Colorverse “Golden Gate Bridge” is the “Show ink” for SF pen show 2023. I was excited to see how Colorverse would interpret such an iconic color,  which can be hard to pin down. Is it orange? Red? Red-orange?

As a Bay Area native, I learned early that the paint color is called “International Orange” (only do an image search on that if you are wearing sunglasses), but as it appears on the bridge itself, it is a deep and rich vermillion. This color is not-red, not-orange, not-pink, an elusive beauty much like the deeper shades of coral.

In this review, I compare the ink with others in my collection, write on a few different papers with a fountain pen, and paint with the ink using a brush in my Art Test.

What is the color like?

The ink is a saturated, non-shading color. I found it to really resemble the bridge color when the ink is wet, but dry to a more magenta-leaning shade.

Some Col-o-ring comparisons

The closest “red” shade I have is Kyo-pro “Flaming red of Fushimi”. This comparison shows how much more saturated, GGB is, and how it has leans away from the yellow-orange tones.

I thought KWZ Grapefruit would be a good match. In this comparison, more shading is evident in Grapefruit, as well as the yellow-orange tones.

Possibly the closest match from the inks in my collection is Pelikan Edelstein “Star Ruby”. This ink to my eye is straight-up magenta. GGB next to it appears just a bit more a true red, but matches the saturation level really well.

To further illustrate this point, I have an entry from my Hobonichi Techo, which shows lines in a Fine nib of GGB to the left, a short sentence written with Star Ruby in a Fine nib to the right of that. For extra credit, the rubber stamps were inked with the Ranger Archival Ink stamp pad in the color Vermillion! In a Fine fountain pen nib, there is very little difference in perceived shade of the two inks.

Note: The owl rubber stamp is part of a collection I bought from the Hobonichi  store, and the lovely ink bottle stamp is of course from the Well-Appointed Desk! One of my favorites in there. But I digress.

Standard Paper tests

So far we have seen the ink with Col-o-ring paper, and Tomoe River paper. What if all we have are a standard Field Notes book, or some copy paper?

In the Field Notes, I detect a little bit of feathering, if I look closely. Slight show-through on the back, but usable on both sides for sure.

As for the copy paper, I have HP 24lb bright white inkjet paper for my own printer. I found the ink to behave pretty nicely on this paper, with a little bit of feathering visible and minimal show-through.

The Art Test

If we have met before, you knew this was coming! The best way I know to discover the true range of an ink, is to paint with it. I use the ink direct from the bottle, as well as dilutions with water. The paper is cold-press watercolor paper. For this piece, I started out with pencil, then used various dilutions of ink and water for the light wash effect. I built depth and shading with straight ink, and when dry, drew fine details with the ink in my fountain pen.

From the lightest light that I could get with dilutions of water, to the darkest dark with fully saturated ink, there are not too many middle shades in this one. This tracks for me in how saturated a color it is in the pen.  I also see clearly in the painting, how magenta the lighter shades are. The darkest areas looked more vermillion and had more orange tones when wet. With the detail lines in place, I can see there is a bit of sheen on this paper, which shows more of the warmer hues. I have posted a VoiceOver narration video  of my process YouTube while painting this piece over on YouTube, for those curious to see the painting unfold in real time.

TL;DR

Colorverse Golden Gate Bridge is a bright, saturated color. It writes well on a variety of papers. The wet shade is an orangey vermillion, which dries to a magenta-leaning red color. There is no shading, but a bit of sheen can be detected with more intense applications.

Julia van der Wyk is an artist, classical musician, knitter, and professional web developer (The Web Atrium). She teaches an Ink Painting class at the SF Pen Show, and resides in Santa Cruz, California, where she can draw Pelicans with Pelikans, and brag about the weather. Follow her adventures on Instagram @juliavdw and Juliavanderwyk.com. Also check out her Ink Wash Painting Class!

