Looking for a substitute to Paperblanks

[drawline]

This is most likely a doomed quest as they have been said to put out crappy paper at some point and have a bad rep, but if someone has gotten a good unlined one more recently and have a lot of experience with different papers, anything similar out there? They are just too expensive if one is only after the paper and not the extra fluff.

 

I'm up for anything, journals or spare papers. I remember asking biffybeans about the Rhodia webnotebook and she said it was somewhat similar, so I will try one of those. While I'm very eager to try the Exacompta sketchbook for what it is on it's own accord I dont think it's similar as people have said that the laid paper is quite textured while the Paperblanks paper is smooth as silk on both sides.

 

What's nice about the paper is that pens draw true to width, as said extremely smooth but without any drag or slippery feeling - the most important trait, good behaviourwise - no feathering or bleedthrough with conventional dosage (have had some with Platinum carbon ink from a super wet brush pen, but the feathering when present isn't noticeable and I dont draw on both sides in those cases) and no see-through. Also nice, matte not shiny - also important, ivory paper. It is hard to replace. Hi-tec-c pens run well on it, my 001 needlepoint Pendleton nib is smooth on it etc. to describe how smooth it is. Brush and ink looks good. Just a joy to work with and stuff gets a "fine art look".

[biffybeans]

I think I've worked through 3 or 4 recent Paperblanks journals w/ no problem - though if you use very wide nibs, or supersaturated inks, I can't be responsible. I like the PB books but don't like the fold over covers and square corners. Webbies are great, there are blank versions coming soon & they have made a few new tweaks to the design. The Rhodia paper is better than the PB, but the PB is still pretty nice.

 

 

 

This is most likely a doomed quest as they have been said to put out crappy paper at some point and have a bad rep, but if someone has gotten a good unlined one more recently and have a lot of experience with different papers, anything similar out there? They are just too expensive if one is only after the paper and not the extra fluff.

 

I'm up for anything, journals or spare papers. I remember asking biffybeans about the Rhodia webnotebook and she said it was somewhat similar, so I will try one of those. While I'm very eager to try the Exacompta sketchbook for what it is on it's own accord I dont think it's similar as people have said that the laid paper is quite textured while the Paperblanks paper is smooth as silk on both sides.

 

What's nice about the paper is that pens draw true to width, as said extremely smooth but without any drag or slippery feeling - the most important trait, good behaviourwise - no feathering or bleedthrough with conventional dosage (have had some with Platinum carbon ink from a super wet brush pen, but the feathering when present isn't noticeable and I dont draw on both sides in those cases) and no see-through. Also nice, matte not shiny - also important, ivory paper. It is hard to replace. Hi-tec-c pens run well on it, my 001 needlepoint Pendleton nib is smooth on it etc. to describe how smooth it is. Brush and ink looks good. Just a joy to work with and stuff gets a "fine art look".

[Bo Bo Olson]

What beautiful books....and I don't even want to know the prices.

 

What other companies make similar beauty?

[drawline]

Rhodia is great as well, just different. But I do like the type of clay coated texture on the PB better, no "vellum drag" only silky smooth but still some.. well, "bounce back", but I guess the Webnotebook with the ivory paper should be different? Anyway my quest continues. My best hope would probably be something japanese, but that is ruled out for the same reason, cost.

 

Hopefully the Exacompta sketchbook is somewhat similar, the Paperblanks paper does in fact have an underlying texture but it is visible on both sides and I dont know, plaster - like a net - comes to mind, more than typical textured paper for dry media like pastels and graphite. It is only visible in strong light. One downside to PB that has become more apparent for me is that while the binding allows the covers to lay perfectly flat, the paper does not. The paper is thick and bulks up. Also in case someone is curious to try one after reading this; do not get anything smaller than a midi or ultra, there seems to be some consensus that the paper differs. I have gone through 3 or 4 ultras and a couple of midis and the paper has more or less been the same, I think one midi was not as smooth (unsure if it was a odd page here or there, think I would have made a bigger deal out of it if were all through) but it did have the same kind of paper. All unlined, so that may also be a factor.

[karmakoda]

There are lots of great journals and sketchbooks out there, some more suitable to certain pens and inks.

One I found recently is by Pentalic and is called the Illustrator's Sketchbook. You can buy three for the price of one Moleskine, and the Pentalic is actually better quality paper. If Moleskine used the paper in their larger sketchbooks, that is used in their small 5.5 x 3.5 sketchbooks, they would be the best available. But they don't.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Pentalic-Modeskin-Sketch-Book-Cover/dp/B0025U1192

http://www.notebookstories.com/2010/04/14/secret-shopper-photo-pentalic-illustrators-sketchbook/

 

About Paperblanks. Last Christmas I bought over a dozen (for gifts) because they promoted a "Buy 2 get 1 Free" Sale, and that applied to all Paperblanks stock. I do not care for their magnetic lock covers, but the books with elastic wraps are very good.

For now though, I'm sticking with Pentalics, Quo Vadis, Exacompta, see sale below for excellent value Exacompta.

http://www.shopwritersbloc.com/exacompta-basics-sketchbook-with-madeira-cover.html