The Well-Appointed Desk

Pencil Case Review: Peg & Awl Sendak Mini Artist Roll

Review by Tina Koyam\

Whenever I see a lovely, handcrafted pencil roll, it evokes fantasies: Seated at a sidewalk table in a Venetian or Parisian café, sipping an espresso, I sketch – my colored pencil roll, charmingly patina-ed with years of travel, casually opened next to my sketchbook.

Despite the fantasies, I didn’t think a roll would work for me. When sketching from the sidewalk, I prefer to stand, so I have no place to spread out a roll. In the cold-weather months, though, I do most of my urban sketching from my car or in coffee shops. Maybe I could fulfill my roll fantasies, at least during the winter. . .?

The roll I had coveted for years is the Peg & Awl Sendak Mini Artist Roll. In December, a Christmas gift card and a post-holiday sale at Peg & Awl came together, and I decided it was time to make a mini Sendak mine!

Peg & Awl’s Sendak rolls (mini and full size) are made of durable waxed canvas in many color options. I chose Moss, which I knew would hide dirt well (mine is already starting to gain a scuffed patina that is definitely charming). Unrolled, a flap protects implements in the upper pockets.

I use the single narrow zipped pocket to hold a sharpener and a blending stump. I could put more in there, but I’m trying to keep the Sendak’s profile svelte. (I don’t want it to turn into a bulging burrito.)

The other pockets and slots are for my limited watercolor pencil palette, one brush pen and a waterbrush – the key essentials in my sketch kit.

One benefit I noticed immediately is that it’s much easier and faster to slip pencils into the Sendak’s slots and pockets compared to the elastic loops in my long-time sketch bag organizer, the Tran Portfolio Pencil Case. As much as the Tran Portfolio has served my needs for years, getting pencils back into the loops has always been frustrating – like randomly stabbing into the black hole of my bag.

Another upside is that thicker items like markers fit easily into the mini Sendak’s pockets; they would not fit into elastic loops designed for pencils. Overall, the mini Sendak’s elegant design is more flexible and versatile for a variety of tools and materials.

Versatility – that brings me to my biggest and most exciting discovery about the mini Sendak: Like my Miata, it’s a convertible! While sketching from my car or at a table, I can unroll it, use it, and roll it back up again.

That’s all find and good, but what about when I’m standing on the sidewalk? What I loved most about the Tran Portfolio is that it kept all my pencils upright and fully accessible just by opening my bag. In the same way, when I’m sketching on location, I simply keep the opened Sendak standing inside my bag. (It fits nicely in the small size Rickshaw Zero Messenger Bag that has been my everyday-carry for a decade. I pulled the Sendak up for the photo below, but it easily tucks in all the way to the bottom of the bag.) During outdoor-sketching season, I’ll leave it that way. Imagine my glee when I realized that it works well both ways – while I’m either sitting or standing! The mini Sendak is my year-round convertible.

I made two hacks to meet my needs better. The Sendak’s diagonally slanted cut of the lower slots is intended to accommodate implements of various lengths. But as some pencils get shorter and shorter, they begin to disappear into even the shortest slots, and then they are difficult to retrieve. I devised an easy solution: When a pencil gets too short, I drop a plastic, flat-bottomed pencil cap (like the Sun-Star Sect) into the slot, which gives the pencil a leg-up.

Field Notes-size books will tuck into the upper pockets easily, but I prefer to use the pockets for more implements. The pockets are the right depth for longer pencils, but even medium-length pencils start to disappear inside them. I put a small piece of foam at the bottom of the pockets to make them a bit shallower. When I use brand-new pencils, I can pull the foam out.

The only mini Sendak detail that I’m not crazy about is the leather belt and buckle that secure it. Fastening the buckle is fussier than I like, but I can live with it. I hope the leather will soften over time and become easier to fasten.

I’m thrilled that the ever-versatile mini Sendak is meeting my needs in ways I had not expected. Whenever I get to travel again, I’ll be ready for that Parisian café. Meanwhile, I’m happily rolling along in Seattle coffee shops and on sidewalks, too.

Tina Koyama is an urban sketcher in Seattle. Her blog is Fueled by Clouds & Coffee, and you can follow her on Instagram as Miatagrrl.

DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge or with funds from our fabulous Patrons. Please see the About page for more details.

In feature

A New Post (Box)

AnaFebruary 24, 2022February 24, 20225 Comments

This week I closed my post office box at Union Station after almost 10 years. When I handed over my key to the postal worker I got a little verklempt. Union Station is beautiful and it always felt like such an adventure to go to the train station to get my mail. When I worked at Hallmark, I could walk over to Union Station a couple days a week during my lunch break and pick up my mail (and maybe a coffee from Parisi) or wander through Crown Center on my way back and visit my pal Katie at The Pen Place.

