Posts filed under Notebook Reviews

illo Sketchbook Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

I could tell as soon as I opened the packaging that the illo Sketchbook was pretty snazzy. Far too snazzy for my poor art skills. Fortunately, I live with a talented artist who was willing to put this book through thorough tests.

The sketchbook has a hard cover with a faux leather feel and the brand name subtly debossed on it. The color is a charcoal gray, which looks nice with the silky blue bookmark ribbon. There is an elastic band closure and a pocket in the back to hold any loose scraps of paper.

The sketchbook comes in two sizes: 8 x 8 or 10 x 10--both are square, designed to allow easy posting to apps like Instagram without having to crop anything out of the picture.

The binding is sewn and it lies perfectly flat with no training or spine-bending necessary. Even the first few pages lie flat right out of the package. I've seen some very fancy notebooks fail that test, so I was quite impressed with the binding.

There are 112 pages of 122 lb/180 gsm super white paper. The paper is not acid free, so I would hesitate to recommend it for professional artists, but it should be fine for student artists, especially if they'd be practicing with a wide variety of media.

This paper did well with pencil, colored pencil, markers, and one of the heaviest applications of paint I've seen in a while. The thick paper didn't even flinch, even when black paint was spread all across the back page of an illustration with a light blue watercolor wash. From the front, the peaceful island bird has no idea that one page over lies the deep black of space and the burning inferno of our sun.

The paper is coated, so there may be some longer dry time for wet media, and powdery pigments may smear a bit if you're not careful. The product is aimed at students who may need that versatility in function, rather than an artist who specializes in one form of media and needs paper that's engineered to that specific purpose.

And the price is aimed at students, too. The 8 x 8 notebook is only $16.75, and the 10 x 10 is $24.99. There are less expensive sketchbooks, but illo wanted to provide top quality at a reasonable price, and I think they've come pretty close. If the paper was acid-free, I'd be recommending it for everyone--I think that's an oversight on their part. But the build is very good and the versatility is great. I think it will continue to hold up to my resident artist's abuses and it will make a nice keepsake to showcase his fabulous talent.

(illo Sketchbook provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on October 11, 2018 by Sarah Read and filed under illo, Sketchbook, Notebook Reviews.

Elemental Paper "Oxygen" Notebook Review

*Full-sized image* *here. The page on the left is the back of the page written in green above.*

This is a bit of a throwback review. When I first started the blog, the handwritten portion of the review was key. I wanted to be sure to show the ink and paper in action. For my Elemental Paper review, I wanted to direct my focus on ink and paper because there have been issues with some of the notebooks.

I had no issues using my wettest fountain pens on the page. No bleed, feathering, or ghosting to speak of. Kelli had the exact opposite experience. I can only review the product I have in hand, and mine is great. If I had Kelli's, it would be terrible - at least for fountain pens.

I linked to the original full-sized images above so you can get an up close look if you are interested. Pictures are worth 1000 words in this case.

(Disclosure: This notebook was my backer reward from the Kickstarter project, which I paid full price for.)

Posted on October 8, 2018 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Elemental Paper, Notebook Reviews.

The William Hannah Pocket Notebook: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

Long ago I reviewed my first William Hannah notebook--an A5 notebook in Agave and Petrol. I still adore that notebook, and I’ll be posting an article in November describing how I’m using it with the new Daily Intentions filler pages.

Because I love my A5, I decided to purchase a William Hannah pocket notebook in Whiskey and Kingfisher.

It only took about one week for my new pocket notebook to arrive from England. One thing I absolutely love about William Hannah products is the exquisite packaging. My pocket notebook arrived in a sturdy cardboard box with a hinge opening.

Inside, my pocket notebook was wrapped in William Hannah tissue paper.

The three pocket notebooks that come with the order were also neatly packaged in textured card stock.

I realize it’s just packaging, but there’s something special about the care with which each William Hannah product is presented. You can tell that someone (namely David Round, the owner) lovingly hand wrapped each piece.

The pocket notebook, like all other WH notebooks, is beautifully designed. The leather on the outer cover is smooth and gorgeous. The stainless steel WH button adds a touch of flair to the cover, and the stitching is immaculate. The William Hannah England imprint is subtle and tasteful.

The leather is luxuriously thick and soft to the touch. Not only is there an outer and inner leather cover, there’s also a suede lining.

For a pocket notebook, the William Hannah is pretty large, measuring 150mm (H) x 105mm (W) x 29mm (D). So, while it might fit in large pockets, it probably won’t fit in most shirt or pants pockets. I carry it in my backpack.

Inside, you’ll find two slots for cards (credit or otherwise). In addition, there’s an elastic pen holder which is removable, though I don’t know what you might put in its place.

Along with the notebook, you choose three pocket notebooks measuring 90mm x 140mm (3½ inches × 5½ inches). Each one has a textured card stock cover in a variety of color choices. In addition, you can choose from plain, lined, grid, and dot grid paper. I chose a lined notebook in Tabriz; a grid notebook in Cobalt; and a dot grid notebook in Mandarin.

William Hannah paper is amazing. It is a beautiful, pure white paper, and it is thick (100 gsm). Although I love Tomoe River paper, there’s something to be said for good, thick, white paper if you don’t want any show through.

I tested my notebook with fountain pens, and the paper held up beautifully. I encountered no bleeding or snagging, and the tiny bit of show through was too minimal to photograph.

I also did swabs. Once again, the paper performed perfectly. Even with thick swabs of ink, there wasn’t enough show through to photograph.

I practiced some calligraphy with Sumi ink, and the paper handled that easily.

Finally, I tried various writing instruments from rollerballs and ballpoints to highlighters and a Sharpie. Only the Sharpie exhibited show through, but that’s to be expected. And, honestly, I was surprised how little of the Sharpie ink /bled/ through the paper.

William Hannah notebooks are extraordinary. Nevertheless, there are a couple of weaknesses.

First, William Hannah notebooks do not have a closure system. This is not a deal-breaker for me, as I mainly use my A5 at home and keep my pocket notebook in my school backpack. However, this is, perhaps, /the/ main (if only) complaint people have about the WH notebooks. I tried using an extra elastic from one of my Travelers Notebooks as a closure. It’s a potential solution, but I think it mars the beautiful simplicity of the notebook.

Second, the pen loop is fairly small. Even though it’s elastic and will stretch to accommodate thick pens, you have to keep in mind the limitations of the notebook’s size. Thick pens make it more difficult to keep the notebook closed, and long pens can extend beyond the notebook’s borders. I decided to keep my Caran d’Ache Nespresso Ballpoint Pen in my WH Pocket Notebook. It’s the perfect size and length.

I’ve not found any notebook that comes close to the quality of William Hannah’s products. Of course, you do pay a premium for these notebooks. My pocket notebook was 79 pounds (approximately $102 plus shipping from England). I think it’s totally worth the price, considering the quality of the leather, the craftsmanship, the many color choices (both for the outer cover and inner suede lining), and the excellent paper in the pocket notebooks.

(I purchased the William Hannah Pocket Notebook with my own funds.)

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