On the neverending hunt for the “perfect paper” for a notebook or sketchbook, I will try just about anything I stumble across on the internet. One such find is the Seawhite of Brighton A5 Starter Sketchbook set which I found on Amazon. The small set of three A5 booklets with simple black covers and 40 pages of 140gsm (approx. 80lb) “cartridge paper” were too good an option to pass up. First, they fit perfectly into my Chic Sparrow Creme Deluxe A5 Black Beauty Traveler’s Notebook cover. “A sketchbook in my planner/notebook kit? Yes, please!” And second, the paper was listed to be heavy enough weight to withstand ink and light washes which is my sweet spot for day-to-day sketchbook needs. So I invested the whopping $10.95 for the set and waited impatiently for the books to arrive.
From the exterior, the booklets feel like Moleskine Cahier or other small cardstock cover cahier. The black cardstock cover is not super heavyweight but is enough to provide protection and add some stability to the paper inside. The paper itself is a crisp bright white and the weight seemed like a good option for pen and ink with enough tooth for pencil and other materials.
I did a little research to determine what exactly “cartridge paper” is, a term not familiar to most folks in the US. Cartridge paper is a heavyweight paper originally used for making gun cartridges and later used by artists and printmakers and they kept the term. Its often compared to Bristol board though maybe not quite as thick. So, in the future, if you hear the term “cartridge paper” you have an idea that the paper is meant to be a bit more upscale than standard copier paper even though it doesn’t sound like it.
Because of the small size of the sketchbook, I was actually able to basically use a whole book before writing up a review rather than just a few small pen tests so I feel like I got a particularly good feel for the paper. In standard writing tests, I didn’t discover any problems. Gel pens, felt tips and fountain pens all seemed well-behaved with minimal bleeding or showthrough. If you like to use a wide nib pen and don’t mind blank pages (you can always use a guide sheet to keep those lines straight!), the Seawhite of Brighton paper might be a nice addition to your stationery cupboard.
Viewed from the reverse of the writing sample, the only show through was the Pilot Envelope pen and a bit of the panda drawing but it was not enough to keep me from drawing on the back side of the page later.
What I really wanted to test was when I introduced more art making tools like watercolor, ink, and colored pencil, which are my favorite portable media. What I came to discover is that “light wash” was the key with watercolor or the paper did start to buckle a little bit but it did not pill. So, by the time I had filled the booklet, the paper was a little waffly but there was not any bleeding of color through to the reverse from the watercolors or anything like that. Just potential puddle spots because the paper waffled a little bit.
I used the book to do a lot of color tests with some new watercolor sets that I’ll do lengthier reviews about in the future but it was nice to have a small book to keep all the swatches together and be able to flip back and forth and see color depth and granulation differences quickly and easily.
I still prefer a little bit heavier weight paper in general for my mixed media sketching but its the trade-off point between cost, portability and need. Some days, I’m just scratching out ideas, doodles and color chips and I don’t necessarily need 200gsm watercolor paper for that. The Seawhite of Brighton 140gsm paper is definitely a step up from the standard paper found in most black art sketchbooks in US art supply store that is usually closer to 65-70lb (96gms+) and much less conducive to any sort of wet media like ink or watercolor or even juicy markers.
Seawhite of Brighton offers their paper is other sketchbook configurations at fairly reasonable prices via Amazon. Or if you are in the UK, you may want to check out their direct website and find a local stockist.
I love what you did to the cover! It’s georgeous!
Thank you! I used Derwent Graphik Line Painter Markers but any paint pens or opaque gel pens would work.
I really appreciate that you are doing more art media and paper reviews lately! Did you test this one with an ink wash (water-soluble fountain pen ink washed lightly with water)? For some reason, even on heavier papers that can withstand some fluid, if the sizing isn’t right, the ink just fades away instead of making a rich shading. It’s become my deal-breaker test of whether a paper will work as a sketchbook or even a doodle book. Thanks —
Tina
I have a few pages left to specifically test fountain pen ink washes in the Seawhite of Brighton. I’ll let you know how it goes. I had such decent luck with watercolors and water soluble markers that I didn’t think to check specifically water soluble fountain pen inks! And thanks for the kind words!
Please go back on Erasables and talk about colored pencils! Those guys need more color in their lives! 😉
An interesting article; we’re pleased you found us.
We aim for maximum versatility with our paper and the same cartridge is available in 160gsm and 220gsm – a lot of our wire-o books have the 160gsm.
We get lots of enquiries from the US and hope that the Amazon route creates interest from a wider audience – we have a strong position in the UK and European markets and think there is a quality gap that we could fill for American artists!