The Rhodia Webnotebook vs Moleskine Journal Showdown

Many journal devotees would agree the Moleskine A6 journal has cachet to spare. So can a newcomer called the Rhodia Webnotebook (a/k/a The Webbie) best it? With certainty in one key category it does but is it enough to make you switch?

Rhodia Webnotebook vs Moleskine Journal

When it comes to form, Moleskine is exactly what a journal ought to be. The cover is thin but sturdy, the perfect little black book. The ribbon marker is durable enough and the pocket tucked inside the back cover is convenient for all manner of uses. The elastic band closure fits just right and helps keep goodies tucked tidily between the pages. The cream colored pages with pale gray lines are easy on the eyes and discreet. The Moleskine is a classy-looking journal in every respect.

The Rhodia Webnotebook is similar and certainly gives more than a nod to the venerable Moleskine. Unfortunately, it misses in some small ways but puts the Moleskine to shame in the most important one. More later about that.

Addressing form differences first, the Rhodia cover is thicker, sturdy, rigid, and smooth. The elastic band is tight and left permanent indentations on the front and back covers of the sample I received from Exaclair. There is a pocket attached to the back cover just like the Mole.  The inside cover is black with no place to write a name or offer a reward should the journal meet with misfortune. This omission could easily be remedied with a bookplate sticker. The Rhodia does not initially lie perfectly flat like the Moleskine but with use the spine will relax enough to make that less an issue.

The paper is a whole ‘nother subject and in this the Rhodia excels. The images tell the story. The Moleskine paper feathers in places with fountain pen ink but does well with pencil, gel pens, roller balls, and Sharpie Pens (not markers). There is show-through and bleed-through from every fountain pen I used. As one would expect, the finest nibs worked best. Although I didn’t have them on hand to test today, Noodler’s Black or Legal Lapis in a dry Parker ‘51′ extra-fine are the best fountain pen and ink duos I’ve ever found for a Moleskine. The Pilot Prera fine nib tested best of the lot this time.

Moleskine Journal - Front

Moleskine Journal - Reverse

Now for the challenger. The darker cream/gray lined Rhodia paper is thicker, smoother, and absolutely loved nearly everything I threw at it. Finally, double-sided writing is feasible in a small, black journal. No feathering, no bleed-through except with a Sharpie Marker and only the very faintest show-through with anything else.

Prefer fountain pens? This is a match made in heaven at least with the new 90g version. Depending on the ink and pen, drying time can be longer than with the Moleskine but I think it is worth the few-second wait. A piece of blotter paper should eliminate any smearing if that is a concern.

Rhodia Webnotebook - Front

Rhodia Webnotebook - Reverse

For anything but fountain pens, both the Moleskine and the Rhodia work well. The Sharpie Pen was particularly nice. It didn’t even leave an indentation. For compatibility with fountain pen ink though, the Rhodia Webnotebook easily came out tops. Every pen on my desk worked well including the stub and the free-flowing cursive italic, just the sort of versatility that is perfect for an inkophile.

Update: One of the comments below states that the line spacing is larger in the Webnotebook. A side by side comparison of the 9 x 14 cm sized journals used in my test showed no difference between the two.

Note: Another Rhodia Webnotebook review at Rhodia Drive.

New Pen Colors from Lamy

Look at what I found at Art Brown this afternoon, two very tempting new fountain pen colors from Lamy. As the only member of my household who likes purple, either one of these pens is certain to stay firmly fixed to my desk unless I decide to move it. Mwahahaha!

Lamy Al-Star Fountain Pen in Black Purple

Lamy Studio Fountain Pen in Violet

A Broad Meets J. Herbin Bleu Nuit

Finally got my hands on a broad nib for that promised test with J. Herbin Bleu Nuit. What a difference a wet ‘B’ nib can make! Not sure yet if it’s true love or a sweet fling but it’s going to be fun figuring it out.

J. Herbin Bleu Nuit

More about this subject at Fountain Pen Network.

