In Link Love

Link Love: Is it Thursday Already?

Author AnaPosted on 5 Comments

Do Over Button

Somehow, I completely misplaced Wednesday. It happens sometimes. Things get a little chaotic and BOOM! I forget what day it is and when sense returns, I am stunned to realize I misplaced a whole day. I blame it on a rift in time. At least we remembered to put out the trash last night. That would have caused a much bigger stink than being a day late on Link Love, right?

Pens:

Ink:

Pencils:

Notebooks & Paper:

Art & Creativity:

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In podcast

Update: Pen-Related Podcasts

Author AnaPosted on 5 Comments

It’s been a while since our original post talking about our favorite ink and stationery related podcasts. We decided we have enough that it was time for Inky Ears to get it’s own page!

Since our last post, we’ve become aware of the following podcasts:

As The Pen Turns: Hosts Brad, Jason and Jonathan create a podcast made by pen makers for pen makers and pen enthusiasts as well. If you’ve ever had questions about what goes into the Bespoke pen making process this is a place to get those answers!

 

Fountain Pens & Stationery: Frank and Collins discuss their love of fountain pens and stationery.

 

 

 

The Goulet Pencast: Brian Goulet and Drew Brown of GouletPens.com talk about all the fountain pen things that pen fans love. They talk about what’s going on at The Goulet Pen Company, what’s new in the fountain pen world, there are interviews with people in the fountain pen industry, and lots of jokes and fun segments to keep you entertained and maybe even educated about fine writing and fountain pen-related products.

 

The Pen Noobs: Hosts Jika and Ryan say, “We’re just two pen noobs, standing in front of the pen and stationery community, asking them to love us.”

 

 

Stationery Adjacent: Join Stuart and Justin for a podcast at the intersection of analog and digital technology.

 

 

Take Note: Ted Walker and Adam Webb met during a five-week writing program when they were seventeen. They haven’t lived in the same city since — but they have been friends for twenty years. Take Note is their conversation about notebooks, attention, parenting and appreciation for the poignant and preposterous possibilities of any given moment.

 

 

As always, if we’ve missed anyone, please let us know in the comments – the more podcasts to enjoy, the merrier!

In Art Supplies

Notebook Review: Paperblanks Sketchbook

Author AnaPosted on 5 Comments
Notebook Review: Paperblanks Sketchbook

After my successes with the Paperblanks blank notebooks in 100gsm & 120gsm I decided to try out the Paperblanks Arabica Sketchbook ($34.95) with 200gsm paper.

Once the stickers are removed from the cover, the aged look and gold trim is much more evident. I like that it already looks weather beaten. Even with the gold, it feels less precious. And the scuff hide the kitten scratch on the lower edge of the spine. Those kittens still aren’t very graceful.

The sketchbook features matte touch hardcovers with metallic gold foil details. The book measures 8¼” x 11¾” so its a bit taller than US Letter paper. This is the only sketchbook size that Paperblanks sells and is a bit larger than I like but I let myself pull out wider brushes, big markers and other tools I don’t often use in my smaller, daintier sketchbooks.

Sketchbook Features:

Like other Paperblanks notebooks, the sketchbooks include a gusseted pocket in the back and TWO ribbon bookmarks!

The bookmarks are folded into the book when it arrives, one gold and one red.

When unfolded, the ends are trimmed at an angle and unlikely to fray. Such a delightful addition. I cna’t think of any other sketchbook with these details.

The Paper:

The paper is 200gsm bright white and the sketchbook includes 112 pages. This paper is THICK! It’s a very smooth paper. Not as slick as Rhodia paper but there is very little tooth or texture. The smoothness of the paper won’t shred your felt tip and foam brush pens. Pencils lay down a smooth even line as well.

I immediately went for all my multi-media supplies: gesso, brush pens, ink, markers, watercolor brushes, etc. The butterflies doodled above is a smudge of unbleached titanium gesso over some previous pen tests so that I could “re-use” the page with brush pen and watercolor.

The above sketch was a doodle created from ink splats and a Zig Clean Color DOT marker. I love the dual tips on the DOT marker to create random sized dots, thick lines and extra fine lines.

On this sketch, which is on the other side of the butterfly doodle, is collage, stickers, washi and brush pens.

