(via Amy Van Luijk)
Kickstarter: SketchyNotebook
If you liked my post form yesterday of the template guides sheets, you’ll really like the SketchyNotebook Kickstarter project which is an A5 notebook that specifically focuses on providing an assortment of high-visibility page templates for more than just lined paper. There are templates for grid, film/animation storyboarding, 3D perspectives, and more — all printed on water-resistant vinyl stock for durability.
One notebook plus your choice of three templates starts at $30 and there is about two weeks left in the campaign.
Hop over, check it out. Let me know what you think and if you’ll be funding this project.
(Shout out to My Pencil Draws Worlds for the tip)
A Better Option
When recently asked “What pen do you reach for most often?” my less-than-pen-nerdy husband answered, “Whatever is at hand.” Oh, my aching pen geek heart! I succinctly told him that using “any old pen” when you’re married to a pen nerd is akin to me getting business cards printed at Kinko’s. No offense to Kinko’s but my husband is a premium letterpress printer and I would never dare to tarnish his reputation or sensibility by carrying a less-than-fabulous card. That said, I’m on the hunt for pens that are not “fancy-pants” fountain pens but not a disposable plastic pen either. The catch is that he genuinely likes the writing quality of the Uni-Ball Vision and similar gel/rollerball pens.
This conversation synced with thoughts I have been having about the upscale (non-fountain) pen. Like most pen geeks, I have a deep-seeded respect for the writing quality of the gel/hybrid rollerball pens but I just don’t want to carry around a plastic pen. One of the things I like best about the fountain pens I use is that they are aesthetically appealing and endlessly refillable.
In looking for a suitable pen for Bob (and continue my own search for a good non-fountain pen), I went to the most successful Kickstarter pens. Most of these are well-designed pen body that utilizes the most favored refills (either the Pilot G2-sized refills or the Pilot Hi-Tec C-style refills).
I immediately went back to my well-loved Karas Kustoms Render K which tends to be my go-to pen at work. It is loaded with a Pilot Hi-Tec C refill (in green, of course). It looks professional but will write on any surface I might be faced with in the average meeting (photocopies, 3×5 notecards, post-it notes or my own notebook). I’m considering adding a Render K that accepts the G2-style cartridges to the mix as well to expand my refill options.
Another pen up for consideration is the Ishuja’s Eco-Essential Pen ($55) which is a bamboo outer casing with aluminum interior and hardware. I really like the look of this pen. Its a clean, simple design and is available for either the Hi-Tec C-sized refills or for the G2-sized refills. The mix of silver metal and warm bamboo wood is gorgeous.
The Big Idea Design’s Solid Aluminum Pen + Stylus ($59) is also a possibility. It has an all-aluminum body with a titanium clip and is the less expensive sibling to the solid titanium version that was originally a Kickstarter project. This pen also includes a touch-sensitive tip for digital devices on the end. This can be swapped out with a flat screw for a cleaner look that ships with the pen. The pen accepts the G2-style refills too, of which there are lots of refills to choose from.
As a temporary solution to my husband’s lack of appropriate pen, I gave him my Karas Kustoms RETRAKT in brass ($65) with a standard G2 black refill in 0.5mm. Hopefully, he’ll resist the urge to just use “any old pen”, especially in front of clients.
He has a Fisher Space pen, a Sherpa and an Acme pen, all of which he’s misplaced. Maybe I shouldn’t have given him the RETRAKT after all?
Do you have a favorite pen that accepts standard rollerball/gel refills? Let me know in the comments!
Our FREE Downloadable Guide Sheets: Turn a Blank Notebook into a Lined Notebook
Updated: July 6, 2024
H. C. Marks (@HCMarks) on Twitter asked “do you know of any stencils with which to draw ruled lines in blank notebooks?”
I have something so much better, at least in my humble opinion. I use a sheet of lined paper that I tuck under my blank page to create perfectly straight lines that are there. But not. Using a guide sheet does not require any prep time. Just slide the sheet behind your current page and start writing.
Using a guide sheet with a blank notebook gives a lot more flexibility. You can sketch and free form on some pages and then use the guide sheets when you want to write. It also means that you get the line spacing you want instead of what the manufacturer decides is best. Write larger? We have a guide sheet for that. Prefer graph paper? We got you covered? Want to mix it up depending on the pen you’re using? That’s where guide sheets really shine. Way more flexibility.
Guide sheets are great with letter-writing pads too.
Harry’s request could not have been more timely as I’ve been planning to make up a few different line widths to share with readers so that you too can try this. The sheets have pretty thick, dark lines (but not as dark as the NEW Bold Lines edition! See below!) that can be seen through most standard writing paper. I’ve tested these sheets in my Rhodia Uni Blank for several weeks.
I have created paper guides in 6mm, 7mm, 8mm and 10mm lined plus 5mm and 10mm graph paper. NEW! I’ve added 5mm and 6mm dot grid to each size.
(I hate to have to make this clarification but these guide sheets are FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. If you need custom sheets printed for your next product, email us!)
The NEW All-in-one PDF document includes the following:
- A4
- US Letter
- A5
- Field Notes size (in a 3-up layout that will fit on standard US Letter or A4 paper)
Print out your favorite line width spacing on a laser or ink jet printer. One copy of the guide sheet can be kept in each of your favorite notebooks and should last for a long time. If you print the guide sheets on heavier weight paper or card stock it can double as a blotter sheet, pen primer or to protect the next sheet from pesky bleed through.