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The Esterbrook “Write Your Story” journals are a collaboration between Esterbrook and lettering artist Betty Soldi. The A5 journal comes in three colors: burgundy, teal and camel. The cover has a faux leather feel and is adorned with foil and etched embossing in Betty’s “Alphabetty” font. The journal is hard cover, with a sewn binding.

The inside of the journal is also fun! The first spread shares a bit of history about the Esterbook brand as well as a few facts and tips about writing with different nibs. The next page provides a place to trace the “Alphabetty” font if you wish, and encourages you to have fun with your own lettering. What follows are 2 pages set up for recording the contents of your journal.

The bulk of the journal is made of up numbered pages (190) of 80 lb fountain pen friendly paper in a cream color with 5mm gray dot grid. To the touch it feels smooth and almost a little luxurious. The final details include an envelope at the back, and a ribbon bookmark with an Esterbrook charm.

Now we get to delve into the paper! I found the paper enjoyable to write on. It was super smooth, and the ink dried fairly quickly. There was no feathering or bleeding, and on the plain writing sample (the first one below) there was very little show through.

I then tested wider nibs, different kinds of pens (brush, gel, etc) and even a silver writer which I believe is alcohol based. Even with those there was show through, but no other issues.

Ultimately my opinion on this notebook is that it’s pretty darn nice. I am definitely a tactile person, and just holding the cover and feeling the paper in my hands is a pleasure. It’s not an inexpensive investment and I surely wouldn’t use it for to do lists and the like, but if I’m thinking about keeping it as a journal and re-reading it over and over, then I would definitely consider buying another!

DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Esterbrook for providing this journal free of charge for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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I recently reviewed Midori MD Paper Products colored pencils in its very limited but lovely, understated palette. Midori also makes graphite pencils (6/$10) – equally sublime in their appearance and beautifully coordinated with other Midori stationery products. I was given the B grade for review, but I happen to have other drawing grades as well, so I’ll include them in my comments.

Like the colored pencils, the graphite pencil barrel has a subtle matte finish with simple branding. The barrel color is the vanilla ice cream off-white that appears on many of Midori’s notebook covers. Something about that matte finish is such a joy to touch!

Also matching the design of the colored pencils is the slightly convex, uncapped end that reveals a perfectly centered core. They sharpen nicely with a whiff of cedar.

I compared the Midori B grade with B grades in two of my favorite Japanese graphite pencils, Tombow Mono and Uni Mitsubishi Hi-Uni. Although not quite as smooth as either of the higher-priced pencils, the MD graphite quality is consistent and flawless. It feels slightly softer than the Tombow but slightly harder than the Hi-Uni. The B makes a great writing grade for those who prefer softer pencils. (Swatches and sketch shown in this review were made in a Stillman & Birn Zeta sketchbook, which has a smooth surface.)

The swatches below show the full range of MD grades available – HB through 6B. 

I have been taking crosshatching courses from France Van Stone (better known as Wagonized), and having the B in my hand was a good opportunity to work on one of the course exercises – a friendly, young cow. (France’s courses often use fun photo references of animals that I adore drawing!) I would typically use a softer grade for the final details, but this B did well enough even at the end.

The MDs are excellent writing and drawing pencils at a price that makes them a good value. 

My only complaint is that the beautiful matte finish I love so much tends to become easily scuffed and marked. I’ve had the full set for a while, knocking about in a pencil cup, and they are showing their age prematurely. I’m sure the colored pencil barrels will suffer the same fate shortly. Most of the time, I appreciate evidence of wear and use on my art materials, and I don’t baby them. But something about that creamy, formerly pristine finish with scuffs is harder to look at. I don’t want my stationery to be better dressed than I am, but if I daily-carried a Midori pencil, I might be tempted to keep it in a Rickshaw sleeve.  

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Gentleman Stationer for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

Tina Koyama is an urban sketcher in Seattle. Her blog is Fueled by Clouds & Coffee, and you can follow her on Instagram as Miatagrrl.