This experiment combined Sailor Shikiori Brush Pens Caran d’Ache Neoclor II crayons, brush markers and some collage. As written, its a bit of a hodge-podge. I could gesso over the whole mess and “start over” or….

I took advantage of the perforation of the pages and removed the offending sketch. This perforation will also allow you to remove a page if you create a masterpiece and want to frame or scan your work.

General Pen Tests:

I had great luck with a wide variety of tools ranging from felt tip, gel, rollerball and marker. Rubber stamping ink and even alcohol markers seem to do fine on the paper as well. The shimmer and sheen in fountain pen inks was visible too.

However, my Platinum Carbon Desk Pen feathered. I was using the 14K nib which behaves a little differently from the standard steel nib but the feathering surprised me. I am not sure if the nib is so fine that it was tearing whatever sizing is on the paper allowing the ink to soak into the fibers.

From the reverse side of my test page, there is NO showthrough at all. Not in person or on camera. This is definitely a sketchbook where you can easily use both sides of the paper without any issues.

Final Impressions:

Overall, I really like this sketchbook and I was tickled to play on this larger size. The feathering of the fountain pen ink was a bit distressing but the fact that fountain pen ink in markers or splattered on the page performed better definitely makes me think that the fine sharp tip was slicing through the sizing on the paper. So, I will continue to experiment and play with this big book and since the paper is thick enough, if the fountain pens make a mess, I’ll just gesso over it and do something else. It feels strangely liberating to just be laissez faire about this sketchbook.

DISCLAIMER: Paperblanks  Sketchbook was purchased with funds from our Patrons.  If you would like to support this site,  join our Patreon. Thank you!

Other items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. The other items in the review were purchased by myself. Please see the About page for more details

In Pen Review

Pen Review: Pilot Juice Up 0.4 Classic Glossy Set (6-color set)

Author AnaPosted on 1 Comment
Pen Review: Pilot Juice Up 0.4 Classic Glossy Set (6-color set)

Pilot Juice Up 6 Color Gel Pen Set (0.4 mm) in Classic Glossy ($18) is a sophisticated looking set of gel pens that feature dark colors that are described as: Classic Glossy Black, Classic Glossy Blue, Classic Glossy Brown, Classic Glossy Green, Classic Glossy Red, and Classic Glossy Violet.

The pen barrels feature silicone grips that indicate the color of the ink in each pen. The barrels themselves are pretty much just a smooth tube with the exception of the squishy grip and feature a translucent grey knock/clip. The barrels are very much a standard width, not too wide, not to slim.

The color of the inks are indicated by the silicone grip and, in low light, it is sometime difficult to discern between the black, purple and brown inks.

The tip is tapered and is sort of halfway between a conical tip and a needlepoint tip. It’s a bit unique.

I was fascinated by the fact that the pens were described as “glossy”. What makes them glossy? When doing the squares of swatches, I noticed that there is very fine metallic shimmer in the ink. It’s very subtle and was more noticeable on the Rhodia paper than on the Tomoe River. Under most circumstances, its unlikely that you’ll notice the shimmer but it does add some dimension to the color.

In writing, the ink flows well and is a very rich, dark color. Each of the colors, though described as glossy, look more like red-black, green-black, blue-black, brown-black, purple-black, etc.

Like so many gel pens, I end up wanting to sketch with them so I did a quick doodle of a ceramic candy dish on my kitchen table that was made by my friend Amy at Pigeon Road Pottery. The deep color and easy flow make these pens fun to use.

Bob, who has a heavier hand than I do and prefers wider tips, did not enjoy using these pens. He found that there was too much flexibility or bend when he used these pens. And that he wrote at an angle that felt the edge of the tip might catch on the page.

With both my light handed impressions and Bob’s more heavy-handed style, you can see that these pens might not be for everyone. The Classic Glossy 6-color set is also available in an 0.5mm width which may work better if you write with a heavier hand.

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

In feature, news

Newsflash: Cosmo Air Light

Author AnaPosted on 3 Comments
Newsflash: Cosmo Air Light

I hate hearing bad news. I hate announcing bad news. But I do appreciate finding out about the bad news in time to be able to do something about it.

