Random number generator was put to work today and picked the winner for the Wancher Luxury Leather Pen Collector’s Case and picked…..
Congrats to Kay! Clearly 6 was your lucky number today.
Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway this week. Laura and I plan to keep it going this Friday too… so check back for the next giveaway!
The Papier Tigre A6 3-Pack of Notebooks ($15.33USD) is simply packaged with a black bulldog clip that holds the paper wrap onto the books and is then reusable by the books’ owner. Handy! The set includes three A6-sized (105 x 148 mm or 4.1 x 5.8 in) notebooks, each printed with graphic illustrations in bold colors. Inside, there is a lined notebook on ivory paper in one, dot grid on a light grey paper in another and blank paper on a natural white stock in the third.
All three books have a nice, heavyweight textured, cover weight cover and the paper on the insides feel substantial but smooth.
Since each book had different stock, I decided I needed to test all the papers in case they were different. I went ahead and started with my fountain pens. I figured I needed to know immediately if this paper could withstand the “sharks” first. And it did. There was no feathering or bleed. So, then it was time to try the rest of the arsenal… And the paper even held up to my regular brush pen abuse.
I flipped the paper over and there was no showthrough either. Not even the brush pen. WOOT! On to the next book.
Lined paper survived the shark attack and all the other pens too!
There’s a little evidence of the brush pens from the reverse but it was more halo effect than showthrough. Another success.
Finally… the blank book was used to start my testing for my PaperMate Flair review that will run in a few days. The image above is closer to the actual color of the paper. It’s very warm and creamy.
Again, from the reverse, there is no real showthrough and no bleed at all.
I claim these pocket notebooks as a roaring success. The only reason I would be reticent to recommend them is if you weren’t inclined to want a mixed pack of lined, dot grid and blank paper. Or if the slightly uncommon size (by pocket notebook standards) was an issue for you. Otherwise, I find these notebooks to be a stellar option. I like that the paper colors differ from notebook to notebook and the covers are graphic but non-specific. The minimal-yet-useful “packaging” is an added bonus and the paper is top notch.
DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Milligram for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.
Review by Tina Koyama
The only grease pencils I knew about were the white and black ones I’d seen in hardware stores. Recently a few of my urban sketcher friends shared sketches they had done with some kind of bright, opaque material on toned paper, and when I asked what they were using, the answer was Uni Dermatograph oil-based pencils. When I found them at JetPens, I decided I needed to try a few for myself. And unlike the ones I’d seen in hardware stores, they come in 12 colors.
Like traditional grease pencils, Dermatograph pencils are intended for use on non-porous surfaces. According to JetPens, they are “perfect for writing on glass, metal, plastics, ceramic, vinyl and cellophane, and marks can be removed from any non-porous smooth surface.”
I tried writing on a glass jar and its metal lid with mixed results, mainly due to the colors I chose. Black showed up best; the lighter colors were harder to see. The writing easily wiped off clean from both surfaces by rubbing with a tissue.
I didn’t have plans to use Dermatograph pencils on jars, though; I got them to sketch with, and I especially like them on toned paper. Waxy like crayons, they are very opaque. When I layered colors (as on the right side of the pear), later applications could obscure colors underneath, or the colors could be blended by using a lighter application on top. I sketched in a black Stillman & Birn Nova sketchbook, and the white, yellow and green really pop.
Sharpening these pencils is a bit of a trick. Brand new, they come with a blunt end. After the exposed core is used up, you pull the thread to tear some of the paper wrapper and peel a few coils off, exposing more of the core. But you don’t get a point that way.
I wanted to get a finer point on the yellow pencil, so I peeled some wrapper off and then took a knife to it. I’m used to knife-sharpening graphite pencils, so I bore down with the blade with too much pressure, and the soft tip broke off. Once I got the hang of the softness, it was relatively easy to get a good point on it, but it’s important to think of it as a crayon, not a pencil.
Now that I think of them as crayons for grownups, I’m having lots of fun with Dermatograph pencils. The range of colors makes them more versatile in the sketchbook as well as at the work bench, and I especially like how opaque they are on dark colored papers.
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: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.
This week, I thought I’d give you a chance to win the Wancher Luxury Leather Pen Collector’s Case. The exterior is navy leather and the inside is ivory. It holds thirteen pens and closes with a magnetic snap.
The case will hold larger pens with clips and there is room in the pocket to hold a slim A5 notepad as well if you’re so inclined.
TO ENTER: Leave a comment here on the blog and tell me if you think thirteen is an auspicious number or an unlucky number. Or what your lucky number is and why. Only entries who play by the rules will be officially entered in the drawing.
FINE PRINT: You are entering to win the Wancher Luxury LeatherPen Collector’s Case pictured above that was used in the review here. There may be slight signs of handling but will be shipping with original packaging, dust bag and has been handled with the utmost care. All entries must be submitted by 10pm CST on Tuesday, April 3, 2018. All entries must be submitted at wellappointeddesk.com, not Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook, okay? Winner will be announced on Wednesday. Winner will be selected by random number generator from entries that played by the rules (see above). Please include your actual email address in the comment form so that I can contact you if you win. I will not save email addresses or sell them to anyone — pinky swear. If winner does not respond within 7 days, I will draw a new giveaway winner. Shipping via USPS first class is covered. Additional shipping options or insurance will have to be paid by the winner. We are generous but we’re not made of money. US and APO/AFO only, sorry.
Reading all the “lock out” stories from the entries in the Baron Fig Lock & Key Squire and Confidant giveaway this week were both heart wrenching and highly entertaining. It’s a reminder to check for your keys, assign a close friend or family member to be your “keymaster” and be sure to have a charger or back-up battery for your phone at all times.
Our random number generator chose:
as our lucky winner!
But my favorite story which made me wince and laugh out loud was:
I’ll be putting together a special consolation prize for Valerie. Maybe I should make one for my friends and co-workers too because I’ve made many of them listen to me read several of the lock out stories aloud.
Thanks to everyone who shared their stories. I recommend that you go through and read some of them. They are cringe-worthy and often funny too.
I’m handing this award over to Matt at the Pen Habit who rigorously documented his trip to the Arkansas Pen Show in documentary style. He made a series of videos of his adventures in Arkansas that included copious footage of his forays into eateries including his maiden voyage to Waffle House.