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“Play your notes, to hear the sounds of pencil on paper.” It’s hard to resist an invitation like that! Under the MD Paper Products name, Midori makes understated pens, notebooks, letter-writing paper, planners and other products. It also makes colored and graphite pencils to match that muted esthetic. Today I’m reviewing the colored pencils (6/$12); the graphite pencils are coming up soon. 

Made in Japan, the three colored pencils (two pencils per color in the set) – light gray, light blue, coral – coordinate beautifully with Midori’s delicate palette. The matte-finish, semi-hexagonal barrel is very pleasing (soothing, even) to touch. As with all Midori products, the branding is subtle – “MD Paper Products” in small, black block letters.

My favorite design element is the unpainted – but not unfinished – end. The very slightly convex cut reveals the well-centered cores. Like the rest of the pencil, it’s a sublime yet distinctive touch.

Since I’m somewhat spoiled by top-notch colored pencils, I didn’t have high expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised. Harder than Prismacolor and softer than Faber-Castell Polychromos, the MD pencils have a slightly waxy feel rather than creamy. The swatches show consistent layering in a relatively smooth Stillman & Birn Zeta sketchbook. 

Coral and light blue are not colors I would typically choose to sketch a cow, but what the heck – it’s a good way to stretch my color imagination. Pigments apply well, and the pencils are pleasant to use (and to hold! I love the matte finish). For the sketch, I used a toothier Stillman & Birn Alpha sketchbook, and the pencils are soft enough to show the paper’s texture easily. (I used a graphite pencil for the cow’s details.)

If you’re not into sketching or coloring, these pencils could be also used for highlights or notations that don’t sear the eyeballs. In fact, I would love to see Midori expand the palette just a bit wider. We have plenty of small colored pencil sets in the standard rainbow – how about a set of 12 including more understated hues? Like a pale mint (Ana would surely want one of those), delicate rose and lavender? I’m ready for a unique set like that.

Tina Koyama is an urban sketcher in Seattle. Her blog is Fueled by Clouds & Coffee, and you can follow her on Instagram as Miatagrrl.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Gentleman Stationer for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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I’m a huge fan of Rickshaw Bags. Ever since my first daily-carry Zero Messenger Bag (now 10 years old and still looking great), which has traveled with me to four continents, I’ve found reasons (and excuses) to buy more bags in other colors, sizes, fabrics and styles. I also have several stationery accessories. Handmade in San Francisco, the products are all well made, durable and – the most addictive part – color-customizable!

Rickshaw’s Plush Valet Tray ($34) is not an item that initially struck me as useful. Traditionally, a valet is used by men as a pocket dump. Since I don’t carry coins, keys, knives or anything else in my pockets, I don’t have this need. However, I do have a specific art table need, and when I spotted the cushy valet, I suddenly realized what its purpose is.

When I’m working on a drawing or other project at my desk, I’m constantly picking up and putting down various pencils, pens, scissors or other tools, and I don’t like the noisy clatter they make on my desktop surface or a hard tray. I’d tried paper towels and fabric to set tools down on, but round pencils kept rolling off.

The rectangular 4-by-8-inch valet is an ideal size for giving my currently used tools a soft, silent place to land – it’s plush-lined! Yes, my pencils now have a more comfy seat than I do. I don’t have any of Rickshaw’s gorgeous, plush-lined fountain pen cases or Coozies because I refuse to let my pens be better dressed than I am. OK, I do have one Clover Pen Sleeve (alas, no longer available), seen in this post, which also shows a couple of my many Rickshaw bags. But the Clover has a specific travel purpose beyond keeping my pens warm and stylishly dressed.

I chose Cordura fabric in Iris on the outside (in homage to my original, well-traveled Zero Messenger) and orange plush on the inside. 

The valet has an interesting and functional design: In use, the four corners are snapped together into a simple tray. When unsnapped, the valet goes flat for storage or travel. It’s also available in three square sizes and a slightly less cushy version in waterproof EPX fabric.