You can still print out individual sheets if you prefer. The links are still available here:
US Letter Size (8.5″x11″):
- 6mm Lined – US Letter.pdf
- 7mm Lined – US Letter.pdf
- 8mm Lined – US Letter.pdf
- 10mm Lined -US Letter.pdf
- 5mm Graph – US Letter.pdf
- 10mm Graph – US Letter.pdf
- All Guide Sheets – US Letter Sized
A4 Size (210 x 297mm or 8.3″ x 11.7″) ADDED Feb. 3, 2015:
- 6mm A4 Lined.pdf
- 7mm A4 Lined.pdf
- 8mm A4 Lined.pdf
- 10mm A4 Lined.pdf
- 5mm A4 Graph.pdf
- 10mm A4 Graph.pdf
- All Guide Sheet – A4 sized.pdf
A5 Sizes (148 x 210mm or 5.83×8.27″):
- 6mm A5 Lined.pdf
- 7mm A5 Lined.pdf
- 8mm A5 Lined.pdf
- 10mm A5 Lined.pdf
- 5mm A5 Graph.pdf
- 10mm A5 Graph.pdf
- All Guide Sheets- A5 sized
Field Notes Sized (3.25″x5.5″) UPDATED Feb. 3, 2015:
- 6mm Field Notes Lined.pdf or 6mm Lined 3-up.pdf
- 7mm Field Notes Lined.pdf or 7mm Lined 3-up.pdf
- 8mm Field Notes Lined.pdf or or 8mm Lined 3-up.pdf
- 10mm Field Notes Lined.pdf or 10mm Lined 3-up.pdf
- 5mm Field Notes Graph.pdf or 5mm Graph 3-up.pdf
- 10mm Field Notes Graph.pdf or 10mm Graph 3-up.pdf
- All Field Notes Guide Sheet.pdf
- All Field Notes Guides Sheets – 3-up layout.pdf
These new sizes have been trimmed down width-wise so there’s no overhang in your pocket notebooks. I’ve also added 3-up layout on a US letter sized sheet.
Field Notes “Dime Novel” Edition
- Field Notes: Dime Novel Edition Guide Sheets.pdf (5 pages, includes lined, grid and DOT GRID on US Letter sized sheets. Should print fine on A4 as well just be sure to adjust your printer setting).
Latest Variation, Bold Lines:
I had a request for A4 & A5 versions with darker lines so that the guides would be visible through heavier weight paper or would be easier to see. I created the A5-BOLD and A4-BOLD to start with all the same lined, graph and dot grid as our found in the new All-in-one PDF, just with a heavier black line to improve viewing. Please give me feedback and let me know if you find them useful.
Tips for printing guide sheets:
If you don’t have a PDF app on you computer, I recommend Adobe Acrobat Reader. When printing, be sure that you choose to print at 100% (or “actual size”), do not choose the “fit to paper” option. I ran the lines to the end of the template to maximize guides. Your printer might trim the edges a bit.
If there’s interest, I can make up other sizes as well. Just let me know in the comments what you prefer.
Other Options:
Stalogy Templates :
Stalogy offers templates in B5, A5, B6 and A6 sizes that fit into their notebooks or any other books of similar size.
Leigh Reyes of My Life As A Verb has created her own A5-sized Journal Guide templates which feature some various custom page layouts . She offers four different formats to download and hopes to make plastic versions in the future.
Ink Journal offers some additional downloadable guide sheets to fit Field Notes-sized and standard Traveler’s Notebooks. They offer bullet journal templates, lined, dot grid and script practice sheets as well as their ink collecting template. These work great with their Tomoe River paper journals.
UPDATES:
- 11/9/14 Added 5mm and 10mm grid and true A5-sized.
- 2/3/15 Added A4 and revised Field Notes sizes, added 3-up layout for Field Notes.
- 8/23/2016 Added links to Leigh Reyes A5 Journal Guides and Ink Journal’s Free Resources
- 9/24/2017 Added FN Dime Novel Edition formats
- 10/27/2019 Added Bold Lines A5 edition and All-in-one PDF with Dot Grid
- 10/11/22 Added Stalogy template links
- 07/06/24 Add A4 BOLD lines
Attn: Lefties!
I got wordy today on The Cramped with a Fountain Pen Guide for Lefties. Big thanks to Patrick Rhone for letting me contribute.
If you have any other questions, leave them in the comments here or shoot me an email or holler on Twitter.
Word. Notebooks in Indigo
Have you recently considered purchasing a stonewashed blue AL-Sport Kaweco like Mr. Dudek? Wouldn’t it look fabulous next to the new Word. notebooks in indigo? Yup. I’m here to keep your pockets coordinated.
(3-pack for $9.99)
Kickstarter: ClickTape
I see a lot of pen projects on Kickstarter so when I heard about the ClickTape tape dispenser, I was pretty stoked. Its time for folks to start innovating other office supply stndards. And the CLickTape is a great idea with a cool design. Modern but classic.
The cost of entry is minimal: just €10 for a blue version and it include worldwide shipping (I just shipped a 2 oz package to the UK and it cost me over $7 so you’re basically paying for postage at this point). To get the coveted green version, I’ll have to jump up to the Triple Pack and get the turquoise and blue one as well for €25.
There’s only a few days left in the Kickstarter campaign and the project is shy about €1000 of reaching the goal. I’d really like this project to get funded (for my own selfish need to have a green one) so please consider this project.