Tag: Tomoe River Paper

My Review of the Seven Seas Writer Journal

wen.e.scott

Time for a review of the A5 Seven Seas Writer, a new journal with 480 pages of Japanese Tomoe River notebook paper, lightly lined off-white paper, 52gsm, which is very thin and smooth, a dream to write on.

Keeping a Journal

I’ve been keeping a journal1 for many years via both pen and paper, and several digital formats, using apps that mark each day and apps that allow digital stylus-like handwriting. Pen and paper is what works for me.

I find the imposed slowing down of handwriting meditative, satisfying, and a challenge to carefully think and re-think while writing, finding the right words for what I want to say.

A Variety of pens…

I’ve tried ball point and gel pens, pencils, and lately a return to fountain pens and ink, which are infinitely more comfortable — they require minimal pressure, easing potential writer’s cramp for those of us who write a lot. Ball points and pencils require pressure and a tight grip to make their marks on your page.

7 Seas WriterThe review…

All of which brought me to consider paper, its quality, finish, format. I’ve used Gibson Markings® for a long time with excellent results, but last week I ordered and received a journalling notebook called the Seven Seas Writer. For simplicity, I will outline my experiences:

  • the Seven Seas Writer journal lays completely flat
  • paper is very smooth with pale grey lines that recede from view once written over
  • extra fine nibs (my preferences) glide smoothly without grab or skipping
  • inks I use are Lamy black, Noodler’s Ink Liberty’s Elysium (blue) and Apache Sunset (orange-red), and Diamine Umber (green)
  • there is no feathering or bleed through, in spite of the light 52 g paper weight
  • some shadowing, but this does not interfere with legibility when writing on the overleaf
  • the paper takes pre-printed, pasted images2 without any noticeable compromise of a single page’s drape or weight
  • inks that I use for writing (see above) dry quickly. By the time I reach the bottom of a page, a light blot with the supplied pink blotting paper or a paper towel is all that is needed if you are writing quickly
  • the Tomoe River paper allows highlighting and lined rules without bleed through3
  • coloured pencils: I frequently doodle with pencil crayons, using the sketches as a sort of coloured whitespace, then I write over them — this works perfectly, with true colours

My final assessment

I will definitely be using the Seven Seas Writer as my daily journal. I highly recommend this notebook if you write regularly and are looking for a straightforward journal.

My disclosure: I’m not affiliated with, nor have I received samples or courtesy products from nanamipaper.com or associates, or any other company’s product mentioned here. I have not been remunerated for my review; I am writing from my own experience.

  1. some might call it a CommonPlace Book, popularized prior to the 17th century ↩
  2. For example, photos, book covers, or unique graphics. I print on standard weight ink jet paper and use simple glue-stick such as Craftbond ® Elmer’s Repositionable ↩
  3. note that non-waterproof inks will still smear under highlighting, or feather if you try to write over them ↩