This is one of those things that I did not know I needed until I saw it, and now I don’t know how I ever worked at my desk without it! Did I mention that it’s color-customizable? Don’t play with the customizing tool just before bedtime. I guarantee you will stay up too late trying out all the color combos.

Tina Koyama is an urban sketcher in Seattle. Her blog is Fueled by Clouds & Coffee, and you can follow her on Instagram as Miatagrrl.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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Other than exterior colors, the key differences between a stock Sailor pen offering and a Nagasawa branded Pro Gear is the engraving on the nib and cap band and the custom low flat ink bottle icon on the end cap. From the perspective of “is this a real Sailor pen?” the answer is unequivocally yes.

The model I chose is the Gakuen-Toshi Fresh Green. The color is 100% me. Why I waited so long to purchase it is beyond me. I purchased the last of this particular color left on JetPens. It was originally sold at the same time as the coordinating ink along with several other ink/pen combos. While I don’t think the Gakuen Toshi pen and the ink of the same name are exactly a perfect match, I can live with that. Mostly because I love the color of the pen barrel.

While Gakuen Toshi and its fellow models are mostly sold out at this point, Nagasawa recently released its newest collection of Sailor Pro Gear Slim models, the Onomatopoeia series: Doki Doki (Pink), Puka Puka (Light Blue), and Kasha Kasha (Gray) ($299 each) which is a delightful collection and is only slightly more expensive than the pervious line (which sold for $253 on JetPens).

The Nagasawa nib is just as smooth as a Sailor-branded Pro Gear Slim. The writing experience was exactly what I’ve come to love about the Sailor 14k nibs. While I do get mushy when I get a 21k nib in hand, the 14k is still an excellent option. Since I was purchasing the absolute last Gakuen Toshi available at JetP

ens, I got the F nib which is one of my favorite Sailor nibs anyway. I really do need to branch out a bit.

If you have ever wondered, “What’s the deal with those Nagasawa/Kobe Sailor Pro Gear pens?” I hope this helped to clear it up a little and provide you with yet another channel to seek out unique and unusual Sailor models.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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At this point, you may be asking yourself, what book were you reading that was so engrossing that you forgot to write a blog post? It was The Cartographers by Peng Shepard. It’s a lovely story about maps and the people who archive, research and collect them. I won’t give away any of the details but if you like libraries, maps and a little bit of magic, you’ll like this book.

That said, let’s talk about some delicious pencils while you wait for your copy of The Cartographers to arrive.

I’m hard pressed to think of a single Midori MD product that I haven’t liked and this set of Midori MD Color Pencils ($12) is no exception. The set includes two each of an orange, cyan blue and medium grey colored pencil. When I initially acquired these, I thought the grey pencils were graphite pencils but they are not. I am happy about this because, as a lefty, graphite often smudges but most colored pencils do not.

The exterior paint, rounded hex shape and slightly rounded ends make these looks and feel like premium Japanese pencils. They sharpened easily to fairly long points with my Dahle 133 Hand Crank Pencil Sharpener (approx. $19).

First, I tested these on the Leuchtturm1917 120gsm paper notebook. The blue and orange colors showed well and felt creamy and smooth on this lightly textured paper. The grey felt a little light on the ivory paper but not much so as to be unusable. I am just unlikely to reach for the grey on ivory paper for anything other than sketching and adding shadow to other elements. The orange and blue hold their own and felt surprisingly lovely on this relatively smooth paper.

The color erased mostly for a pencil that does not appear to be listed as erasable but not completely. The color did not smudge at all. My efforts to do too much blending of the colors was not particularly successful.

I decided to see how the pencils worked on toothier Col-o-ring OVERSIZE paper. The pencils are a bit harder than other art pencils (Prismacolor Premiers, etc) so there was more white from the paper showing through since the pencils were not soft enough to sort of melt into the paper texture.

Alternately, this means the pencils are a bit firmer, maintain their point longer and can be sharpened to a longer, finer point for detail work.