However, since leaving Hallmark almost two years ago and the start of the pandemic, getting all the way to downtown was more challenging than romantic. And I’ve certainly not been inclined to stop for a leisurely coffee or chat with anyone.

Bob has driven out of his way to pick up my mail after work for almost a year to pick up letters and packages. Especially since I am now working full-time, having packages or mail sitting on the doorstep for hours is not ideal. I knew it was time to make a change.

There is a post office just a mile or so from our house so I have set up a new home for letters.

I like having a box for my mail. I don’t have to worry about mail, magazines or packages getting wet in the rain since my front step is completely exposed to the elements. The post office offers a parcel box so if I receive large items, they leave a key in my box to access the larger parcel bin. This means packages don’t sit on the doorstep getting wet, frozen or enticing random vandals (though that’s not as big a concern). Hopefully, I’ll be able to continue to make an adventure out of collecting my mail, especially when it gets warmer and I can ride my bike over to collect my mail.

If you would like to send a PO Box-warming post card or letter, I would be delighted to receive one and will do my best to reply.

My new box is:

PO Box 8811
Kansas City MO 64114

In Link Love

Link Love: Not Playing Favorites

AnaFebruary 23, 2022February 23, 20222 Comments

There are so many good links this week that I can’t pick a favorite. If you’re short on time, definitely check out the “We love you Diamine”, “Fountain Pen Friendly Paper” and “The Good Taste of Baddies” for the highlights!

It’s been hectic this week and we’ve been on a weather roller coaster.

Love to you all and I hope you are staying warm (or cool) depending on your current geography.

We need each other. Please support our sponsors, affiliates or join our Patreon. Your patronage supports this site. Without them, and without you, we could not continue to do what we do. Thank you!

In photo, Tools

Journaling Reflections

Laura CameronFebruary 22, 2022February 22, 20228 Comments

At the beginning of this year, I looked at what was going on in the world around me, as well as my desire to journal a bit, and decided that I was tired of saving the good supplies for “one day” and that there was no time like the present. So I pulled out the Musubi notebook I had been hoarding since the Chicago Pen Show in 2018 and put it to good use.

I’ve only journaled half a dozen times so far, but I’ve used this process and a few cool tools (detailed at the bottom) to help me along the way. I end up primarily tracking my knitting projects, but I’ve also taken to adding my thoughts about what’s going on in the world, and every now and again a quote or two. While this is still a work in progress, I like that there isn’t the pressure of a dated journal so I can write whenever I want. I also love that the blank pages allow me to add in whatever media I want to use.

So far I’ve used:

My Musubi Diary
My Platinum Procyon Maki-e, Brush Warbler on Plum Tree filled with Pilot Iroshizuku Momiji ink.
The Himekuri Sticky Note Calendar (for dating my posts)
Kamiterior Memo Pad in Twilight Indigo and a Pilot Gold Metallic Paint Marker Extra-fine (for memorializing quotes)
Assorted washi tape.

It feels good to use my tools and also to track what I’m up to over time. Whether this journal lasts me 1 year or spans 10, this is a habit I’m working on keeping!

In feature

My Current Stationery Travel Kit

Jaclyn MyersFebruary 20, 2022February 22, 20223 Comments

Although travel continues to be limited- I have had the chance to go on a few small trips over the last couple of years. On a recent trip, I was reflecting on how much my travel kit has changed over time. In the past, I was inclined to bring ten or more fountain pens, an entire small bag of other supplies, and several pounds of notebooks. Not anymore! I use my stationery supplies a lot on trips, so I want to have enough with me- but too much is just extra weight and complexity. I’ve pared it down to a single pencil pouch and single notebook. In fact, recently this kit is all I’ve been carrying back and forth to work with me each day. That’s not typical for me, but it has reminded me how much I enjoy this group of items! Here’s a breakdown of my current set-up:

Pens

Uniball Signo Dx 0.28- Blue Black

Sometimes I alternate between black and blue black here- but no matter how much I minimize my travel kit, this Uniball Signo Dx is the pen that will always go with me. Could I go a day without this pen? Sure. Do I want to? Absolutely not.

Uniball Signo Dx UM-153- Black

There are use cases when I want a pen that lays down a thicker line. I really tried to diversify my kit with different brands or types of pens to fill this spot (sometimes I even rotate in a Retro 51), but I keep coming back to this one. Of note, depending on your needs the gold and white versions of this pen are also excellent.