J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage

J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage (wild ivy) is a true green and a bit brighter than the sample below. It is closer to ivy than spearmint with the blue component stronger than the yellow. The result is a mid-range color that won’t offend your non-green friends but would make a pleasing substitute for red or a useful complement to medium blue ink for a two-color project.

In addition to the test page pictured, I used Lierre Sauvage in an Apica 6A10 journal but to mixed results. Same pens as below but the wider nib produced some mild feathering and lines that had a soft appearance. The more narrow nib did not produce noticeable feathering but the color was considerably less intense. In fact when I used the Lamy EF a few days later, I noted in my journal how well suited the ink, pen, and paper were for each other. Scratch tests on a variety of papers produced good results though some softness on poor quality copy paper and the like.

That mild feathering observed in the Apica seems best attributed to the combination of a free-flowing ink with a somewhat absorbent paper. The ink just followed the paper fibers perfectly unlike the clean lines it produced on Rhodia where the performance was stellar.

Shading with a wide nib is excellent on Rhodia but less apparent with a fine nib. In fact the nib makes such a difference that the sample below could have been made by two different inks. And that makes J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage an inky bargain.

J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage

J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage

Arabian Rose, A Tasty Leftover

Yesterday a big box of goodies arrived, leftovers from reviews by BiffyBeans. Pretty cool, eh?

No question about which ink to try first since Private Reserve Arabian Rose has been on my list for at least a year. So ink in hand I took a quick look through the pen box. I am not a big fan of demo pens, the clear ones that let you see the cartridge or converter. Often they look messy with ink in wrong places. But for purple I will make an exception and chose a Lamy Vista with a 1.1 italic nib.

The longer I use this ink the better I like it. Depending on the light, it can appear dark reddish purple, magenta or even burgundy. On this page of purples at Wikipedia, Arabian Rose most closely matches tyrian or imperial purple. It is also in the colors of this Angel Rose Viola.

Have a look at my initial notes scanned below. As the writing test progressed, Arabian Rose lightened just a tad to its true color and revealed some nice if inconsistent shading. Drying time is typical for a rather saturated ink but not awful. Expect three to five seconds with a very fine, dry nib but significantly longer with a wide, wet nib like the Lamy italic.

Purple may not be appropriate for a staid business environment but it is lovely for personal use. Speaking of which it’s time to write a thank you for a sweet Japanese notebook I received recently. Hope Arabian Rose suits the recipient since I’ve got plenty left in the converter and a pen just itching to go to work.

Private Reserve Arabian Rose

Guest Review: Lamy Studio Fountain Pen

Hi! I’m Beth. I bought my first fountain pen last summer and quickly became semi-addicted. In my limited experience, the Lamy Studio in Palladium with a fine 14k nib is the smoothest pen I’ve used. I bought the pen because I have a Lamy Safari that I use almost daily. The Safari is wonderful, but I wanted a pen that looks a little more professional.

LAMY Studio Palladium Fountain Pen

Appearance – 5/5
Sleek, shiny, and a little fancy!

Writing – 5/5
Smooth. I have had no problems with the Studio on any of the paper I have tried it with. I’ve been using Lamy cartridges with it because they are just easier since I am a student and am on the go a lot.

Lamy Studio Writing Sample

Feel – 4/5
The Studio is much heavier than my Safari Al-Star, but I honestly do not mind. In a way, the weight causes me to be aware as I’m writing and really focus on what I am saying. My only complaint with this pen is that it can get slippery if you write with it for a long period of time. This is only a problem because it makes my messy handwriting even messier.

Conclusion
The Lamy Studio is my new favorite fountain pen. I highly recommend it. Thanks so much to Inkophile for giving me the opportunity to do a guest review!

Inkophile: Thank you, Beth. Come back soon!

Switching to Summer Mode

Every year as summer approaches, my rotation needs an overhaul. It isn’t easy but the unwieldy “winter at my desk” lot needs taming to an easy “on the go” crew. Minimal upkeep is key but a satisfying splash of summer color for my correspondence and journal is essential, too.