Overall, if you are looking for some pencils to annotate notes, I really like these. Do I wish they offered more colors? Emphatically, YES. Am I happy with this teeny mini set? Yes.

DISCLAIMER: Some items in this review include affiliate links. The Well-Appointed Desk is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. Please see the About page for more details.

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In addition to high-end, limited-edition, collectible pencils, Blackwing makes a few unique pencil accessories, including the Blackwing Point Guard ($10 each). Available in matte black, gold, silver, and a set of one of each color, the point guard is made in Taiwan of lightweight, machined aluminum. I chose matte black to match my favorite standard-edition Blackwing. Like all of Blackwing’s standard editions, the Point Guard’s esthetic is sleek, minimal and professional.

When the Point Guard first came out, I had heard some grumblings in the pencil community that its friction fit marred some barrel finishes or didn’t fit comfortably on some standard-size pencils. A good fit would be one that allows the cap to slide on without force and stay on during transport in a bag or pocket. I went through my pencil collection to find a variety of barrels to try it on. Of course, I put it first on several older and newer Blackwings; it fits all of them just fine and leaves no mark.

I also tried it on a Mitsubishi Hi-Uni, one of my all-time favorite pencils, and it fits fine also. I couldn’t find any standard-size graphite pencils in my collection that were a problem.

Next I tried several pencils that have ever-so-slightly-larger-than-standard barrels. These pencils often are a problem when I try to put them into sharpeners designed only for standard-size pencils, so I didn’t expect them to fit the Point Guard. The Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle colored pencil, the Caran d’Ache Klein Blue graphite pencil and the Derwent Drawing Pencil are all snug, but the Point Guard goes on without force. I see no marks on the barrels. These surprised me – I didn’t think they would fit at all.

This one also surprised me: The Caran d’Ache Supracolor, which I have always thought of as having a standard-size barrel, is slightly loose in the Point Guard. It stays on, but with less resistance than the Blackwings or the Hi-Uni. 

Finally, I dug around in my pencil cups for an oddball: a Japanese prayer pencil with a square barrel. It fits also.

Maybe the Point Guard has improved over time, but I have nothing to grumble about.

Well, OK, I have one grumble: the price. Does a $10 Point Guard work better than a plastic Sonic Cupot (my personal favorite pencil cap, 6/$3.25)? No, but it will probably last longer, and for some, it might suit their professional image better than the Cupot’s elementary-school palette. I can’t argue with that.

Tina Koyama is an urban sketcher in Seattle. Her blog is Fueled by Clouds & Coffee, and you can follow her on Instagram as Miatagrrl.

DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge for the purpose of review. Some items were purchased with funds from our amazing Patrons. You can help support this blog by joining our Patreon. Please see the About page for more details.

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Looking around at Wet Paint’s online shop recently, I came across a unique book: One Color a Day: A Daily Art Practice and Visual Diary by Courtney Cerruti ($16.99). Unlike a traditional sketchbook, its focus is not on drawing but on color. “Within the book’s orderly gridded layout . . . you simply paint each square a single color and add a word or phrase that reflects your current mood, an observation, or an experience.”

The book begins with an introduction to its concept and a brief how-to about using watercolor. The most appealing part about the concept is that even if we have no time or energy for creativity in our busy schedules, certainly we can all find a few minutes per day to fill a 2-inch square with color. There’s no pressure to look for something to draw or to “create” something beautiful – just put a color down in a square once a day. Then write a word or phrase that the color evokes. Soon it becomes a pleasurable habit to look forward to instead of a “must be creative” task. When the book or even a page spread is full, it’s a visual delight that encourages continuing the habit.

Made up of mostly blank weekly page spread grids (52 to last one year), the book also includes a prompt or theme for inspiration every four weeks, such as “a week of one subject” or “a week of sensations.” With a focus on sensory experiences, a color-a-day practice “is an opportunity to focus on moments that really matter to you. This is the essence of mindfulness.”

