Several weeks ago, I went to the Renwick Gallery in Washington D.C., where there was a large exhibition about Burning Man, the annual festival in the Nevada desert where lots of creative people gather to enjoy each other’s art and self-expression in a variety of forms. The Renwick exhibition included a couple of notebooks: This … Continue reading Notebooks from Burning Man
Is there anyone who can resist a composition book? I can’t, even though in some ways they really don’t fit into my notebook usage patterns these days. They aren’t my favorite size, they aren’t my favorite shape, and it’s sometimes hard to find ones that aren’t wide-rule lined, but I love them anyway. I admire … Continue reading Review: Roaring Spring Composition Books
I found this via the Journaling Junkie Tumblr page, which offers a wealth of beautiful art journal images. This one is from another Tumblr user who goes by vmaddesso: That is a ton of journals! Lots of variety on the top shelves, and then all those labeled composition books on the bottom! vmaddesso says: A … Continue reading Notebook Addict of the Week: vmaddesso
In an article at Howdesign.com , Jason Tselentis writes about the best new notebooks for designers and creatives and how to choose a notebook — but I like this photo of some old ones he’s already been using: “For the work I do and the vast amount of notes I take, a lined notebook is … Continue reading Jason Tselentis’ Notebooks
I had never heard of this Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, but I like the looks of his notebooks! [Playwright Lanford Wilson] passed away in 2011 and left his papers to the University of Missouri Libraries. The collection includes correspondence, working notebooks, drafts and proof copies, and well as work related to Wilson’s personal interests, such as … Continue reading Lanford Wilson’s Notebooks
You may remember Michael Bierut’s stack of composition books that he’s used for many years– one of my favorite notebook stories ever. Now, Aron Fay, a colleague of Bierut’s at Pentagram, has a Kickstarter project going for an upscale, redesigned version of the composition book, using higher end materials and construction. While part of me … Continue reading The Composition Book Reimagined: “comp”
A nice look at the history of the ubiquitous marbled composition book. I haven’t actually used one in years, but I love them nonetheless! Reading this made me want to buy one! “Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat sketched in marble composition books, and Italian architect Ettore Sottsass used the covers to make furniture. Marble notebooks also furnish … Continue reading In Praise of the Basic Composition Book
Papier Tigre is a super-cool French brand of office supplies, including recycled notebooks that I’d seen online but never encountered in person, so I was very excited when NoteMaker (now Milligram) in Australia gave me the opportunity to review a free sample. The notebook I received has a lovely composition book look to it, but … Continue reading Review: Papier Tigre Notebook
I was in London a few months ago, and while the trip wasn’t my best notebook-spotting adventure, I did see a few interesting items. At Foyle’s, the huge bookstore on Charing Cross Road, there is a nice selection of stationery tucked in shelves by the registers on the 2nd floor. I thought the Puggy’s Best … Continue reading London Notebooks
Flying Tiger is a Danish design store — they’ve recently opened a location in New York, and when I checked it out recently, I found that they have some amazingly cheap notebooks! They have colorful composition books for only $2: There are also 3 sizes of hardcover journals, 4×6″ for $1, 6×8″ for $2, and … Continue reading Flying Tiger Notebooks