My criteria for summer pens are simple: light in weight and easily replaced. No worries if one gets left behind or slips out of my bag. Three to five of them should be plenty. My pens that fit the bill best are

• Lamy Vista with the transparent barrel so I can see the ink
• Lamy Al-Star because the aluminum barrel and icy colors are cooling on a hot summer day
• Esterbrook (J, SJ, or LJ) for nib variety

Inks that suit sultry summer nights and blistering summer days are those colors you’d find at the beach or in a garden. Some of my favorites along with the images they conjure are

• Caran d’Ache Caribbean Sea – seaside holiday

• Diamine China Blue – soft cotton linens
• Diamine Kelly Green – freshly watered grass
• Diamine Light Green – new plant growth
• Diamine Maroon – deep pink roses
• Diamine Royal Blue – clear skies
• Diamine Sepia – flowers, pebbles and beaches

• Iroshizuku Syo-Ro – ocean surface
• Iroshizuku Yu-Yake – sunrise

• J. Herbin Bleu Azur -  sun bleached pool
• J. Herbin Bleu Pervenche – cotton cloth and seaside jewelry
• J. Herbin Bouquet D’Antan – pale pink hydrangeas
• J. Herbin Gris Nuage – rain clouds
• J. Herbin Poussiere de Lune – lavender flowers
• J. Herbin Rouille D’Ancre – daylily and Gerbera daisies
• J. Herbin Vert Olive – pale green ornamental grass

• Private Reserve Purple Haze – gauze clothing, lavender and shadows
• Private Reserve Shell Pink – lipstick and flowers
• Private Reserve Shoreline Gold – nasturtiums and marigolds

• Rohrer and Klingner Morinda – Hawaiian shirts

• Sailor Gray – sea squall, stormy ocean at the horizon

Same list of inks but by color

Blue

• Caran d’Ache Caribbean Sea
• Diamine China Blue
• Diamine Royal Blue
• Iroshizuku Syo-Ro
• J. Herbin Bleu Azur
• J. Herbin Bleu Pervenche

Red/Pink

• Diamine Maroon
• J. Herbin Bouquet D’Antan
• Private Reserve Shell Pink
• Rohrer and Klingner Morinda

Gray

• J. Herbin Gris Nuage
• Sailor Gray

Orange

• Diamine Sepia
• Iroshizuku Yu-Yake
• J. Herbin Rouille D’Ancre
• Private Reserve Shoreline Gold

Green

• Diamine Kelly Green
• Diamine Light Green
• J. Herbin Vert Olive

Purple

• J. Herbin Poussiere de Lune
• Private Reserve Purple Haze

No, I don’t own all of those inks! But I have seen written samples or scored a small vial of each except Caribbean Sea. One of these days…

Do you pare things down for summer?  If so, what’s on your list?

Update: Summer Ink Palette No 1, Summer Ink Palette No 2, Summer Ink Palette No 3, Summer Ink Palette No 4

J. Herbin Gris Nuage

Think gray ink is just watered-down black? Or do you have a “where’s the color” reaction when you see gray? The writing sample at My Life as a Verb just might change your mind.

After seeing Leigh’s lovely writing, but not being in acquisition mode, I put Gris Nuage on my list of promising inks and moved onto other things. That was months ago. So I was very pleased recently to receive a sample of this J. Herbin ink from Karen Doherty at Exaclair, Inc. Now I could see for myself what might be done with an ink called Gray Cloud.

J. Herbin Gris Nuage Writing Sample

Gris Nuage is not a storm cloud gray but closer to the soft gray underbelly of a swirly white cloud, the part that gives it a three dimensional form. The color isn’t terribly saturated so it works very well in wide or wet nibs. In a Lamy 1.1mm calligraphy nib, the color is consistent rather than heavily shaded. Leigh’s sample shows more shading so it must depend on the pen, nib, and paper as well as the skill of the writer.

J. Herbin Gris Nuage Doodles

Show-through and bleed-through are non-issues. Flow is average and lubrication is low. So my Lamy nib squeaked on occasion but only my finches seemed to notice. Not sure that counts so I’d say it’s a very well-behaved ink.

J. Herbin Gris Nuage

Check out my gray ink comparison post if Gris Nuage might seem too low in color saturation. With the wide variety of nibs in my collection, pale inks don’t deter me, well, except for yellow but that’s another story.

