{"title":"Sketchbooks \u0026 Paper","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"deleter-manga-manuscript-paper-b4","title":"Deleter B4 Manga Manuscript Paper","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe production paper for manga — what non-photo blue means in practice\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDeleter manuscript paper is made for manga production. The non-photo blue guidelines — panel borders, safe area borders, and crop marks — are printed in a specific pale blue that most photographic scanners exclude when operating in greyscale mode. This means the artist can ink directly over the blue guidelines with confidence: the pencil panel layout, the blue guidelines, and the inked linework all coexist on the page during production, but when the finished page is scanned correctly only the black ink appears in the output. This is not a trick or a filter applied after the fact — it is a property of how standard photographic sensors interpret colour wavelengths, and it is the production method used by professional manga artists in Japan. The 135gsm paper weight is chosen specifically to accept dip pen inks cleanly without feathering while remaining light enough to handle conveniently in a stack of forty pages.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eType A versus Type B \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eType A has the standard production set of guidelines: outer border, safe area border, and crop marks. This is the professional production format — everything that a scan needs to be correctly trimmed and laid out, nothing extraneous. Type B adds further helper lines to assist with panel layout — horizontal guides at regular intervals that help maintain consistent gutter widths and panel heights without measuring. For an experienced manga artist, Type A is the correct choice. For beginners who are still developing a reliable sense of panel proportion and gutter consistency, Type B's additional structure provides useful scaffolding.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Deleter","offers":[{"title":"Type A —Standard panel guidelines. The production standard.","offer_id":53231826141512,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Type B - Additional layout helper lines. Better for beginners.","offer_id":53231826174280,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0935\/0709\/2808\/files\/DeleterB4MangaManuscriptPaper.jpg?v=1772808650"},{"product_id":"clairefontaine-goldline-professional-tracing-pad-90gsm","title":"Clairefontaine Goldline Tracing Pad - 90gsm Professional","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\"\u003eThe Clairefontaine Goldline Tracing Pad is a professional-grade heavyweight tracing paper designed for high-precision technical work. Its main benefit is the 90gsm thickness, which provides superior resistance to \"ghosting\" and allows for heavy ink application and scraping without tearing the surface.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"otQkpb\" aria-level=\"3\" role=\"heading\" data-animation-nesting=\"\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" data-sae=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Professional Standard for Technical Drafting\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" aria-owns=\"action-menu-parent-container\"\u003eGoldline tracing paper is renowned for its exceptional transparency and satin-smooth finish. Unlike thinner tracing papers, this 90gsm stock can handle technical pens, compasses, and even light scraping with a scalpel for corrections, making it the choice of professional draughtsmen and calligraphers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Clairefontaine","offers":[{"title":"A4","offer_id":52839060144456,"sku":null,"price":15.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"A3","offer_id":52839060177224,"sku":null,"price":18.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0935\/0709\/2808\/files\/ClairefontaineGoldlineTracingPad-90gsmProfessional_A4.webp?v=1775401438"},{"product_id":"artway-tracing-paper-roll-63gsm","title":"Artway Tracing Paper Roll - 63gsm Translucent Drawing","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\"\u003eThe Artway Tracing Paper Roll is a high-transparency drafting surface designed for large-scale overlays and architectural plans. Its primary benefit is the 20-metre continuous roll format, providing a seamless, cost-effective solution for long-format designs without the limitations of standard sheet sizes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"otQkpb\" aria-level=\"3\" role=\"heading\" data-animation-nesting=\"\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" data-sae=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeamless Overlays for Large-Scale Design\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" aria-owns=\"action-menu-parent-container\"\u003eThis 63gsm paper offers the perfect balance between transparency and durability. It is smooth enough for technical pens and fineliners to glide without snagging, yet tough enough to withstand repeated erasures. The roll format is ideal for architects, engineers, and dressmakers working on life-sized patterns.