I was super excited to receive my Awagami Bamboo water colour notebook in the mail the other day. No bills! A gift instead! After answering their fall question twice since they gave me a second chance 🙂 I won the book of paper. I know from a previous set of bamboo paper that it does water colours justice. The colours are sharper, it absorbs at a different rate from cotton paper – I LOVE it! Although I have not been a floral type artist in the past, this paper is begging me to experiment with flowers in the abstract. How can paper inspire anyone? It is just paper. This is true but some paper just begs for a particular art. In this case, I have chosen what I believe suits us (the paper and I). Below is one of my favourite water colours on bamboo paper.
Since I recognised that paper has a strong effect on the production and the type of work I do, I decided to splurge and buy myself a Moleskine. I see them all the time being pulled out of raggedy leather knap-sacs at airports and large cities as people sit on concrete steps to pour their hearts out. The first time I saw one, I fell in love. It was carried by a serious journalist type and he was undoubtedly having a relationship with the pages. The words were cascading out in HB 2. When I researched (yes I did), I found that Moleskine is a trade name and that the paper is acid-free meaning it will retain the ink or pencil and the pages will not fade with age. When I got to the store I was unprepared for the choices of colours and formats. It took a while … In the end, I chose one that could fit in my purse, lined cream pages with a soft cover in classic black. It smells wonderful and my HB 2 glides across the pages pulling out all sorts of lovely words. It worked! 🙂
I am using this notebook for all the ‘love stuff’ I am currently writing for a book I am planning. Would the same words and story be developed using loose leaf? Maybe, but I will never know.
Loose leaf paper (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Loose leaf paper (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Have a wonderful weekend all. Maybe you will find a way to inspire yourself through paper! Lesley xx
RELATED ARTICLES
- Sketchbook (secretlifeofyarn.wordpress.com)
- ☆ Mermaid [a page from my sketchbook] (kirstinmcculloch.blogspot.com)
Inspiration Import 
You sound like my sister, Lesley. She is an artist too, and has very strong feelings about her sketchbooks, notebooks, and paper.
LikeLike
I’ve worked on bamboo paper too. It’s an interesting surface. Giving real ‘body’ to a painting.
LikeLike
Yes that is a great way of describing it. thanks Suzanne – If you are part of Facebook add Awagami – they have 4 seasonal give-aways. The paper was here in no time flat. 🙂
LikeLike
Yo talent Lady ………… xo wow wow wow ….xxx
LikeLike
Ahhhh, I love the paper, notebooks, stationary etc. It is just rather soothing to have a nice fresh sheet of paper in front of you.
LikeLike
Yes, I agree. I have a few that friends have given me. So precious. They will all fill up one day. Inshallah (God willing)
LikeLike
I’ve been having a love affair with paper since I first started writing at age 10. I have to stop myself from buying notebooks before I use ones I already own. I agree a lovely notebook enhances the writing experience. (I never compose poetry on my Mac.) Btw- the watercolor is beautiful.
LikeLike
Computers have a way of making my words frigid too. I am so glad to know you feel the same.
While they have their purpose – long live lovely paper !
LikeLike
Ah, the joy of beautiful notebooks!
LikeLike
Ah! ausgezeichnete schriftlich 😀
LikeLike