Archive for April, 2010
Practicing Calligraphy in the New Rhodia LaCarre
Bought a new calligraphy book the other day. Thought I might try using one of the new LeCarre pads for dip pen practice. In theory, I think the graph paper works great for this purpose but I’m so impatient. I just can’t bring myself to sit still long enough to learn a new letter much less a whole new alphabet… Continue Readering »
Rhodia on the Road: Lake Erie
Looking at a map, I see that from where I am staying in Ohio, I am only 12 miles from Lake Erie – one of the 5 Great Lakes located in the northeastern part of the United States. Combined, the five lakes form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by surface.
Coming Soon to Israel: Rhodia?
Rhodia and Clairefontaine notebooks may soon be available in stationery, art supply and university bookstores in Israel. Selected products from each brand will be shown this coming weekend to prospective retailers at a back-to-school show. 
Two weeks ago I spent a day doing site visits in Jerusalem with Yaffa and Nathan Sror of Kolbosrad, Ltd., an importer and distributor of quality stationery, office and art supplies in Israel. They discovered Rhodia at the Frankfurt paper show this past January and felt our notebooks could be a good compliment to their other lines.
Yaffa and Nathan were wonderful hosts and guides. I felt as if I had known them for years–people with generous hearts like they do have that gift.
One of the stores they took me to visit was Jerusalem Pens, located in the old German Colony neighborhood. It carries a wide selection of notebooks, journals and writing instruments, including some pens of their own design. Both the store and the neighbor are special.
A little to my surprise, a photo of Pope Benedict XVI writing with a fountain pen greeted me when I walked into their beautiful showroom. The owner, Mr. David Elispur, told me the pope is a customer, and came by for a visit when he traveled to Israel.
Jerusalem Pens is worth a trip if you visit the city. Hopefully, one of these days you can spot Rhodia there, too.
Rhodia on the Road
Seems as though it was once again time for my spring renewal of the spirit. This time, I decided to take a ride west to a state I have never visited before – Ohio. Continue Readering »
New and improved Rhodia Webbie 3.0
The 3rd generation of Rhodia Webnotebooks (affectionately called “Webbies” by their fans) are undergoing a transition.
To revisit the previous versions,
Version 1.0 - 80g paper, not fountain pen ink friendly.
Version 2.0 - 90g fountain pen ink friendly paper, made specifically for the US market (logo on bottom of pages)
New Webbie Version 3.0
- 90g paper will soon be available all over the world. (I do not have a specific ETA)
- Soon be available with blank pages. (I do not have a specific ETA – perhaps mid-summer?)
- Will not have the logo on the bottom of the pages
- Will open flatter
Can a graph version be far behind?
We always appreciate your feedback.
Dr. George Grant on Journaling, Fountain Pens, and Rhodia Paper
Dr. George Grant on Journaling from King’s Meadow on Vimeo.
The author of more than five dozen books, George Grant is pastor of Parish Presbyterian Church in Franklin, Tennessee, founder of Franklin Classical School, chancellor of New College Franklin, and president of King’s Meadow Study Center. On his blog Grantian Florilegium Dr. Grant posts his random rants, musings, and observations about whatever he is reading or thinking or doing at the moment.
Differences between Rhodia/Clairefontaine/Quo Vadis Paper
I spend quite a bit of time reading the forums over on the Fountain Pen Network and I often see questions about the differences between the papers used in the various Clairefontaine (Rhodia, Clairefontaine, Quo Vadis) writing paper products. Continue Readering »
Does What You Read Influence Your Writing?
September 15th, 2005 marked a significant turning point in my life, for that was the exact day I bought my first journal and decided to start writing for me. Up until that point, I had pooh-pooh’d the self-indulgent notion of writing down the personal details of my life and didn’t understand how significant and healing the simple act of putting words to paper could become. Continue Readering »
Perth Australia: Where you Buy Your Rhodia
In response to our “Show Us Where You Buy Your Rhodia” post, Judy Lahiff (owner of Esquires) and her team were kind enough to send us these two images (Along with a message that said, “We love Rhodia!”) from Esquires of Piccadilly, Shop 4, Piccadilly Arcade, Hay Street Mall, Perth, Western Australia
Spring…
To me, there isn’t a prettier time of year than early spring when all the trees are in bloom. It seems as though everything that was recently bare has kicked the covers off and is screaming, “Look at me!”