Spoke Roadie

Sometimes you just “click” with a pen and this pen is that pen for me. The magnetic cap is satisfying, the size just works for me, and the refill options are really good. I sometimes use a compatible refill here, but most of the time I hack a 0.38 Signo Dx refill into this pen body. Is three versions of the same pen too many? No, I really don’t think so.

Platinum Desk Pen

It’s hard to explain my love for this pen. The first time I used this pen extensively was a Well-Appointed pen weekend. Even though there were basically an unlimited number of pens on the table to try, I could not put this one down. I guess it’s ironic to use a desk pen in a travel kit, but Ana taught me to cut down the pen to a more portable size, and now it’s the perfect travel companion. I almost always have this inked with Platinum Carbon Black.

Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen

Traveling is the time I’m most likely to take time to attempt to sketching. Because of this, I like to have a brush pen with me- and this Tombow is the one I most frequently take along. In my opinion, it’s one of the brush pens that’s easiest for me to control and use as someone who doesn’t often practice brush pen use.

Sharpie Marker

It’s a classic for a reason. There are times that just no other pen will do.

A Fountain Pen

This is the part of my travel kit that most frequently changes. Sometimes it’s a TWSBI Eco or a Sailor Pro Gear or Platinum 3776. It depends on the kind of trip I’m going on, how I’m traveling, and what I’ve been using recently. But there’s always a fountain pen. And unlike the early days, I only bring one. It keeps the kit compact and simple, and it’s gives me more time with the one pen I choose to bring.

Pencils

Blackwing Natural

This is my favorite Blackwing pencil. I almost don’t need any more special editions after this one!

Blackwing Pencil Cap

There are cheaper pencil caps that work just as well, but it’s a perfect match for the Natural and it’s a looker. You don’t need one, but if you have one it deserves a place in your travel kit.

Caran’dAche Luminance 6901 Colored Pencils

These colored pencils are pricey, but buying a few at your local art store is well worth it in my opinion. A lot of the pens above are black or blue black- so these colored pencils bring some much needed color to my kit. The colors that I bring change almost every trip, but I usually bring 3-4 with me.

Sonic Cupot Pencil Caps

These are much more reasonably priced than the pencil cap above. They do show some wear over time, but are they are fun and perfect for carrying colored pencils.

Accessories

SumoGrip Eraser

This is a pretty chunky eraser, but I still feel like it deserves the space in my kit. It’s retractable, and it’s just a great all-around eraser.

Blackwing Sharpener

This is not my favorite sharpener. But it strikes a good balance for me as something that can give me a decently long-point on a normal pencil and sharpen the colored pencils in my kit in a pinch. It contains the shavings and is extremely sturdy. I don’t use it often at home, but I tend to leave it in my travel case and carry it with me.

Shorthand Pencil Pouch

I have way too many pencil pouches, but this is the one that gets the most use by a long-shot. Shorthand is a shop that I’ve had the opportunity to visit in person, and absolutely loved. This pouch is the perfect size, compact but still manages to fit a surprising number of items. It’s long enough to fit a new Blackwing pencil with a pencil cap. It also has just enough structure to make it very useable unzipped on a table top. This pouch is what holds my travel kit together and keeps the kit from getting out of hand in terms of number of items I want to bring along with me on any given trip.

Trust the Process Pin

I got this little pin in-person at another lovely stationery shop, Baum-kuchen.

Well-Appointed Desk Pin

Lovely pin made my an even lovelier friend.

Typically, I pair my travel kit with my A6 William Hannah that has all kinds of different papers that have been hand punched and added in. Overall, it’s a compact versatile kit that has been a trusty companion for over a year now.

In Ink Review

In Praise of Ink Cartridges

AnaFebruary 18, 2022February 17, 202216 Comments

We spend a lot of time reviewing and promoting bottled fountain pen ink here on The Well-Appointed Desk. For as much as we love bottled ink, there is a time and a place for cartridges too. If, like me, you like to use fountain pens but work in an office environment (or maybe you are in a school environment or other “not in the comfort of your home office” situation), a fountain pen that readily takes cartridges can be a real blessing.

Why?

When I am in a meeting or on-the-go, a cartridge fountain pen can be quickly re-inked without mess, fuss or complication. I just untwist the barrel, pull out the old cartridge and pop in the new one from the barrel or from my pencil case where there are always a few floating around or stored in a container like the J. Herbin tins. This quick change means I don’t miss any part of a discussion while I dig for another pen or try re-inking from a bottle in the middle of a meeting — awkward!

