The Working Artist Series
This is a series of notebooks from Story Supply Co.
If you don't know about Story Supply, you can check them out here. But briefly -
Story Supply Co. was born out of a love for analog creativity tools, a love for stories and their ability to connect us and make us better humans, and the desire to make stuff. We are writers, teachers, musicians, painters and designers. We are part of the team that launched and publishes a little, award-winning, literary journal called STORY.
Pretty cool guys, right?
Wait a second, it gets better.
"INTRODUCING OUR FIRST EDITION IN THE "WORKING ARTIST" COLLECTION OF NOTEBOOKS AND SKETCHBOOKS. FEATURING ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY "DEADPOOL" ARTIST, MIKE HAWTHORNE."
So - covers with artwork done by the guy that draws 'Deadpool'. Wait a second, I haven't seen the movie, and am not a comic fan (yet), but that's quite exciting already isn't it?
"This limited edition pack comes with two different covers, each featuring exclusive artwork from Marvel Comics artist, Mike Hawthorne. A master at visual storytelling, Hawthorne set out to create a world that manages to be simple in its focus and complex in its rendering. As is so often the case, before peace must come war. Like the creation of art, these covers represent the destruction and struggle that is often part of the process of creating something beautiful, something new.
On the inside, Hawthorne includes one of his signature drawing lessons, which he uses regularly when teaching at the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design. And, with the sale of each pack, a sketchbook will be given to an art student in an underserved community."
OK. It's a twin pack of notebooks (definitely in the BIG pocket size range, 5.25" X 7.5"), with exclusive covers drawn by a famous comic book artist.
AND...there's a drawing lesson included. Writing as a man who cannot draw a thing, but would really like to, I'm sold.
"The first batch of donations will go to York City School District, an urban school system that has fallen to difficult financial times of late. As an alumnus of York City Schools, Hawthorne recalls how art, and easy access to art supplies, changed the course of his life. Since then, budget cuts have made his story increasingly less common. Those memories fuel his desire to give back to the school that gave him a voice."
I'm not sure that I can add much to that.
What's the paper like?
Tech Specs.
70# Cougar Natural smooth Paper. Certified by everybody and his dog.
The cover is an "Environment Desert Storm Cover." No, I have no idea what that means either.
Performance
Excuse the photography and the penmanship.
A Montegrappa Broad is an interesting nib, interesting in that it is not really very broad. The Kaweco Lilliput has a Double Broad nib. This little puppy lays down a lot of ink. I was surprised. This paper handled it. It's a smooth writing experience, in a sort of ivory/cream. There was some feathering on the Lilliput, which I would sort of expect.
A tiny bit of show-through. Just a tiny bit.
Unsurprisingly, the pencil loves this paper. (It is a sketch book, after all.)
I would like to write more - but I have some sketching practice to do...
Conclusion
There are only 5,000 of these packs made. They have an exclusive cover by a guy that draws Deadpool for a living. £13 for a two-pack. That's £6.50 a book. Buy one here.
I think it's a steal.
Want to learn to sketch? There's a Pocket Notebook for that...