What is it about a new journal?
I love the blank page — not one of those peeps who hates them.

The Hahnemühle D & S Sketchbook (Draft and Sketch) is a new journal for me.
I wanted to try it and bought two landscape versions when ordering other journals.
At 140gsm/65 lbs the paper is a bit light for my normal watercolor or inking needs,
but I am always pushing the limits of paper, always curious,
and as I am so pleased with Hahnemühle’s journals, had to try!

As I’ve phased out many old journals by finishing them, I have moved into having just a couple of journals for daily use, and everything goes into them with few exceptions.
My artwork/notes/journals are becoming much more like when I practiced architecture,
laid out in calendar form, so you see how I was growing and thinking daily.
One is a bit more for class notes, writing and sketching out ideas, and that is why I wanted to try the A5 D & S Sketchbook, to see if it suited my normal journalling tools.
My other go-to is the A4 or A5 landscape Hahnemühle Watercolour Journal,
for watercolor / ink painting use, urban sketching, virtual sketching (I run a group), etc.

After using the journal for a month I can say I’ve put it through its paces,
as it has been my nightly journal (with popcorn and brewers yeast, as you can see.).
I’ve used watercolor, WET fountain pens, brushed ink, and of course, pencil in it.

I think the D & S Sketchbook behaves wonderfully for pencil,
which I often use and you don’t see because it is usually over-painted.
There is a nice tooth to the paper for colored or carbon pencils!
At 80 sheets/160 pages and beautifully bound, this is a journal that
can take abuse and stay strong for its lifetime.

The paper behaved well for inked sketches (above, in order)
with the very wet writing Jinhao with a Goulet 1.1 stub nib and Super5 Frankfurt ink,
with the Lamy Al-Star and Robert Oster Jade ink, and with the Pilot Metropolitan with Platinum Cassis Black or  Platinum Lavender Black inks.

The D & S Sketchbook feathered terribly with Platinum Carbon Pen and
Platinum Carbon ink waterproof cartridges, however, and I am not sure why, as the pen writes drier than the stubs I use… perhaps it is something in the carbon black ink.

The  D & S Sketchbook worked well with Sumi ink with a brush,
and the Lamy Joy with Super5 Darmstadt ink in a 1.1 stub, a wet writer.

I used watercolor daily, and the D & S Sketchbook is fine if used
with a light one-pass wash or detailed brushstrokes…
Each layer needs to be thoroughly dry between coats.  And NO scrubbing!

The D & S Sketchbook cannot take a second pass of water if the first pass is still wet,
above and below, or double layers of ink without the paper balling and lifting,
which is expected as it is NOT meant for watercolor.
Paper that is not meant for watercolor absorbs the pigment quickly;
the pigment sort of sits on top without easily moving across the page.
The colors are all a bit “off” and lack vibrancy, or too thick and don’t glide onto the paper.
This was fine as a test, but definitely not my first choice for watercolor.

Finally, here is a watercolor sketch I would normally create on watercolor paper, above.
It combines elements of ink (Lamy LX pen with De Atramentis Tobacco ink),
and several layers of both ink and watercolor piled on liberally.
I did not respect the rules that I considered important for the paper but treated it as I might the Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook, my favorite daily sketchbook, which can take MOST of what I throw at it even though it is also not watercolor paper, at 90 lbs.
In this case, the ink bled through the page (second image) and even onto the other side,
and again, the colors are not as vibrant as they should appear.

This does not happen in the Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook, example shown above, where the 90 lb paper can take watercolor and show it off brilliantly.

Would I recommend the Hahnemühle D & S Sketchbook?
Not so much for someone like me, who wants to be able to dip into
watercolors or use ink like a watercolor within a daily journal practice.
I will stay with the Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook for classes/scribbling/writing,
and the A4 or A5 landscape Hahnemühle Watercolour Journal for watercolor treks.

 However, I would recommend the D & S Sketchbook, for someone using
pencil or micron pens to sketch, or some of the drier fountain pen/ink combos —
just test the pen/ink combos on a back page before committing to a drawing.
I would recommend it for a mixed media artist who is doing collage work, using acrylics,
as it took glues in two instances very well, both Aileen’s white glue and my gluestick.
I also love that the journal can be found in my favorite A5 landscape format,
which is not that easy to find in a sketchbook,
and is well made as are all Hahnemühle’s journals.

Places that sell Hahnemühle D & S Sketchbook other than Amazon?
These places may not have them online but they do carry them:

1). FLAX ART & DESIGN (California Art Supply)
3600 S EL CAMINO REAL, SAN MATEO, CA 94403
(If they carry them at one Flax they may at others.)
Item 10628272 Sketch Book D&S, 140gsm, 8.19 x11.58in Portrait, 80 sheets, black
Item 10628271 Sketch Book D&S, 140gsm, 8.19 x 5.77in, Landscape, 80 sheets, black
Item 10628324 Sketch Book D&S, 140gsm, 5.77 x 4.09in, Landscape, 62 sheets, black
Item 10628329 Sketch Book D&S, 140gsm, 4.92 x 3.55in, 30 sheets, black
Item 10628200 Sketch Book D&S, 140gsm, 16.38 x 11.58in, Landscape, 80 sheets, black
Item 10628273 Sketch Book D&S, 140gsm, 11.58 x 8.19in, Landscape, 80 sheets, black
Item 10628274 Sketch Book D&S, 140gsm, 11.58 x 16.38in Portrait, 80 sheets, black

2). B&H (carries several sizes in their dropdown menu)
CUSTOMER SERVICE: 800.221.5743 or 212.239.7765

3). WB HUNT Photo
10628270 Sketch Book D&S, 140gsm, 5.77 x8.19in Portrait, 80 sheets, black

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