(Brief) review of the sketch insert from Stamford Notebook Co.

When I bought my Stamford Traveller’s Journal, the company also sent me one of their sketch inserts for me to review. I’m absolutely sure I won’t do it justice, because I don’t really draw! What I’ve decided to do though, is to do a quick overview of it and then give the insert to a friend who is much more likely to draw than me and see if they will do a review of it from a drawing/sketching perspective.

The insert is the same size as the other booklets in the Stamford Notebook Co. range: 21cm tall x 12.5 cm wide, with a card cover (made from recycled coffee cups) and rounded corners. The Stamford Notebook Co. logo is embossed in gold at the bottom of the front cover; the back cover is completely blank.

Like the lined or grid booklets, the sketch inserts have 60 pages (despite the website saying they have 64). One side of the paper has a slightly rougher feel to it than the other and the paper is very thick.

Close-up of the texture of the paper

From the days when I did draw, I would say that the paper would be good for most types of art – pencil, charcoal, inks and watercolours. I’m not sure I would use it for pastels as it is smoother than the pastel papers I used to use and anyway, pastels in a notebook would smudge. Charcoal would probably smudge too. Anyway, I am no watercolourist and although I could do pencil sketching in it, I would prefer to give it to my friend in a pristine state and let him play with it!

More, as and when I get a review from my friend.