The hardbound book includes a fabric ribbon page marker.

The author shows examples using her recommended medium, watercolor, but I immediately saw potential for all coloring media – including fountain pen inks! Surely we all need more ways to use all those bottles and vials of color! (And if you use a Q-tip instead of a paint brush, the maintenance is even lower than with watercolors.)

While the paper is much heavier than typical book stock, I had doubts about how well it might hold up to wet media. I pulled out my wettest stuff – watercolor, watercolor pencil, Iroshizuku Tsutsuji fountain pen ink and juicy brush pens – to throw onto a page. Following Cerruti’s encouragement, I applied colors first, then free-associated to jot the first words that popped into my head upon seeing the colors. Fun, easy and fast!

To my surprise, the paper held up very well with little buckling. The only medium that bled is the watercolor pencil. I applied it dry to a puddle of water, so I had to scrub a bit, which degraded the paper’s surface. Even with that abuse, the reverse side is still useable.

Overall, I love this book – its concept and approach – and I’m looking forward to using it. Well, except for one major beef: The binding! As you can see from some of my photos, it will not stay open without holding it down. The author recommends using a binder clip on one side, but as I worked on a page spread, the book was always in danger of slamming shut with wet color if I didn’t hold it down. I find it nothing less than ridiculous that a sketchbook would be bound in a way that will not allow it to stay open by itself!

I’m having déjà vu: A few years ago when I reviewed the Make Art Every Day planner, I ran into the same issue. With that one, Ana gave me the idea of rebinding the book at my neighborhood office services store with a spiral binding. What a brilliant hack! I may be taking the One Color a Day sketchbook to meet the FedEx Kinko guillotine soon.

In the meantime, though, I realized that the concept and prompts could be followed in many types of books that would not have a problem staying open. The first thought that came to mind was a Col-o-ring book: No grid necessary – just flip to a new card each day. Or draw grids on Col-o-ring Oversize pages. Or use a conventional sketchbook that stays open easily, like Stillman & Birn’s softcover or wirebound books. For that matter, use a conventional grid-format monthly calendar and fill each square with color!

Now that you’re inspired to use color, please indulge me in giving a shout-out to Wet Paint in St. Paul. Whenever I visit family in the Twin Cities, I always make a stop at this beautiful art supply store (of the type that is rapidly disappearing in many cities, including Seattle), which is celebrating its 45^th anniversary. Let’s all buy our art supplies from indie shops like Wet Paint whenever we can. And if you happen to be a Blackwing pencil collector, you may want to know that Wet Paint has made a custom commemorative one that can only be had by buying the Blackwing two-step sharpener. Just sayin.’

Tina Koyama is an urban sketcher in Seattle. Her blog is Fueled by Clouds & Coffee, and you can follow her on Instagram as Miatagrrl.

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I had mentioned Paperblanks to someone recently and it led me back  to their website to discover that they now list the paper weights they use and noticed that they listed 80gsm, 100gsm and 120gsm paper stocks. Clearly, it was time to give Paperblanks another look.

I ordered one Flexi Midi notebook (approx. 5 x 7 “) with 100gsm paper. The cover featured artwork by Catrin Welz-Stein whose work I am enamored with. I also ordered a hard cover Midi notebook with 120gsm paper. Included in my order was a free A7 sized Paper-Oh lined notebook which is part of Paperblanks contemporary line and featured a metallic grey wave texture on the outside.

Upon further research, the Paper-Oh line is only available in 80gsm and 100gsm papers (when shopping on the Paperblanks site, select “more filters” to reveal the paper weight options if you are specifically looking for the heavier weight.

So, let’s start reviewing the notebooks.

Oceania Diamond Rosette Midi Hardcover Notebook

The Oceania Diamond Rosette Midi ($18.95) Notebook in Hardcover is beautifully embossed with antiqued gold foiling and a textural look though the cover is actually a matte soft-touch wrapped paper hardcover notebook.

