Wind by the lake
Posted: November 17, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized 23 CommentsI’m always on the lookout for good watercolour sketchbooks, and this week I’m trying out a new one from Khadi Papers in India. I sketched by a windy Lac St. Louis yesterday, choosing a simple subject so I could test out the paper.
The panoramic format I ordered allows me to work vertically or horizontally. The paper itself is a creamy, off-white 100% cotton rag stock. It took the paint beautifully without warping, stayed wet long enough to add colour to fresh washes, and maintained brightness of pigments. This was just my first impression of the paper, but if you want a fuller review, read Parka’s more detailed pros and cons here. He tested it for six months before posting!
The book itself is a handsome object, mostly because of the thickness of the hardback cover and the handmade quality of the deckle-edged paper. In some ways, that makes me a little more careful as I sketch because I don’t want to mess up any pages. You wouldn’t want to have too many duds in a book this beautiful.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
WOW, another amazing sketch!
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Thanks Ineke!
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Lovely! where did you get the sketch book? Their web site says no dealership or shipping to Canada
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I bought it from Jackson’s Art in the UK. I often buy from there when I can’t find things in Canada. Ordering from the US can often be problematic because of the added duty charges.
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I’m so impressed that you keep getting out sketching in cold, windy weather! Your lovely sketches make it look so appealing. (I think I’m too much of a Californian though!)
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Hi Susan, I mostly sketch from my car so it’s not as cold for me as you think. But I do sketch all winter long from the car and in the deepest, darkest days of winter even the car can be too cold. I have all kinds of tricks to stay warm, though.
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i remember how well prepared you were for the rainy cold of Galway summer!
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Amazing sketch great,confident
Strokes! Simple and very affective. You say a lot with an economy of brush strokes which avoids overworked sketches. I tend to labor at a fresh clean appearance I know that’s extremely difficult to do consistently especially. I just hope one day I’ll be where your skills are at. Even half as good as you! Truly inspiring and it’s just a sketch. I’m so corny my apologizes.
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HI, Thanks for all of that. No need to apologize for your comments. I labour with my sketches too, and they are often not successful. But I just keep at it, and hope for the occasional one that I am happy with. Don’t give up!
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I like the landscape format that can be turned vertical. This is lovely!!!! A friend of mine has a Khadi Papers sketchbook and has had some lovely results on the paper. I love the book itself.
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HI Joan, Yes, it’s a beautiful book to hold in your hands and we’ll see what the results will be next time. I’m looking forward to trying it for my winter paintings.
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I love khadi paper and have been using those sketchbooks for a while (I also buy from Jackson’s). A word of warning – the softback covers can easily lose pages (I think they’re glued, not stitched). But definitely worth it to play on – I think they also do loose sheets for bigger paintings.
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Thanks for the tip Marina. I also purchased a softcover book which I am looking forward to trying. I will make sure I put an elastic around it so I don’t lose pages.
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Love this-the format and the painting. What are the dimensions? I don’t think I would do well with a sketchbook that I’d be afraid to mess up. I know I’m not alone in this but I go thru stages where I don’t seem not to mess up. Wonder how much of this is a weird state of mind?
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HI Judy, This one is 5″ x 12″, so a real panoramic format. As for messing up, I wouldn’t worry about it too much. It’s just that when it is in a book you want every page work, but really a sketchbook should be about experimentation so I really shouldn’t think that way.
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This sketchbook is very interesting. I notice that it comes in both rough and smooth paper. Which surface did you choose?
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HI Christine. I bought the rough paper. Some people find it too rough but I like the textures I can get from this.
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Amazing sketch
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Thanks!
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Exquisite!
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Thanks!
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Again, I like the choice of colors chosen!
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Thanks so much Kirk!
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