As we are quickly moving towards Mother’s Day, it is also the best time of year in the northeast portion of the US for bird watching, as all of the migratory species are moving through while wearing their spring finest colors. (Mating season!) Continue Readering »
Acrylic Paint on Clairefontaine Watercolor Paper
Image courtesy of Biffybeans © All Rights Reserved
While I have been playing around with watercolor paints for several years, I’ve been kind of shy about trying acrylic paints because I didn’t know anything about them. Didn’t have a clue what kind of surfaces they would “stick” to, how they would mix, or how it would clean up. Continue Readering »
Do you have a favorite color for editing or correcting?
While I love to write longhand, certain things do get typed directly to the computer. As far as the editing process, I prefer to do most of it on paper. 1st, 2nd, and 15th draft copies are printed and edited with reckless abandon with whatever color ink is in the closest pen. That doesn’t mean I don’t have a favorite. I always have my red Lamy Safari fountain pen filled with red ink and it’s the one I’d prefer to be using- it’s just not a deal breaker if it’s not close at hand. (As evident from 3 different inks viewable on the above image.)
Do you have a favorite color ink for editing or correcting papers?
Should have done my homework…
After recently acquiring a vintage Parker fountain pen with a semi-flexible nib, I decided I’d also like to find one with a fully flexible nib (like the one shown above) for even greater line variation. I’d most likely use it for adding words and phrases to my artwork, so I’m not looking for it to be a daily writer and am not willing to make a large financial investment.
After missing the end of one eBay auction of a Wahl eyedropper pen (you fill the pen with ink via an eyedropper) with full flex, (it sold for $33) I found a different auction for the above Mabie Todd Swan pen and promptly entered a max bid of $25.
Pens, Pencils, Markers, Watercolors… What kinds of media do you use in your journals?
My primary implement for use in any of my journals is a fountain pen.
I almost never use pencils.
Sometimes I will use medium nibbed Signo Gel pens,
or a Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pen in a fine nib.
Perhaps a palette of watercolors
and a Niji Waterbrush.
I’m not as adventurous in my journals as I am in my sketchbooks, and I know some people that use everything from sandpaper to spray paint in their journals. I think maybe I just need to learn to let go…. Continue Readering »
Journals Opening Flat – Is it important to you?
Whenever I review any kind of bound journal, one of my top criteria for a book is for it to both open and lie flat. Some do one or the other, both, or none.
However you choose to write in your book, whether at a table, with it propped on your leg, or by standing and holding it, there is always one hand that is doing the writing. When the book does not open flat – and by flat I mean that the pages are perfectly horizontal with one another with out any indication of the “V” shape shown above, it means that your non-writing hand, does not need to be pushing the down the pages so you can write from the inner crease out to the edge of the page with ease. When the book does not open flat, your other hand is always having to fight to keep those pages down. If the binding does not allow the book to lie flat, you will be fighting both the cover material and the paper.
I am a writer and I love to write. I love writing longhand much more than using a computer keyboard because it feels good to push the pen across the paper and see the words growing organically from the nib. I write with a fountain pen because not only does it allow for effortless writing, but because it adds an additional depth to the overall experience. Ultimately, I want each element of the task whether it be pen, ink, paper, or chair, to be comfortable enough during its use that it does not call any attention to itself in a way that causes me to lose focus.
Finding the perfect journal to meet all of my needs has been a bit challenging… The more brands I try, the more I find features that I want to add to my wish list, but no matter what, if I am going to really enjoy it, it needs to both open and lie flat.
Is a journal’s ability to open/lie flat important to you? I’d love to hear your response either way.
Of note – in all my tests, I’ve found that smaller journals that do not open flat are much harder to work with than larger ones. Smaller books are just harder to hold down and keep open. Bigger books like the A5 hardcover Clairefontaine shown above are a little easier to work with.