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cscribe-shadow id=\"crxjs-ext\" data-crx=\"okfkdaglfjjjfefdcppliegebpoegaii\" style=\"position: fixed; width: 0px; height: 0px; top: 0px; left: 0px; z-index: 2147483647; overflow: visible; visibility: visible;\"\u003e\u003c\/scribe-shadow\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Artway","offers":[{"title":"A2","offer_id":52839042449736,"sku":null,"price":9.75,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"A3","offer_id":52839042482504,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0935\/0709\/2808\/files\/Artway-Sketch-Tracing-Sketching-Roll-63gsm-297cm-x-20m_main.jpg?v=1775400967"},{"product_id":"chromacolour-professional-animation-paper-70gsm","title":"Chromacolour Animation Paper - 70gsm Professional Grade","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" data-processed=\"true\"\u003eChromacolour Animation Paper is the industry standard for traditional hand-drawn animation. Its main benefit is the precise \"pegged\" transparency and 70gsm weight, which is perfectly balanced to be thin enough for light-box \"flipping\" while remaining opaque enough to hold clean pencil and ink lines.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"otQkpb\" aria-level=\"3\" role=\"heading\" data-animation-nesting=\"\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" data-processed=\"true\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Professional Choice for 2D Animators\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" data-processed=\"true\" aria-owns=\"action-menu-parent-container\"\u003eTrusted by major studios worldwide, this paper is engineered to be extremely smooth to prevent friction during rapid drawing. It is punched with standard ACME registration holes, ensuring that every frame remains in perfect alignment when placed on an animation peg bar.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Chromacolour","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52626201968968,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0935\/0709\/2808\/files\/ChromacolourAnimationPaper-70gsm.jpg?v=1775408351"},{"product_id":"strathmore-300-series-sequential-art-bristol","title":"Strathmore 300 Series Sequential Art Bristol - 270gsm","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe western comic production standard — why Bristol board rather than anything else\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBristol board is the paper of choice for western comic and sequential art production for specific reasons: the smooth, dense surface accepts dip pen ink without feathering, accepting fine lines with crisp edges; the weight (Strathmore's 300 series) is substantial enough to scan flat on a flatbed scanner without buckling or warping; and the paper chemistry means it feeds through standard office photocopiers cleanly, producing sharp reproductions. For hand-drawn zine production — the create-photocopy-distribute model that defines small-press zine culture — these properties together make Strathmore Sequential Art Bristol the most reliable substrate. Drawing on lower-weight paper, even good-quality paper, risks tearing at pen points, uneven feeding through photocopiers, and surface texture that interferes with fine pen lines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote:\u003c\/strong\u003e the 270gsm weight of Bristol board does not mean the same thing as 270gsm watercolour paper — Stillman \u0026amp; Birn Beta is also 270gsm but is a completely different paper construction with internal sizing designed for heavy wet media. Bristol board at 270gsm is a stiff, smooth, densely-pressed board optimised for dry and lightly-wet media. The weight alone does not determine wet media suitability.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat and size — what 11×17in means in practice\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Strathmore Sequential Art Bristol is produced in US format sizes, not ISO paper sizes. The standard pad is 11×17in (approximately 279×432mm) — wider than A4 (210mm) but slightly narrower and taller than A3 (297×420mm). This is the industry standard format for western comic and sequential art production: original artwork is produced at 11×17in and reduced to approximately the equivalent of A4 at print, which tightens fine linework. There is no A3 or A4 version of this pad. The 11×17in format is the correct production size for western comic art.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strathmore","offers":[{"title":"11\" x 17\" \/ Smooth","offer_id":52808821965128,"sku":"342-17","price":21.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"11\" x 17\" \/ Vellum","offer_id":52808821997896,"sku":"342-117","price":21.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0935\/0709\/2808\/files\/Strathmore_300_Series_Sequential_Art_Bristol_MAIN.jpg?v=1774961296"},{"product_id":"tomoe-river-loose-sheets","title":"Sanzen Tomoe River Loose Sheets (52gsm Successor Formula)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Standard for Shading and Sheen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFollowing the closure of the historical Tomoegawa machine lines in 2021, Sanzen Paper Manufacturing acquired the rights and formula to preserve this legendary paper substrate. This current-generation 52gsm stock faithfully replicates the slow-absorption properties that enthusiasts demand. By allowing wet ink lines to pool and dry naturally on top of the cellulose fibers rather than soaking instantly into the core, it concentrates dye molecules on the surface. This chemical behavior uncovers a dramatic spectrum of color properties—from the bright crystalline sheen of saturated inks to the delicate shade-shifting properties of multi-tone pastel lines.