Ever Try Clairefontaine Triomphe Paper?
In yesterday’s blog post, I used an image of a Clairefontaine Triomphe writing tablet. Especially popular with fountain pen users, this extra-white 90g paper is extremely smooth- more so than regular Rhodia and Clairefontaine papers, although I think the paper in the Rhodia R tablets comes pretty close. All of the fountain pens tested (with varying nib widths) wrote true to size with no bleeding or feathering.
Because of this paper’s super smooth surface, Continue Readering »
Writing a Letter You’ll Never Send
Have you ever written a letter you never sent? You know, the one that says everything you really want to but you know you can’t send it because it would hurt the other person’s feelings? Or maybe the letter can’t be sent because the person is no longer living… In any event, allowing yourself to put into physical words everything you’ve ever wanted to say to another person (without sending it) can be extremely cathartic.
Maybe you have a few things to say to your mom or dad, your 5th grade school teacher, or the high-school bully.
Need inspiration? These Blogs are filled with such letters:
Letters I’ll Never Send (different blog from the first on the list)
Your Input Needed: If We Made a Sketchbook…
We need your input!
Exaclair, (The US distributors of Clairefontaine, Quo Vadis, Rhodia, etc.) is contemplating the creation of an American made sketchbook. A book that would lend itself more towards artistic creation than writing – though I’m certain such a book could be used for either form of expression. The book would contain paper from Clairefontaine’s Schut Mill, (located in the Netherlands) and would be assembled at the Hamburg, NY plant where the Habana notebooks and other Quo Vadis products are currently being made. This sketchbook would be a bound book, (as opposed to a spiral) and we would love your input on how this book should be created.
(See how to submit your feedback at the end of this post.)
In the meantime, Karen sent me a batch of paper samples to test and I chose 4:
If I am going to work in a bound book, it’s got to lay flat. For me, there are no exceptions to that rule. I’d like the book to be about the same size as a large Webbie – 5×8″ish with a firm cover so if I was working with the book propped on my knee, there would still be a good amount of support.
To me, the most important feature of the paper in any sketchbook Continue Readering »
Jonathan Gilmour: In Your Bag
“This is what I normally have in my bag. Being a Uni student, I gotta have a big bunch of notebooks, so I have a few Clairefontaine A5 lined notebooks, and a couple of A4 Rhodia Cahiers, grid ruled for Calculus. My pens include a Platinum Century 3776, Pilot VP, Lamy 2000, and Lamy safari blue fountain pen, pencil, and rollerball. I have to have a Palomino blackwing plus variable-length sharpener for graphs and quick notes, and three Rhodia pads of different sizes for planning projects and to dos. My Traveler’s notebook goes with me pretty much everywhere and has all my plans and schedule inside. I’m a diabetic do I have my blood glucose meter and insulin all the time, as well as lollies and a muesli bar! And of course my wallet and keys!”
PS: Check out the staff favorite work bag pics at NoteMaker. Love peeking in people’s bags!
Image courtesy of Jonathan Gilmour. Follow him as jonogilmour on Instagram.
Sandra Strait Reviews the Clairefontaine Graf-It Pads
We recently sent our friend Sandra Strait a Clairefontaine Graf-it pad to try out. She put this paper to the test by drawing in it with a multitude of different products including: pencil, colored pencil, alcohol markers, watercolors, drawing pens and more. Continue Readering »
Sandra Strait, Clairefontaine, and Rubber Stamp Madness!
From our good friend Sandra Strait (aka Molossus) of the blog Life Imitates Doodles.
“This is a picture I did in my Clairefontaine Carnet de Voyage travel album for a Design Team blog hop with Viva Las Vegastamps! They decided to use it as an advertisement for the fall issue of Rubber Stamp Madness! Yay, Clairefontaine! Your excellent paper made it possible!”
Congratulations! Sandra is well known for creating her amazing art with Zentangle inspired designs and patterns. You can actually read about the entire process that Sandra used to create this image in this post.
Sandra’s original review of the Clairefontaine Carnet de Voyage travel album can be found here.
Image above © Sandra Kay Strait.