The hardcover Midi version of this notebook includes a black elastic closure which I don’t particularly like how it looks with the antique centered design. But its nice that its been included.

The back cover includes a gusseted pocket for miscellany and a red satin ribbon bookmark that is cut and sealed on the end so it doesn’t fray. The book includes 144 pages.

The Oceania notebook features the 120gsm and this is what I wanted to try. The paper is a soft white ivory (which is very difficult to photograph correctly) and I purchased the blank version. The only other option was lined.

I tested several “everyday” fountain pens and a small assortment of felt tip and gel pens. They all performed beautifully.

Writing on this paper provides a little tooth and texture and feel velvety to write on. The Midi size also hits that sweet spot between an A5 and A6 size. I really like it.

From the reverse side of both pages, there was no bleedthrough and no showthrough either.

Wordscapes Flexi Midi Notebook

The Wordscapes “Free Your Mind” Midi Flexi  ($15.95) Notebook is the same size and the hardcover Midi but features a more flexible “softcover”. The design printed on the cover is done in the same way as the Oceania notebook — soft touch matte but this cover features a more contemporary, vintage-inspired illustration by Catrin Welz-Stein. The illustration is accented with gloss varnish and some metallic details on the figure’s dress.

This notebook also features a light, printed edge painting that reminds me of marbling. It’s very subtle and might be missed if I hadn’t looked closely. It would have been nice for the edge painting to be a little more bold to be more evident.

The secretary pocket in the back of the Flexi notebook is not gusseted and the Flexi notebook does not include an elastic for closing the book.

The Flexi notebook features more pages than the hardcover notebook — 176 pages vs. the 144 pages in the hardcover. The paper is also only 100gsm instead of the 120gsm option in the hardcover.

Compared to the velvety texture of the 120gsm paper, the 100gsm paper seems a bit smoother, silkier. I enjoyed writing on it despite knowing that it was more likely to bleed or showthrough. The advantage of the lighter weight paper is that a guide sheet is much more easy to see under the blank pages.

The lighter weight paper becomes evident with more showthrough and a little bleedthrough with heavier ink applications like the music nib and the broad brush pens. It’s not awful and if you use a lot of fine nib fountain pens and a mix of ballpoint, gel and other tools, you might not mind the lighter paper.

Paper-Oh A7 Yuko-Ori Lined Notebook

The Paper-Oh A7 Yuko-Ori Metallic Grey ($4.21) Lined Notebook was included in my order as a bonus and it gave me a chance to see and try the lined paper without investing in a third notebook. The Paper-Oh line is more contemporary looking and feeling with the textural paper cover and a “perfect binding” rather than the wrapped paper covers (hard of soft) of the traditional Paperblanks line.

Included in the tiny notebook was a paper bookmark which I could not figure out how it was meant to be folded and a little brochure about the development of the Paper-Oh line.

The Yuko-Ori notebook appears to use the same 100gsm paper as the larger Midi Flexi notebook. However, the paper seemed to behave a bit differently with inks. I believe this was a result of the printing necessary to add lines to the paper. The lines are very thin and printed in a light brown so they are very subtle. If I needed a lined notebook, this is the kind of lines I’d want. However, the alteration to the paper as a result of the lines is a bit of a disappointment. I may be reading more into the paper than was there. Maybe it’s just a slightly different paper?

The inconsistencies in the way the fountain pen ink adhered to the paper turned out to be difficult to capture in a photo so I guess it’s not as bad as I am making it out to be.

Conclusions

In the end, I am more inclined to stick to the blank pages to avoid any additional issues, especially with the 100gsm paper. The 120gsm paper may stand up to the printing process better. If anyone decides to try the heavier paper with lines, please let me know if you run into any issues.

I am glad I tried Paperblanks again. I am 100% sold on the the 120gsm paper and I do like the unusual Midi size. I look forward to trying more variations of the Paperblanks notebooks in various sizes.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were purchased by me and I was not compensated to write this review. Please see the About page for more details.

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