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tomoe River","offers":[{"title":"A5","offer_id":53242890125640,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"A4","offer_id":53242890158408,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"tomoe-river-notebook-a5-blank","title":"Tomoe River Notebook A5 Blank","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTomoe River in a bound format — the same paper, a different context\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Tomoe River notebook uses the same 52gsm Tomoegawa paper as the loose sheets but bound into a notebook format. This changes the context of use: instead of sampling and exploring inks on individual sheets that can be filed or displayed, the notebook provides a continuous record — an ink diary, a writing journal, a place where the papers from months of fountain pen use accumulate in sequence. The blank format is the correct choice for this kind of mixed use: writing, sketching, ink swatches, and anything else that benefits from the Tomoe River surface can coexist on the same spread without the constraint of a ruled or grid layout. The 160-page count at 52gsm produces a notebook with considerable page count without excessive thickness or weight.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tomoe River","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53242941374792,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"midori-md-notebook-a5","title":"Midori MD Notebook A5","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMidori MD versus Tomoe River — choosing between them\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBoth Midori MD and Tomoe River are considered premium Japanese fountain pen papers, but they serve different needs. Tomoe River is the ink-performance paper: its extreme thinness and slow absorption maximise shading and sheen visibility, at the cost of significant show-through and slow dry time. Midori MD is the practical daily writing paper: 80gsm cream-toned stock absorbs ink slightly faster, shows shading well but less dramatically, has minimal show-through, and dries faster. The cream tone adds warmth to the page — dark inks look slightly different on cream than on white, which some practitioners prefer and others find inaccurate. The choice is a function of use: if your priority is seeing your inks at their maximum potential and you accept show-through and dry time trade-offs, use Tomoe River. If your priority is a premium daily writing notebook that performs beautifully with fountain pen inks without the trade-offs, use Midori MD. Many practitioners keep both for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlank, ruled, or grid — which format\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBlank is the most versatile: accommodates writing, sketching, and mixed use without constraint. For a journalling notebook that will contain primarily writing, ruled provides line consistency and allows faster, more comfortable sustained writing. Grid is for systematic, structured use — planning, layouts, grids, and any application where the grid reference is actively useful rather than just a constraint. If in doubt, start with blank.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Midori","offers":[{"title":"Blank","offer_id":53242946650440,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Grid","offer_id":53242946683208,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Ruled","offer_id":53242946715976,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"midori-md-notebook-b6-blank","title":"Midori MD Notebook B6 Blank","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe same MD paper in a pocket-friendly size\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe B6 format (128mm × 182mm) is slightly smaller than A5 — narrow enough to sit comfortably in a jacket pocket, wide enough that writing is not cramped. For fountain pen users who write on the go and want their premium notebook with them rather than at their desk, the B6 provides the Midori MD paper experience in the most portable form it comes in. The cream-toned 80gsm paper, the slow absorption, the fountain pen-friendly surface, and the minimal show-through are all identical to the A5 version.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Midori","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53242956284232,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"st-cuthberts-mill-botanical-ultra-smooth-300gsm","title":"St Cuthbert's Mill Botanical Paper 300gsm","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBritish botanical paper — only at Inkwell, and why it matters\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSt Cuthbert's Mill is a Somerset papermaker with centuries of history, and their Botanical Ultra Smooth paper is made specifically for the requirements of botanical illustration — not for general watercolour painting, not for mixed media work, but for the specific technique of botanical illustration where a fine dip pen nib must move across the surface with complete freedom and no resistance, and where one to two light