doodling tools

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After starting my Doodle365 project on dot grid paper, I am sold on the format. Dot grid is a great compromise between ruled and grid papers. I can use the grid when I need it, but it doesn't have the vertical lines to get in the way of writing. Dot grid is not very popular yet. Moleskine does not have any products with dot grid. The Field Notes Day Game books I was using are not a standard option. I remembered that I had purchased a small Rhodia notebook with dot grid. But the pocket size notebooks are too small for my doodles.

Looking online, there are few options for dot grid notebooks. Rhodia makes the most options but they are not cheap. JetPens has the best price if you buy 2 books at a time. I ordered two A5 Webnotebook with the orange cover. I like the orange cover. The color is great and doesn't look like just another Moleskine.

My love for Moleskine grows dim. After using the Rhodia Webnotebooks, Moleskine paper just doesn't feel as good. And the covers have not been holding up.

I did try a Leuchtturm1917 Medium Notebook. They are available in ruled, squared, dotted and plain papers. They are also available in a variety of colors but I have only seen black. The pages are numbered and there is an index in the front for keeping track of what your write. I think this might be a good option for my journaling so I do not need to thumb through the book to find a specific entry. The books are not quite as nice as the Rhodia Webnotebooks. I am going to use the Leuchhturm1917 Notebook for journaling rather than doodling. 

One issue I have with doodling is taking a photo after I am done to post on the web. Most notebooks do not lie flat. I decided to try a Rhodia Dot Pad. It is less expensive that the Webnotebooks and has perforated pages. The paper is a bit thinner but seems to be working out OK. I have not yet removed any pages to photograph them. I like having all my doodles together. I have removed a couple of pages that I messed up.

Pens.

I had some Sakura Pigma Micron pens from my scrapbooking days. They seem to work well for doodling. I got a second set to keep in my bag but I find I don't doodle often when I am out. I read about drawing pens and decided to try the Staedtler Pigment Liners. I find I like them better. They seem to write a bit smoother and last longer than the Sakura pens. They are not as easy to find as the Sakura pens. I have only found the Staedtler pens locally in sets.