I did a quick sketch to try out my new Pentalic Field Book.  140lb. Acid Free;
Cold Pressed; Exceptional wet strength; Professional grade watercolor paper.

I love their pencils — my favorite — and they are an Oregon company:
I wanted to love this book.  I’m not fond of the paper, however.
I admit I didn’t do a lick of investigation, just bought two books on sale from NYC.  Ooops!
I Searched for other reviews this morning and found two:  Amazon, and Roz Stendahl reviewed three Pentalic journals, and none of the reviews were good.
(You can search for Pentalic in her search feature.)

I used the same techniques of adding watercolor on top of slightly damp paper, and
then dry paper.  It is the same layering technique I used in the deities below on a less expensive paper, an Aquabee Super Deluxe Journal, which is only 93lb drawing paper.  Yet the Aquabee (and also Strathmore’s watercolor journals) can take several layers of paint without washing out and rejecting the pigment.  Possibly sizing?

I like his face, but I was unable to get the buildup and depth of color —
the paper kept either streaking, rejecting, or moving the paint oddly.
Finally I just went to town and had my way, splish-splash all over.

I did another test where
I “washed” the paper before
I began building color.
I’ve never done that before — but thought to try that.
I did a quick pen sketch
and started splashing color, Thai Buddha #3,
above and right.
The pigment does not adhere
to the paper at all!
Every layer washes it up
and pushes it around.

Further, usually when you begin washing a paper with watercolor, as long as it is a bit damp, the wet paint does not lay on top of the paper.  On this Pentalic paper it continued to sit on the top of the paper and puddle — so easily, or worse, streaked immediately!

I tried other pens and inks in it, as well as one of my watercolor pencils and the Neocolor watercolor sticks.  Many inks feather; this is really  not a good journal for anything I use.

I will stick this journal by the side of the bed for midnight sketches
and color swatches, and that is not an indication of a journal I value.
Use it up and move it OUT!

Created in a Pentalic Field Book with Pentalic HB pencil,
various pens including the Platinum Carbon Pen + ink and Daniel Smith watercolors.

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