Above: graphite sketch (0.7 mechanical pencil with HB lead) of a wild turkey in the Exacompta 9920 Sketchbook. As indicated by the labels placed in the image, there are opacity issues with this paper. The book can be opened flat, the shadow in the gutter results from no weighting while scanning. Read below for a discussion of the paper and book qualities. Click on the image to view an enlargement.

While I will always love pen and ink, especially with watercolor or gouache washes, I do love working in pencil too. I have found that recently I haven’t been doing much pencil work and I miss it. I tend not to work in my visual journals in pencil because of the smudging issues. But I also find, that since I have been so delinquent in going to life drawing, I’m really at a pencil use deficit.

I needed to find some paper to sketch and "think" on so I went off to Wet Paint and started searching their shelves for a commercially made sketchbook for this purpose. I didn’t have to consider binding my own because I knew I wouldn’t be using the mixed media techniques I use on the heavyweight art papers I bind into visual journals. I was looking for something simple, inexpensive, and something that didn’t smell in a way that would bother my allergies (some paper smells are heavenly).