wash passes are applied over the completed linework. The surface is smoother than Arches Hot Press — measurably so when tested with a fine dip pen nib. This matters because botanical illustration often involves very fine linework, detailed hatching, and stippling that require the nib to glide over the surface without any roughness or tooth that would produce scratchy or uneven marks. At 50% cotton the paper is archival without the cost of 100% cotton, and at 300gsm it accepts pen and light wash without buckling. And it is not available from any other UK specialist retailer at the time of writing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSt Cuthbert's Mill versus Arches — when to use each\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBoth are excellent papers for botanical illustration. St Cuthbert's Mill Botanical Ultra Smooth has a smoother surface that is specifically optimised for fine dip pen linework and single-layer wash — the paper where the pen-work part of botanical illustration is most precise. Arches Hot Press handles heavier multi-layer wash and is 100% cotton — the archival standard for finished work. Many botanical illustrators use St Cuthbert's Mill for detailed linework studies and preparatory pieces, and Arches for finished exhibition pieces where multiple layers of wash will be applied over the completed linework.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St Cuthbert's Mill","offers":[{"title":"A4","offer_id":53243206533448,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"A3","offer_id":53243206566216,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"rhodia-pads","title":"Rhodia Pads","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe calligrapher's practice surface — and why Rhodia specifically\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRhodia pads use Clairefontaine Velin — the same paper used in Clairefontaine notebooks, a smooth, fountain pen optimised French paper widely regarded as among the finest European fountain pen papers available. The smooth surface accepts calligraphy dip pen inks without feathering (provided the ink is appropriate for dip pen — some dye inks are too thin and spread on any surface), shows shading clearly, and produces crisp, clean letterforms when writing with a pointed pen nib or broad-edge nib. The heavy cardboard cover folds completely back, creating a flat working surface without the cover interfering. This fold-back behaviour is important for calligraphy practice: the working surface needs to be completely unobstructed and the pad needs to sit flat on the writing surface without tilting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDotpad versus Blank — which to choose\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Dotpad has dots at 5mm intervals printed in a pale colour that provides visual reference for letter height and line spacing without the visual noise of ruled lines. For calligraphy practice, dots are generally preferred over rules because the dot grid provides reference without constraining the work visually — the dots are easy to ignore when looking at the overall letterform but present when you need to check alignment. The Blank Pad has no markings at all — the correct choice for practitioners who find even dots visually distracting, or who are using the pad for free writing and sketching rather than calligraphy practice with height reference.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rhodia","offers":[{"title":"Dotpad A5 No. 16","offer_id":53243215577416,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Dotpad A4 No. 18","offer_id":53243215610184,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Blank Pad A5","offer_id":53243215642952,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"fabriano-artistico-hot-press-300gsm","title":"Fabriano Artistico Hot Press 300gsm","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eItalian cotton paper — and how it differs from Arches\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFabriano has been making paper in the town of Fabriano in Le Marche since the 13th century — one of the longest continuous papermaking traditions in Europe. The Artistico is their premium watercolour range: 100% cotton, hot press, 300gsm, archival. By specification it is nearly identical to Arches Hot Press. The difference is surface character: Fabriano Artistico has a marginally more tooth than Arches Hot Press — a very slight texture that some illustrators experience as warmer and more responsive under a dip pen nib, while others experience as marginally rougher than they want for fine-line botanical work. The difference is not dramatic, but it is real and consistently described by practitioners who use both. Both are stocked because the preference is genuinely divided — some practitioners who have used both strongly prefer one, and the only way to know your preference is to use both.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fabriano Artistico","offers":[{"title":"Full imperial sheet 56×76cm","offer_id":53243250934088,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"9×12\" block (23×30.5cm)","offer_id":53243250966856,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}]}],"url":"https:\/\/inkwellartsupplies.com\/collections\/sketchbooks-paper.oembed","provider":"Inkwell Art Supplies","version":"1.0","type":"link"}