sat navs, new moleskines and photos


Ancient flooded slate quarry, near Swithland Woods. photo: Vivien Blackburn

I went a run out to test out the sat nav on routes I knew before I trust it on longer unknown runs - gosh that woman does nag if you take a shortcut! 'make a u turn as soon as possible' repeated 10 times before a sulky silence while she thinks where to take you next :>)

I wanted to go and check out how suitable the view of this old slate quarry would be to sketch and park - and it's ideal. I can park right next to it and get an ok view over the old drystone walls, which I can lean my sketchbook on. It's on private land so I don't get much choice on view. I like the reflections of the trees and the way the colour is different - the banks are the dried leaves from last autumn, bleached but with a hint of pinkness against the greens of the ivy. The reflection of the bank though is deep murky greeny colours - interesting. The tangle of trees will be an interesting element to draw.

And last but not least - there is a new moleskine out and it's a decent size :>) they are now doing the books (at last) in A4 and A3 sizes - for those in the US that's the size of the paper you use in the computer (A4) and double that size(A3). I much prefer these sizes, especially the A3 to trying to work in smaller books. I find the previous 'large' moleskine rather cramping but I do like the paper as a change. They are on special offer on Amazon at the moment and I've ordered myself an A3 watercolour book :>D The A3 sketchbook (not w'col) apparently has different paper so I'm waiting to see how people like it - I would like one with the same shiny smooth paper as the usual books.

Do you like small or large sketchbooks?

Comments

Robyn Sinclair said…
I'm not as enamoured with the paper of the Moleskine sketchbooks, Vivien but I'm so tempted by the A3 and A4 watercolour Moleskines. But having just been shopping for printmaking stuff - groan. I'll just have to enjoy yours :)
vivien said…
oh I know! once you start browsing an art shop or online art site you get carried away!

I didn't need it, shouldn't have bought it ...... but .....


no willpower!

I only like the aketchbook moleskine paper for pencils and coloured pencils and pen - it's useless for charcoal or watercolour etc
Anita Davies said…
Oooh, thanks Vivien, I've ordered an A4 watercolour!
Can't wait!
Anonymous said…
A3 Moleskine - ooh, too cool. Pity our exchange rate is still under 60cents US for every NZ$. Amazon is to be avoided...
dinahmow said…
Moleskins are unavailable here and I'm too tight-fisted to buy them unseen!
But I imagine a lot of 'skiners will like the larger size. My handbag books are A5, but others are A4.

I like the quarry.I do not like sat.nav!
vivien said…
The jury is out on the sat nav as yet!

I thought it might be helpful in strange places but I'm testing it in familiar places to check it out.

It was a gift so cost me nothing :>)

Don't you have an Amazon NZ? we have Amazon UK and it's ok. I got an introductory 30% reduction which helped :>)

Let me know how you like it Anita ?
Gesa said…
It looks like a great spot, Vivien - and I'm curious what you'll do with it; I must admit I checked Amazon immediately about the larger Moleys, how very useful; I'm a convert now to large size sketchbooks (but I say this without having actually done much on all their pristine white pages, lol); but I do like the heavysized Moleskine paper a lot. Will order and try.
vivien said…
:>) i haven't ever tried a watercolour moleskine because they were just too small - so I hope I like it too!
I'm so excited about your new location! I prefer large sketchbooks, by far--my natural hand movements are too large for Moleskines. I intensely dislike Moleskine paper, too. I ordered one of the original watercolor Moleskines when they first came out, but disliked the perforations---it's always something ;D. Do the new larger ones have perforations, I wonder?
vivien said…
I don't think it's perforated - I seem to remember reading somewhere that they smaller ones stopped doing the perforations as well but I could be wrong.

I hope I like it.

Yes like you, I need space for gestural marks - love those koi carp you've been sketching :>)
Oh, great news about the new moleskins..definitely am I alos going to try them out. the bigger size is what I'm after and the watercolour paper is not too bad...thanks for this info
ronell
Anonymous said…
No Amazon NZ I'm afraid. $1 NZ buys 56c US today or 39c Sterling, so buying from ovrseas is just not good at the moment. Ah well, it will improve again I'm sure...
vivien said…
oh that's a shame :>(

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