Viviens STILLMAN AND BIRN experiments

[vhere]

oh Wow!!! I've got some lovely Stillman and Birn sketchbooks to play with. I hadn't seen them before but had heard the appreciative comments from those that use them.

First impressions: I really like the paper - quality, heavy, lovely to work on. I like both the natural white and the ivory - I do like cream paper sometimes, it has a character that white can lack.

I haven't had chance to scan anything yet but I've begun experimenting with them - firstly with inktense and a waterbrush with Derwent Studio pencils over this wash. All the books held up beautifully. No cockling, no bleed.

Images to follow - feedback, information about them and how you use them etc all very welcome

[DrDebby]

Yup, I was impressed too, when I got mine. The paper is just delightful.

[RainySea]

I love the S&B books. So far I've used an Alpha, a Beta and an Epsilon and adored them all. I do have one with the ivory paper but have not tried that one yet. Eager to see your work in them.

[vhere]

ok - here is the first one in a 7x7 inch Beta Series sketchbook with lovely heavy paper in a natural white, rough surface. I like a square format - as a look at my paintings will show

The way it can fold back on itself is really useful when sketching outside as it takes up so little room and it has a good strong cover and ring binding.

I decided to experiment in each book with an underpainting using Derwent Inktense pencils finished off with their Studio pencils so that I can feel the differences in the papers.. I used a waterbrush as I was curled up in an armchair and didn't want to have jars of water and paints that I could (would!) knock over.





Below you can see a close up and how well the materials worked with the paper.



I'm going to try watercolours on each - with wet washes, charcoal, pencil, pen ..... anything and everything.

I generally don't like working on the reverse of pages, partly because I may want to tear the page out to frame something but also simply because I like pristine, new, flat paper. The reverse of this meets those criteria so I may be working on both sides in this book :>)

[RainySea]

what gorgeous, deep color in that tree. . . just beautiful. That 7 x 7 beta is the same one I'm using for IFJM. Its a great size, my first time to use a square book and I love it, too.

[Joan T]

Aren't these books nice? I like the square format too. This looks great...nice deep colors and good textures. It will be fun to see your experiments.

[jacquip]

Great colours in your experiment. Sounds like you are in love with them already. I received my paper samples from Michael so now at least I have an idea of what you are all talking about. They feel wonderful.

[DrDebby]

Great experiments. Yes, you're gonna love the paper.

[vhere]

agreeing with you all wholeheartedly - I do love this paper!

I popped the little square Beta book into my bag today as I was seeing my mother for lunch. I sketched a teaspoon at the end of the meal.



It's done with a space pen refill in a Parker jotter. If you don't know what the space pens are; they were designed for the astronauts to work in zero gravity and work over greasy surfaces, upside down, on wet paper etc etc etc so really useful for mixed media.

It was ok to work with, I maybe prefer the Parker original but this was good and certainly does what it claims as I've tried it on wet or greasy surfaces and it carried on writing with no hiccups at all.

This is drawn on the back of the previous one. I don't usually work on the back of drawings as I don't like the slight impression of the work on the other side. I've never liked to do this since I was a child. This was as pristine as a new clean sheet :>)

[DrDebby]

Excellent pen&ink of the teaspoon. The Beta paper is so thick you can work on the back. I've done watercolor on one side and been able to turn the page and work on the back. I've also spilled ink on the page and had nothing show through on the back of the page.

[jacquip]

Very nice hatching and shading on the teaspoons.

I read an article about the space pen a while ago. There was all this money went into research and development for it and it was never actually used in space. They just used normal biro's instead.

[robertsloan2]

I love these experiments. You get such interesting textures both in the colored ones and in the teaspoons. Beautiful work!

[vhere]

Originally Posted by jacquip

Very nice hatching and shading on the teaspoons.

I read an article about the space pen a while ago. There was all this money went into research and development for it and it was never actually used in space. They just used normal biro's instead.

that's so funny!

I often use them in pen and wash and this will hopefully enable me to draw through wet washes, which biro won't.

and thanks everyone

This one is in the Delta sketchbook using the same materials - Inktense with Studio pencils over. I did one in this combo in each book so that I could compare the paper.



It's from a plein air piece I did back at the beginning of winter as the sun was low in the sky.

So the Delta paper worked well too and is a lovely warm ivory. I often really enjoy working on ivory/cream paper. Again it's a lovely heavy paper that will take a lot of working into.

[DrDebby]

The Delta paper and the Beta paper are the same, just white or ivory. So, you'll see the same properties. It's a lovely winter scene.

[RainySea]

beautiful tree but I really love the teaspoons. . . wonderful lines/hatching with that pen!!!