Favorite FP friendly graph paper notebook?

[Balog]

I'm looking for a stolid, workmanlike notebook with graph (or quad... what exactly is the difference?) ruled paper. 9 1/2 x 6 or 5 x 7 ideally.

 

Judicious use of the search function turned up the Piccadilly, but A. it's a Moleskine knock-of and I'm not a huge fan of the style B. it's still $5. I realize I may have to pay that much for a smooth writing experience, but if there is a good lower cost alternative (or just one that looks less emo) I'd love to find it.

[TarpAsAShack]

I just got a Clairefontaine, and it works great.

Try here Writer's Bloc their in Portland.

HTH

[gtrhero7]

Rhodia is always a good way to go.

[RayMan]

Rhodia or Clairefontaine.

[bluefish65]

I agree with the Rhodia choice. No fancy (or emo) designs.

 

They're a little more expensive, but well worth it. You may want to check your local Target, some have been selling Rhodia graph paper tablets and wirebound notebooks. I went to a store in my area and picked up a staple-bound tablet for $7.99.

 

Rhodia at Target thread

[kookychick]

I love Rhodia paper because of its smoothness (I use really fine-nibbed FPs). However, if cost is a major factor, Alvin Saray graph paper pads are another alternative. They're less expensive (but also less smooth) and take FP ink pretty well, in my experience. You can get them from fineartstore.com (they also sell on Amazon) or Bertram's Inkwell, to name a couple of places.

 

Your local art store may also carry Rhodia pads (and I think someone said The Container Store and some Borders bookstores have them in their B&Ms, too). Sign up for their newsletters, if you can stand the extra spam--one of my local art supply stores often emails out 30% coupons, which makes the Rhodia pads very, very hard to resist!

[Gran]

I tried samples of Alvin and Rhodia. The printed lines are paler on the Rhodia than the Alvin. The Rhodia paper has a sleeker surface. Neither bleeds. My pens write a finer, cleaner line on the Rhodia samples I have, than they do on the Alvin. I tried XF, F, and M nibs with non-saturated inks. If I needed something to look especially clean, I would choose the Rhodia over the Alvin. With an XF nib, I found the Alvin all right.

[Beechwood]

Or you could always make your own from the downloads page of www.mathsphere.co.uk

 

or a better link http://www.mathsphere.co.uk/resources/Math...eGraphPaper.htm

Edited April 9, 2009 by Arthur

[fuchsiaprincess]

Another vote for Rhodia.

[limesally]

If I could find a gridded Rhodia notebook (as opposed to the tablet) I'd buy it! Recently I was quite happy with the softcover gridded Clairefontaine; the only drawback being that some inks (Noodler's black, frex) dry very slowly on it.

[Imzadi]

That's some of the trade-off for smooth paper. The sizing prevents excessive ink absorption into the paper. While this aids in preventing feathering, it causes the ink to lay (lie?) on top of the paper and dry.

[josiah]

Another good one (and, as a plus, usually pretty cheap): Roaring Spring, item No. 11209. Quad ruled, 5 squares per inch; Green paper (yellowish green with greenish blue lines; easy on the eyes and as a bonus looks good with brown and red inks), 80 sheets, spiral bound.

 

I've been using one of these for a journal I've been keeping. It is what I'd consider very FP friendly: the only thing I've had any problems with is the Galileo Brown sometimes bleeds through (almost exclusively when playing with flex or making solid patches of color) and thin lines are wider than with other inks, and the only feathering came from using a flexible nib and the Galileo. Regarding bleed/show-through, this paper behaves as well as Rhodia, but with less feathering.

 

It doesn't match your size preferences, but it is inexpensive (I see it in stores online for about $4) and does not look emo in the slightest. Here's one place I found it:

 

https://www.thenerds.net/ROARING_SPRINGS.QU...BOOK.11209.html

Edited April 16, 2009 by josiah

[superbleu]

Check the UW bookstore in Bothell or in Seattle, they should have Rhodia and Clairefontaine notebooks of various sized and formats (gridded, lined, ect)

 

Also check out Kinokuniya bookstore inside Uwajimaya in downtown Seattle,

I just picked up a Maruman Mnemosyne notebook today that might fit the bill, it's graphed, 8"x6" back plastic cover, kind of expensive at 9 dollars for 70 sheets, they had some other ones too, it's a fun store to browse.

 

Josiah, you should check it out too, I got a pad of graphed paper that might fit the bill for your other post looking for a thin graphed paper, 100 sheets of B(7"x10") sized loose leaf sheets for 3.30 the brand is Art spiral also made by Maruman.

Edited April 17, 2009 by superbleu

[mrdavie]

If I could find a gridded Rhodia notebook (as opposed to the tablet) I'd buy it! Recently I was quite happy with the softcover gridded Clairefontaine; the only drawback being that some inks (Noodler's black, frex) dry very slowly on it.

Does a spiral bound Rhodia book qualify as a notebook? They make it. It's gridded. The only comment I have about the grid is that it is darker than the grid on the paper in their orange tablets.

[josiah]

Check the UW bookstore in Bothell or in Seattle, they should have Rhodia and Clairefontaine notebooks of various sized and formats (gridded, lined, ect)

 

I totally neglected to note that Balog is from Bothell. I have been satisfying most of my paper and ink cravings at the UW Bookstore for many years. Including the Roaring Springs spiral notebook I mentioned earlier. I like Clairefontaine's paper, but rarely like the covers (I prefer something more plain and less glossy); and I find Rhodia nice for being able to remove pages, but their pads don't really feel like notebooks.

 

Also check out Kinokuniya bookstore inside Uwajimaya in downtown Seattle,

I just picked up a Maruman Mnemosyne notebook today that might fit the bill, it's graphed, 8"x6" back plastic cover, kind of expensive at 9 dollars for 70 sheets, they had some other ones too, it's a fun store to browse.

 

Josiah, you should check it out too, I got a pad of graphed paper that might fit the bill for your other post looking for a thin graphed paper, 100 sheets of B(7"x10") sized loose leaf sheets for 3.30 the brand is Art spiral also made by Maruman.

 

Man, I was just at Uwajimaya today. I was even thinking about paper shopping, but forgot while I was in the building. I guess I'll have to go back. (I do remember seeing mention in a different thread of Japanese paper being generally FP-friendly and thinner.)

[kirianth]

Oh, even better, josiah, U Bookstore now stocks Apicas and some Kunst & Papier sketchbooks

Edited April 17, 2009 by kirianth