every page chock full of Lynda Barry’s unique art and the creativity exercises she developed for the classes she’s taught, plus examples of student work… the amazing … Continue reading Coolest Book Ever: SYLLABUS by Lynda Barry
I bought this notebook in Quito, Ecuador, on the last night of a week-long trip spent in the Galapagos Islands, with a stopover in Quito in each direction. (You can see a few of my Galapagos sketchbook pages in this post.) There weren’t many opportunities to shop for stationery on the trip, but I did … Continue reading A Notebook from Ecuador
On my “to-do” list for this blog has been a comparison of various notebooks in similar styles. I thought I’d do a post about softcover notebooks, and one about single-signature notebooks, similar to Field Notes and Moleskine Cahiers. So I went rooting around in my collection to find various examples of these styles, but the … Continue reading Softcover and Single-Signature Notebooks from My Collection
I purchased this sketchbook at Lee’s Art Shop in NYC (which is always worth a visit if you’re in town). I was attracted by the size and shape, as you don’t see that many slim softcover sketchbooks that are truly pocketable. This one certainly is– it’s flexible enough to keep in a back pocket but … Continue reading Review: Daler Rowney Ivory Artist’s Sketchbook
The Sketch & Draw notebook is another Art Alternatives product that I picked up at Blick. These are inexpensive sketchbooks with toothier paper, similar to what’s found in the Hahnemuhle and HandBook sketchbooks, but not quite as thick. The first thing that really sticks out about this brand is the placement of the elastic closure, … Continue reading Review: Sketch & Draw Sketchbook