Hahnemühle makes two bamboo sketchbooks:
the Hahnemühle Bamboo SketchBook, shown below, which is 50lbs;
and the Carnet de Voyage, aka the Bamboo Mixed Media journal by some, shown above,
spiral bound and coming in at 265lbs, which I reviewed in 2017.
This review is for the 50lb Bamboo SketchBook from Hahnemühle. I love that it is made from a sustainable ecological material: 90% bamboo + 10% cotton!
The fast growing bamboo ensures less sustainable raw material resources are conserved.
I like the off-white color, and with the bamboo-textured covers it is an eye-catching sketchbook, and still can accept stickers if you are inclined (I am.)
I was given a large (for me) A4 portrait format; it also comes in A5 portrait.
Each has 128 natural white, not bright white, pages.
At 50lbs, it is much lighter in weight than my normal sketching journal.
The Hahnemühle Nostalgie Sketchbook** is my daily sketchbook,
and has smooth white 90lb paper.
But then, it is intended for pencil and chalks! From the site:
“The natural-white sketch paper with its slip-proof surface is perfectly suited
for sketching and drawing with pencil, coal and red chalk.
Its abrasion properties make for brilliant colours and clear contrasts.”
I tested writing with an HB and very soft 6B pencil, above right,
and this paper loves my Pentalic Woodless pencils.
I tested an EF nib with Platinum Carbon (waterproof) ink over the HB pencil sketch.
The nib was a little scratchy on the lightly textured paper,
but I soon got used to it and then it did not bother me at all.
The ink, and a large dot of DeAtramentis Document Black ink,
did not ghost nor seep through the other side.
Pencil erased completely.
I don’t use colored pencils often but have a nice set of watercolor pencils and tested those;
again, this paper was made for pencil — it was a lovely experience laying pencil down.
I used a fat waterbrush to push the watercolor pencil around on the paper
and the good news: while it is not meant for wet mediums,
it also held up and did not ghost nor bleed on the back side!
(Tip: clip the corners of the pages to keep them flat while drying.)
I didn’t think that this journal would take watercolors, but gave it a try to test it anyhow.
I began with an ink drawing, and then began with the wash of the sky.
The biggest issue was the wash caused the paper to buckle,
making a nice sky a little difficult. However, adding the clouds to the bottom was easy,
and going over watercolors already on the page went well, which surprised me.
What surprised me more was that the paper didn’t fail altogether, being that the weight is much to light for watercolors. My overall feeling about the experience though was that I was fighting the nature of the paper, which is clearly not meant for watercolor,
which you can see from the backside, it stood the test of taking wet material,
however, the paper still is not MEANT for watercolor.
But if you were out with this journal and were moved to go for it,
it is nice to know the paper can take it.
The Bamboo Sketchbook is, as are all of Hahnemühle’s journals, a lovely journal.
Because I have it I will push myself to play with watercolor pencils a bit more,
and combine a the ink and colored pencil. However, for those that follow me, for the artwork that I normally create, I am better suited to the heavier bamboo Carnet de Voyage.
Full disclosure: the Bamboo SketchBook was given to me by Hahnemühle.
In the USA the Bamboo Sketchbook can be found at Wet Paint Art and Hyatt’s:
https://wetpaintart.com/hahn-bamboo-sketch-a4-64sh/
https://www.hyatts.com/art/hahnemuhle-bamboo-sketch-book-a5-B22062
https://www.hyatts.com/art/hahnemuhle-bamboo-sketch-book-a4-B22064
The spiral bound heavier Carnet de Voyage which I reviewed earlier can be found here:
https://wetpaintart.com/bamboo-carnet-de-voyage-6×10/
https://www.hyatts.com/art/hahnemuhle-bamboo-mixed-media-travel-journal-B10995
Sending you to their home site because you are all over the world.
**Reviews for my Hahnemühle go-to sketching journal are below:
Tools: Nostalgie Sketchbook by Hahnemühle;
and Nostalgie Book 2017 shows the first year, 2017.
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Hahnemühle Bamboo SketchBook,
with a Pentalic HB woodless pencil and Caran D’Ache watercolor pencils,
Platinum Carbon pen in medium and fine,
Lamy Al-Star with De Atramentis Document Black ink, and Daniel Smith Watercolors.
©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.
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I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
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Thanks for the great information!
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You are welcome!
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I enjoyed reading your review, Katie. I’m a fam of Hahnemühle watercolor paper, and you answered all my questions about the bamboo journals.
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I really love their journals. I left others behind when I found them several years ago.
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Pingback: Tools: TWO Bamboo Sketchbooks by Hahnemühle – L’ aquarelle en toute simplicité
Bonjour, j’aime beaucoup votre article. Je me suis permise de le rebloguer. Bonne journée 😘
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I think you are asking me if you can reblog, and yes, please send me a link.
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