Now that you’ve picked out your new favourite pen, you need to pick out your new favourite paper or journal brand! The world of paper can be intimidating; there are so many options and ways to personalize your journal and paper experience. I’ve compiled some of my personal favourites that you can use to step up your stationery game.
1. Leuchtturm1917 Journals
These are my personal favourite journals to use for just about anything. Leuchtturm journals come with all the bells and whistles you could ever need including an index, numbered pages, two bookmarks, and a variety of line selections including blank, lined, grid, and dotted! The quality is also there, these journals hold up remarkably well after being thrown into a backpack for class. The paper quality is also spectacular which helps whether you’re using a standard pencil or any other kind of stationery you can think of. These journals are very popular and, as such, are available in many places. The usual price for an A5 size, which is the size most people use for journalling, is around $24. Everyone has their favourite brand of paper, and this is mine.
2. Moleskine
Moleskine is just as, if not more, famous as Leuchtturm journals, and it’s easy to see why. Having been used by famous artists and authors for decades, it has come to be seen today as a standard of quality in journals. Thanks to its long history, a seriously large assortment of products is available, from the standard black cover, lined journal to funky colour combos to the incorporation of digital technology. With this variety of products comes a variety of paper and line types for even the most specific need. Personally, what holds Moleskine back is the paper quality. If you’re using a standard pencil or ballpoint pen you’ll have no problem, but if you’re using something like a fountain pen or certain other stationery, your notes aren’t going to be looking as great as they should. Moleskine is competitively priced with Leuchtturm notebooks and can also find a standard A5 size around $24.
3. Rhodia Paper
Now we’re getting into the less well-known and widely available papers. Rhodia is a French brand that specializes in fountain pen friendly paper, but no worries if you don’t have one; they are a great option for any stationery. Rhodia has a great deal of variety, ranging from various sizes of notebooks to notepads, all featuring lined, squared, dotted, or blank. Rhodia’s real strength is the paper quality and not so much the presentation of its product. All products I can think of have its logo front and centre and for some this might ruin the aesthetic they go for. Regardless, this paper is absolutely worth trying out for anybody interested, it’s a smooth paper that is friendly to almost all kinds of activities. Price and availability do vary greatly, you are going to be paying a bit more, but it’s worth it to at least try it.
4. Tomoe River
Perhaps the hardest to find paper on this list, Tomoe River is a lovely thing to use. You can only find it in a few forms: it comes in either white or cream coloured paper, it often comes as loose leaf sheets, as well as in some expensive high end notebooks. The most noteworthy feature of this paper is how thin it is. It is so seriously thin that at first glance it raises doubts about its performance. Rest assured though, this is seriously good stuff and is made to handle fountain pens and anything else you can throw at it. It’s an absolute joy to write on, and is a real treat to do any kind of drawings on. Price and availability is the biggest barrier to getting your hands on this brand. It is certainly not cheap (about 10 loose leaf sheets will run you $6) and it’s only available at specialty retailers. If there’s even a small chance you’d like it, it’s worth the money and challenge of finding it.
Images: Bartrums, JB Custom Journals, Everything Calligraphy, Jet Pens