I breezed through this little pamphlet-bound potato chip box journal in a few weeks. Since Roz Stendahl just posted about her problems binding this paper, I thought I’d share my results with binding and sketching on this paper.
Since my sketchbook was small, pamphlet-bound (stitched down the middle only) with just 3 holes, I didn’t have trouble with the pages cracking like she did in her case-bound journal. I found the paper too rough for drawing with a fine point or fountain pen and settled on a Faber-Castell Pitt Medium pen. I also experimented unsuccessfully on one sketch with a white gel pen.
I do like the paper for quick sketching and I’m going to continue experimenting with it. Roz says it’s good for gouache. I’d like to try it using black line and wash with white gouache for highlights. I used it for oil pastel and wasn’t happy with the results.
Jana Bouc, Artist 
9 replies on “Quick Sketches in Stonehenge Kraft Brown Potato Chip Journal”
Jana, you might want to give the Faber-Castel Pitt Artist’s CALLIGRAPHY Pen a shot on this paper. I found that it seems to like this paper, and the ability to get thick and thin lines with the calligraphy tip is a plus. Here’s an example I posted using that pen on this paper and I think you can get a lot of variety with the line of it. http://rozwoundup.typepad.com/roz_wound_up/2011/10/not-an-update-on-last-nights-collage-meeting.html
The pen nib seems to have a nice amount of drag on the paper but still give a dark line that shows against the dark tone of the paper.
Also the Pentel Pocket Brush pen is something that I enjoy using on this paper.
Hope your black one and white gouache experiments go well.
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Thanks for the tip on the calligraphy pen and your examples. That’s probably the only pen I DON’T have but I loved the sketches you pointed me to that you did with that pen…now I have an excuse to shop. I also love the Pentel Brush Pen but on a bumpy subway ride it wouldn’t have worked. I’ll try it on the paper when I’m at the drawing table. Also, I was so happy to see how you used white colored pencil on the sketches. The white gel pen was too much but the white c.p. should be just right. Jana
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Hmm..I’m having similar thoughts. I like Stonehenge for printing(relief), but have yet to draw on it.
(Like the “handsome gent!”)
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I like the idea of using it for printing and visited your blog to see if I could find examples. I didn’t, but I do really like your prints in blue. Jana
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When/if I do some relief prints on the brown I’ll post something.
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fabulous drawings. I love drawing onto brown paper 🙂
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Wonderful drawings, Jana! Love the bit of white in the drawing of the lady with sunglasses.
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I really like your work in this pamphlet book, Jana….interesting studies. Where did you buy it?
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Hi Rita, There’s a link in the post to the journal which I made myself, using a box of potato chips as the cover and filling it with the Kraft Brown Stonehenge paper. Super easy to make pamphlet bound journals: fold and nest the pages and cover, punch 3 holes, stitch them up. In the original post there are directions for doing it. Jana
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