August 6, 2024

In April this year (2024) I was excited to learn that Information Architects were developing a paper notebook. For background, iA make an excellent minimal writing app for Mac and iOS and they promised to reflect the spirit of iA Writer in paper form.

The unique feature promised in the notebook was ‘watermark guidelines’ (ruled lines) that would fade into the background after writing. The design also features a lay-flat binding, another feature I value, and a A5 form factor that makes for a good general-purpose notebook.

At over £60 each (that’s before shipping costs) the notebooks are fearsomely expensive but, despite that, the first batch sold in less than 24 hours. I decided that I was interested enough to try one too.

Four months later and I have my notebook and I am glad I only ordered one!

My first impression on opening the package was that I was delighted at the excessive packaging. A cardboard box containing a wooden box in a slip case; then a notebook with a ‘belly band’ wrapped in tissue paper. The notebook cover is stiff card and decorated with embossed lines reflecting the watermark guideline feature on the paper. The spine is uncovered and a stitched binding to allow the pages to lie flat. I like all of these.

The paper is relatively rough, with a texture approaching a sketchbook paper, and is quite thick. As far as can see, there is no weight for the paper quoted anywhere. The ruled watermark lines are nearly invisible but definitely usable as guides for writing. Again, I like this.

Where it starts to go badly wrong for me is the amount of ‘ghosting’ produced with this paper. Ghosting is when you can see the writing on the paper from the back of the page. It doesn’t mean that the ink has actually bled through (known as ‘bleeding’) to the other side.

As a fountain pen user, I deliberately started-off using one of my most-likely-to-show-through inks — Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu-Gaki. This is an ink that can work through even coated smooth papers such as Leuchtturm’ 120 g/sm paper but, even so, I was shocked at just how visible it was (see below).

Basically I tried a variety of rollerballs, ballpoints and even pencils and concluded that **EVERYTHING SHOWS THROUGH TO THE BACK OF THIS PAPER!

This photographs is only minimally edited and colour-corrected.

From top to bottom:
Montblanc Homage to Homer with Iroshizuku Fuyu-Gaki ink
Sheaffer Pen Fer Men V with Sailor Studio 140 blue ink
Copic Multiliner
Sakura Pigma Micron
Ajoto rollerball
Caran d’Ache ballpoint
Regular old HB pencil
Gekkoso 8B pencil

My conclusion is that this is a notebook for those (weird) people who only write on one side of paper in notebooks. That’s not me. It’s a great design and terrible paper so “I’m out!”

Stationery


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