It took me forever to decided on a journal to use for this summer's sketches. I guess this comes from having too much stuff. Finally I settled on a Pentalic Aqua Journal that had recently been added to my sketchbook stash.
The Aqua Journal is milled from 300 gm, 100 percent cotton rag paper which is neutral pH and acid free. An elastic brush holder is positioned at the top of the book but was not able to fit my #8 travel brush into it so I use it for a pen holder. This 6” x 8” journal is also fitted with a ribbon marker, elastic band closure, and storage pocket in the back of the book. It has 48 pages, counting front and back.
The paper is a fairly textured cold pressed. The pages lie flat making it easy to work across both left and right pages to do wider sketches. However, I found the binding somewhat disappointing as some of the signatures in my book have already started to come apart.
My first sketch was of crocuses which were blooming in our flowerbed. Right away I ran into problems. Because the paper's texture I found it difficult to draw with my Copic Multiliner pens. I tried nibs of different sizes, but for me it was still problematic. And I found that unless I gave my pen lines time to dry, they smeared if I went over them with a wet brush.
Also, I didn't like the way my watercolour pencils responded to the surface, and the colour readily lifts off the paper. This means there will be no glazing of colours. I must paint boldly with no over painting.
This summer's sketching will be challenging, but I will adapt to the book's limitations and fill it with drawings. The lifting of colour could prove useful as corrections, and highlights will be easy to obtain. I might even learn to paint quickly and confidently without any overworking.
Still working in this sketchbook. This watercolour pencil drawing was made on June 22nd. Everything in the garden was so 'green."
Note
Using this Aqua Journal reminds me of a lesson I learned on my first art trip to France. I took along a sketchbook that I was not familiar with. It took me almost the whole trip to figure out how to paint in it. What a waste of precious time! Now I do my experimenting at home, and take familiar materials with me when I travel.
Eileen, I have a pentallic journal, size 5"x 8" that I like very much. Most of the drawings were done with watercolours and I did not notice that there was a lifting problem.I am wondering, though, if my Pentalic is the same as your version.Both the front and back outside covers are in black only, whereas your front cover has Aqua Journal painted on it and is 2 toned. Alice
ReplyDeleteMy journal cover is solid blue. The banner you see in the above illustration is a removable piece of plastic. I purchased this book about two months ago so perhaps they have changed the paper.
ReplyDeleteOr, perhaps you and I paint differently. I like to mix colours on the paper but I think a more direct method of painting would work better in this book. I will try mixing my colours on my palette, and then apply them directly to the page. Thanks for your comment. I appreciate your feedback.