Friday, June 7, 2013

What features would my dream notebook have?

My dream A4 grid notebook does not exist.  If it did, these are the features it would have: 

Paper that permits saturated color & smooth, thin lines. No spread, bleed-through, or loss of shading... even at the cost of long drying time & low level prone-ness to picking up oily fingerprints (have learned to avoid those).

Letter width + longer than A4 height... i.e. L1917's "master size" .... space for generous Cornell-style margins + more information on the page.

5 mm dot grid, in light grey. Grids are unobtrusive while every bit as functional as lined or grid. Narrow ruling means more info on a page using an EF nib.

No margin. I like making my own, usually 2".  Have also experimented with Medieval layouts; lack of pre-drawn margins helps with that.

200+ pages.  Have actually run out of pages in a 230 page notebook for a class that stretched over 2 semesters.  For some projects, I like to start a related but different project in the same book.

Off white, but light-colored. Brings out contrast with black ink.

Table of Contents and page numbering. Aids mightily with organization.

Index? Not sure. Have used this with only pocket notebooks, where I wanted to remember where I noted something on a particular topic.

Perforated pages at the back: for testing ink, and, well, for ripping something out if necessary one day.

Ribbon. Useful. Maybe even 2, like the Seigel Conceptum notebooks have.

Sturdy strap.

Black leatherette cover.  Leather covers are for journals. My notebooks are for various projects.

Rounded corners. Aesthetically pleasing.

Back pocket, large enough to contain letter-sized sheets: useful for handouts.

Labels: "classic" feel for front of notebooks. (I prefer Dymo embossed labels for spine of book though.)

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