I recommend a fountain pen (or heck even one of the many rollerball or felt tip pens we’ve reviewed here) that takes a standard international cartridge over pens that take proprietary cartridges. This will give you more flexibility: there are far more ink colors available and it’s easier to find cartridges in the wild should you need more.

How

I recommend keeping at least one fountain pen that takes the classic standard international ink cartridges on-hand and filled with cartridges. I particularly like models that can have one cartridge loaded and a spare in the barrel. Great examples of this are the Caran d’Ache 849 fountain pen and the Kaweco Special FP. There are plenty of others but these two slim pens are my official go-to office pens for ease of use and their ability to carry a spare cartridge in the barrel. Other good options are the Diplomat Esteem or Traveler.

My favorite brands for cartridges are:

J. Herbin: the cartridges come in darling metal tins that can be saved and used to carry other cartridges later (pro tip!)
Diamine: not only does Diamine offer lots of fan favorite color options like Ancient Copper, Oxblood and Purple Dream, they also sell a couple variety packs so you can purchase mini-collections of ink colors to try like the Elegance, Sovereign, Classic and others.
Retro 51: They only offer black and blue cartridges but I learned at a pen show that their black is the blackest black around.
Graf von Faber-Castell: Yes, these are pricey but not as pricey as buying a whole bottle of their ink so it you want some of the unique colors available from Faber-Castell, this is a great option.
Kaweco: Kaweco offers a good quality and color range, including their highlighter yellow color at a reasonable price. I’m also a big fan of their cartridge holder.
Monteverde: There are a great variety of their core colors available in cartridges and those colors have sheen and shading to boot.
Visconti: I confess I like the Visconti ink cartridges for the beautiful containers they used to be packaged in. Sadly, Visconti has switched their packaging to paperboard boxes but you can still find a few sellers online who still have the cartridges in the original matched bakelite-style plastic canisters. It’s worth seeking at least one container of Visconti cartridges for the canister alone. Check ebay.

Do you have a go-to pen you use with cartridges? Have you ever considered keeping a pen “cartridge only” as your work/car/bag pen? Tell me in the comments!

DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge for the purpose of review. Some items were purchased with funds from our amazing Patrons. You can help support this blog by joining our Patreon. Please see the About page for more details.

In Pencil Review

Pencil Cap Review: Blackwing Point Guard

AnaFebruary 17, 2022February 17, 20222 Comments

Review by Tina Koyama

In addition to high-end, limited-edition, collectible pencils, Blackwing makes a few unique pencil accessories, including the Blackwing Point Guard ($10 each). Available in matte black, gold, silver, and a set of one of each color, the point guard is made in Taiwan of lightweight, machined aluminum. I chose matte black to match my favorite standard-edition Blackwing. Like all of Blackwing’s standard editions, the Point Guard’s esthetic is sleek, minimal and professional.

When the Point Guard first came out, I had heard some grumblings in the pencil community that its friction fit marred some barrel finishes or didn’t fit comfortably on some standard-size pencils. A good fit would be one that allows the cap to slide on without force and stay on during transport in a bag or pocket. I went through my pencil collection to find a variety of barrels to try it on. Of course, I put it first on several older and newer Blackwings; it fits all of them just fine and leaves no mark.

I also tried it on a Mitsubishi Hi-Uni, one of my all-time favorite pencils, and it fits fine also. I couldn’t find any standard-size graphite pencils in my collection that were a problem.

Next I tried several pencils that have ever-so-slightly-larger-than-standard barrels. These pencils often are a problem when I try to put them into sharpeners designed only for standard-size pencils, so I didn’t expect them to fit the Point Guard. The Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle colored pencil, the Caran d’Ache Klein Blue graphite pencil and the Derwent Drawing Pencil are all snug, but the Point Guard goes on without force. I see no marks on the barrels. These surprised me – I didn’t think they would fit at all.

This one also surprised me: The Caran d’Ache Supracolor, which I have always thought of as having a standard-size barrel, is slightly loose in the Point Guard. It stays on, but with less resistance than the Blackwings or the Hi-Uni.

Finally, I dug around in my pencil cups for an oddball: a Japanese prayer pencil with a square barrel. It fits also.

Maybe the Point Guard has improved over time, but I have nothing to grumble about.

Well, OK, I have one grumble: the price. Does a $10 Point Guard work better than a plastic Sonic Cupot (my personal favorite pencil cap, 6/$3.25)? No, but it will probably last longer, and for some, it might suit their professional image better than the Cupot’s elementary-school palette. I can’t argue with that.