Note: All samples were written on Staples Eco-Friendly (bagasse) spiral-bound notebook paper with a standard Lamy 1.1mm italic nib.

J. Herbin Gris Nuage

J. Herbin Meets G. Lalo

G. Lalo of France makes very high quality stationery, envelopes, writing tablets, and cards, the best sort for making a good impression and a wonderful writing experience. Consequently, I was delighted to find two lovely pastel writing tablets at the bottom of a recent package from Karen Doherty of Exaclair. After a little sorting and cleaning, six Lamy italic nibs and one Pelikan custom italic received fills of J. Herbin ink in preparation for a meeting with Verge De France stationery.

G. Lalo Verge De France Stationery

The degree to which paper can affect nib performance as well as the interaction between ink and paper color are clearly evident.

G. Lalo Verge De France Stationery Comparison

The rose paper took ink very well and made the colors vivid and attractive.

G. Lalo Verge De France Rose Stationery

The pistache paper resisted the same ink resulting in skipping, poor color, and reduced legibility.

G. Lalo Verge De France Pistache Stationery

However, different pens and inks on the pistache paper produced much better results.

G. Lalo Verge De France Pistache Stationery with Additional Inks

Paper can play friend or foe, enhancing or tempering colors in both attractive and unpleasant ways, frustrating even the nicest nibs and inks. Initially the G. Lalo stationery looked at best unpredictable until further experimentation uncovered three “just right” pairings. By finding suitable inks and pens for this laid finish, pastel paper, Verge De France will join my stationery wardrobe and bring some welcome color along with it.

In addition this experiment has made me wonder if there are other brands of paper that I may have dismissed too soon. Perhaps one of my latest favorite pen and ink duos would be perfect on a paper for which I could find nothing suitable only a few months ago. Me thinks it is time to visit the bottom of my paper drawer just in case it holds some buried treasure.

J. Herbin Vert Olive

J. Herbin Vert Olive languished in my collection for months before it found the perfect pen. That is the long and short of the story – long time to find the right kind of pen and a very short list of pens that suit it really well. Now that represents my preferences in inks and your story may differ.

Maybe you will like it in a fine nib. The color was soft and pale in my fine and extra-fine Japanese pens but more robust in a free-flowing Levenger True Writer. While I dallied with lots of other inks, the bottle just gathered dust. I share my office with several birds so that doesn’t take long. Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I decided to follow my own advice and loaded Vert Olive into a pen with a wide nib, the Lamy Joy 1.1mm italic. The color was better than good and improved still more when I slowed my strokes allowing more ink to flow onto the paper. Now this was the green I’d hoped for all along.

On white paper Vert Olive has blue undertones and on a yellow based paper it has yellow undertones. Either way it is a bright olive color rather than the drab olive green that I associate with the military. I would have liked it either way. This is not a high saturation or high contrast ink but one that is very easy to read. It would be suitable for margin notes as well as correspondence and can hit a calm and relaxing note for journal writing.

To round out the characteristics, there is good shading and flow but not much lubrication which means that your nib may talk to you. I don’t mind since on occasion my birds tilt their heads and listen intently trying to catch the little squeaks coming from my bird/pen. However, people visiting my workspace have yet to comment on that extra bird so it isn’t loud enough to offend others.

J. Herbin Vert Olive Written Sample

Vert Olive did not reproduce very accurately but here’s the best my scanner could muster. Light behind an image, as you find on a monitor, seems to bring out a yellow that doesn’t appear on paper. I’ve attempted to compensate for that issue. Check out more reviews and scans from Biffybeans and La Plume Etoile. Each of us achieved a slightly different shade in our images of Vert Olive, a product of technology and not the ink itself. The true color is probably somewhere in between. On my monitor the image at J. Herbin is the closest to my written sample so go by that if you are uncertain.

Need to work on my letter forms but you can still get the idea from my written sample. J. Herbin Vert Olive is a lovely olive color but needs the right pen to reach its full potential. Wait. Isn’t that true of most inks? Duh!