It's spring, and this
  young man's thoughts
  turned to... Journals?

John Allard
Staff Writer

Ahhh... May, the time of year when the weather becomes more wonderous, the flowers really begin to bloom, and the creative mind kicks into gear. With new ideas comes sketching and writing in an attempt to capture that elusive image or to detail the plans of a new creation. As a commercial artist I must have used every sort of lined note pad or artist/drawing/painting/scribbling pad ever made. .

Now I am sure by this point you must be thinking "a pad is a tool? We all know about art pads and sketching" well yes, we do, but yes, a pad to document ideas or to create stunning works of art is most definetly one of an artist's greatest 'tools'.

The question is, how many of you are aware of probably one of the best and most versatile of the vast array of note pads - or 'Journals' as many of us prefer to call them?

I present to you the Moleskine Journal a brillant tool to capture both thoughts and images on-the-go. As quoted from the moleskine website and printed on the wrapping of every journal: What is Moleskine? ( mol-a-skeen'-a).

MOLESKINE is the legendary notebook that has held the inspirations and ideas of everyone from Van Gogh, Picasso and Hemingway to famed author, Bruce Chatwin. Artists, authors, and geniuses of all variety have long appreciated the simplicity and superior functionality of these notebooks.

Originally these books were produced by small French bookbinders who supplied the Parisian stationery shops frequented by the international avant-garde. However, in 1986, the last manufacturer of Moleskine, a family operation in Tours, closed and Moleskines were gone - but not forgotten. As a result of their previous popularity and demand, they did return. In 1998, a small Milanese publisher brought these books back for writers, artists, travelers and all free-thinkers around the globe.

I cannot begin to explain how beautiful this paper is to work with. It is acid free and takes well to ball point pen, colored pencil, marker, watercolor, all with fantastic results. In the back is a pocket to store clippings, leaves, pressed flowers, whatever you could use a slim, fold-out pocket to hold. The hardcover versions all come with an elastic strap to keep the book closed and protect its contents. I have used these for years now and own many different sizes to suit my needs. I love to carry a small hardcover version with me wherever I go, so that when creativity strikes I am ready to immortilize it in my journal.

I prefer to use Pigma pens by Sakura, as the archival waterproof ink lasts for decades without running or fading and this paper handles them expertly. Add some colored pencil and you may find yourself sitting back looking at your work over and over again in amazment. These journals bring with them all the mystique and nostalgia of the journals you may conjure up as coming from your great-grandparents' attic chest.

A quick search on the internet will show you many examples of how these fantastic portable art studios have been decorated on the outside as well to create amazing one-of-a-kind portfolios. I don't know about you, but as much as I love finished artwork, I think I love viewing the thought processes, ideas, and sketches that went into them even more. With a Moleskine Journal in hand you have one of the best conceived and executed "idea cameras" ever created.

So when the sun is shining and the allure of spring beckons you outside to experience all the wonderful feelings this brings, go ahead and allow the experience to envelope you and release those spontaneous moments of creativity. Then capture them in your own personalized journal (whether it be a moleskine or not) so that when you get back to your work space you have all the inspiration you need to bring that mini to life!

Until next month, John