Favorite Pens + Favorite Paper
I started to regularly use Rhodia and Clairefontaine products after discovering years ago that the waterbased inks in my (at that time) new favorite writing tool, (a fountain pen) did not play well with the paper in my then favorite notebook. I then started upon a mission to seek out the perfect pen/ink/notebook combination and documented many of my findings along the way Continue Readering »
Objects of My Affection in a Carnet de Voyage Travel Album by Clairefontaine
Playing around in one of the new Clairefontaine Carnet de Voyage Travel Albums – not yet for sale in the US. (Soon….) It’s noted as 180g (83lb) “drawing paper” but that wouldn’t stop me nor Sandra from trying a multitude of art supplies on its medium textured surface. Continue Readering »
Rhodia in the USA
If you’ve ever wanted to view all of the Rhodia products currently available in the US, be sure to visit rhodiapads.com where you can also search for a local or online retailer.
Located in New York City, Exaclair is the exclusive US distributor for Rhodia products and also the other brands under the Clairefontaine umbrella which include: Clairefontaine, Quo Vadis, J. Herbin, Exacompta, G. Lalo, Brause, Mignon and Decopatch.
If you have questions concerning product availability in the US, you can submit your question here.
If you have questions about Rhodia products outside the US, please submit your question here.
The Lobster Boat Story
Mr. Frank Thompson (“Frankie T”) is a lobster fisherman living on the island of Vinalhaven, Maine. He needs to keep records for the National Marine Fisheries Service, and he uses Clairefontaine wire bound notebooks to write down his entries. Some of the fishermen use laptop computers, but Mr. Thompson considers them unreliable, and sticks with Clairefontaine. His faith was rewarded after a recent disaster. Continue Readering »
A Notebook for Everyone
Our UK friends at the Pens and Paper blog tested a number of notebook papers with four different fountain pens – each filled with a different ink. If you ever wanted to know how water based inks react on a certain paper, this is a great series of photos and commentary to help you choose the best product for your needs. The papers that were tested:
- Whitelines (grid);
- Rhodia Webnotebook (lined and dot grid);
- Quo Vadis Habana (lined);
- Monseiur (plain);
- Moleskine (lined);
- Leuchtturm 1917 (lined);
- Rhodia ePure (plain);
- Jottrr (lined/plain);
- Rhodia Exabook (lined);
- Clairefontaine (lined and Séyès ruled);
- Smythson Featherweight (lined); and,
- Archie Grand (plain).
Read the full post here.
Exaclair’s Top 10 Bestselling Products of 2011
Exaclair’s Top Ten Bestsellers of 2011! I have to admit that I am slightly disappointed that Rhodia only managed 9 out of 10 spots. :o) Next year we will have to get the dotWebbie onto that list!
So which of these are your favorites?
#1 Rhodia Pencils
#2 Rhodia Pad N.11 3″ x 4″
#3 Rhodia Pad N.16 6″ x 8 1/4″
#4 Rhodia Pad N.12 3 3/8″ x 4 3/4″
#5 Rhodia Staplebound Pocket Notebook
#6 Rhodia Mousepad
#7 Rhodia Large Meeting Book
#8 Rhodia Pad N.18
#9 Clairefontaine Classic Staplebound Notebook
#10 Rhodia Pad N.14 4 3/8″ x 6 3/8″
Have you seen: Clairefontaine’s Medium Sized Multiple Subject Notebook?
This wirebound Multiple Subject book by Clairefontaine features 60 sheets in pale pastel colors: blue, pink, green & yellow. It is graph ruled and includes 12 tabbed sections- this medium size is 6 3/4″ x 8 5/8.” Small (8 tabs) and large (4 tabs) versions are also available.
With 12 tabs, my first instinct would be to use this book in a yearly fashion; one month per tab – but how could we use this book? I’d love to hear your most ingenious ideas.
Ever try watercolor paints? Here’s a few tips to get you started.
When I was first wanting to try watercolors, I somewhat skipped over the student grade paints which are more binder than pigment, and bought the artist grade paints I read would work best in the long run. Since the artist grade paints are higher quality, (more pigment than binder which means better coverage, better mixing) I think they are easier for a beginner to use- but they will cost more. I believe there are quite a few people who have tried then given up on watercolor paints because they didn’t seem to act as expected – and that’s likely due to the paints being used – not due to operator error. Continue Readering »
Rhodia and Clairefontaine Paper Colors
Taken on a sunny day with slight editing for contrast. From left to right these are, Clairefontaine 90g, Clairefontaine Triomphe 90g, Webbie 90g, and “R” 90g.
A closer look at the Webbie paper and the paper in the new “R” premium pads. (Note – Webbie 2.0 paper is the same color as the 3.0. 3.0 version removed the Rhodia logo at the bottom of the page.)
Do you prefer white or off white paper for writing?