You may have recently heard rumors about Cosmo Air Light paper being discontinued and I am writing today to confirm that this is true – every type of Cosmo Air Light paper will no longer be manufactured as of… we don’t know. There is not yet information about the final date for this paper.

Daryl at Musubi broke the news earlier this week with an email that you can read on the Musubi website where you can also find a supply of Cosmo Air Light notebooks.

So what does this mean for paper in the fountain pen world? While Cosmo Air Light paper is being discontinued, it is not yet gone. Many small notebook manufacturers use Cosmo Air Light paper and loose paper is available.

I will still be reviewing inks on multiple types of paper including Cosmo Air Light, but these reviews will include new papers while I search for a good replacement. Please let us know if you find promising paper leads!

In Link Love

Link Love: Double Issue Edition

Author AnaPosted on Leave a comment
Link Love: Double Issue Edition

The trip to Dallas was a whirlwind. The Dallas Pen Show is the only show I attend that is just two days. We set up Friday morning and the show runs until 8pm on Friday, then reopens on Saturday and goes until 5pm. Then we pack up afterwards. So, while there is the advantage of having Sunday for return travel, I felt like the walking dead for most of the show because the hours, to be on your feet, are LONG. Working with Dromgoole’s was fun and a different experience but I miss hiding behind the ink towers at the Vanness tables. Hopefully, next year the ink towers will return.

For an introvert, despite how much I enjoy talking about pens, ink and paper, 12 straight hours on Friday are debilitatingly exhausting. Luckily, I was able to spend much of Sunday afternoon, once I got home, sound asleep on the couch.

The other downside of such a busy, packed show is that I had no time to walk around and shop. I came home with exactly ONE BOTTLE OF INK. Seriously.

And NO PHOTOS. I know the rule, pictures or it didn’t happen but I promise you, it did. My raspy voice from too much talking is my only proof.

As promised, we have two weeks worth of links to share today. Hopefully none of it will feel like “old news” quite yet.

Pens:

Ink:

Pencils:

Notebooks & Paper:

Art & Creativity:

Other Interesting Things:

We need each other. Please support our sponsors, affiliates or join our Patreon. Your patronage supports this site. Without them, and without you, we could not continue to do what we do. Thank you!

In Fountain Pen Review

A Mess of Kawecos: Introducing the Blue Iguana to the Collection

Author Laura CameronPosted on 9 Comments

I’m not even going to call this a review because I’m not sure what differentiates all the Kaweco AL Sports I seem to have in my collection as truly separate writing instruments. Remember when I shared my new Kaweco x Hello Kitty in Opal Green I mentioned staying tuned? Well a limited edition Blue Iguana ($92,Jet Pens) joined the collection late last week.

I’m not precisely sure why I find these to be my Kryptonite. I do love the weight of the metal versions in my hand (as opposed to the regular sports which are lovely as well). I love the metallic shine on the barrel and the rich array of colors they come in. The AL Sports start at around $75 for regular editions, which doesn’t put it out of range for me to have multiples. Of course the special editions are a different story, but yeah.

One of the interesting things I’ve done is to purchase different nibs over time. The Blue Iguana is an Extra Fine nib which is just a little on the small side for me, but isn’t too scratchy. The special Hello Kitty editions were only offered in Fine nibs. Somewhere on walkabout is a Vibrant Violet that is a Medium nib. I’m going to have to investigate that one. And the Deep Red is a Broad nib. So I do get to enjoy the pens in an array of sizes. I guess the next one has to be a double Broad?

Kawecos come standard with cartridges, but there is a converter if you so choose. I’ve purchased two, and use them now, but I figure I’ll finish up cartridges and then refill with a syringe in the future. Clearly I’ve gone with “signature” inks in my Hello Kitty Kawecos because I love matching a slightly darker ink with the pastel body. I’m not sure what I’ll do for the others – Blue Iguana makes me want to find my best orange ink!

I love these pens for their aesthetic but also because they write nicely and, even more importantly, reliably! Even if I don’t write with them for a week or two, they’re ready to go when I pick them back up. I’ve taken them on travels and had zero trouble with them. They’re the perfect pocket pen, purse pen, journaling pen, and more. And due to the faceted cap, they don’t roll away from me!

Have you tried Kawecos? What do you think?