Since 2016, I’ve been making journaling a big part of my life. I write many things in my journals, from book notes to life updates, to rants, to book ideas and most recently I’ve been drawing in them. For my next journal, I wanted something that would suit all purposes, and give me more room to doodle alongside my babble. I then found out about Paperblanks, and I’ve been waiting to get one ever since.
When it comes to paper types, I’ve tried ruled, blank, grid and dot grid paper. My favourite is dot grid paper as it provides a nice balance between blank and grid; I’m able to write neatly following the dots, but I also have the creativity to go out of formation without it looking obvious. Paperblanks have many dot grid journals available, but when I saw the Revolution cover by Android Jones, I couldn’t resist choosing it despite the fact it only comes in lined or blank. I opted to go with blank.
All Paperblanks journals come with a description of the cover artwork and the artist’s style in the back pages as well as a memento pouch at the back for keeping inserts. There’s also a flap to stretch over the journal when it’s closed, as well as a satin ribbon for marking a page. Revolution is a hardcover book with an elasticated closure. It will lie flat when you are writing so you won’t have to apply pressure on the other side of the page.
The size of this journal is 9″ long by 7″ wide, which makes it larger than your typical notebook of this price range. What I love most (aside from the art) is the quality of the acid-free sustainable forest paper. In general, these notebooks are meant for writing, but with the thickness of this paper, I feel I would be able to experiment with some watercolours. Markers may go right through, as they do with most paper, but these pages still feel like they could handle more than the typical paper you get in Moleskine’s and other popular notebook types. With Moleskines and Leuchtturm1917s, you’re typically required to buy a specific product with thicker paper, but with Paperblanks this seems like common practice.
Overall, I am overly impressed with the quality of this journal and I would advise any serial journallers to look up Paperblanks and consider buying their next notebook from them. If you’re in the UK, Paperblanks notebooks can only be purchased in a few chain shops like Rymans and Waterstones, but you can also find a small selection of them on Amazon.
It’s worth visiting the Paperblanks website to see their full collection, as they have some truly unique designs that you might not find anywhere else. You can also find the perfect specifications for you if you buy directly from them.
When I look at my Paperblanks Revolution journal, it inspires me to write. And inspiration is important for all creatives. Enhance your creativity and get yourself a notebook that speaks to your soul right now.
