Stillman & Birn HARDBOUND Beta and Delta!!

[Garden Maker]

FYI to all Stillman & Birn fans - Wet Paint has the new HARDBOUND Beta and Delta sketchbooks!!!

http://www.wetpaintart.com/browse.cf...2,1277,25.html

I'm not ready for one yet, myself (just got a new Alpha and blew my budget!), but I know everyone has been anxiously waiting for these. Try not to buy them out too quickly!

[DrDebby]

Thanks!

[vhere]

I'm really looking forward to getting mine - I absolutely love that heavy paper


The Alpha is lovely but these are SO much nicer again

[vhere]

Mine have arrived and they are GORGEOUS!!!!! I love that heavy paper

[RainySea]

I got two Deltas and they are beautiful!!!

[vhere]

aren't they just! now to get out and start a project in one


Do you like the Ivory or white paper best? I think ivory slightly has it for me. Close call though.

[RainySea]

I'm going to start one of mine as for my new plein air book as both my current ones are spiral and the deltas I can do across the spread.

[Fidgement]

Hi all, are both of these sketchbooks good for watercolor? I see they are now becoming widely available and the description indicates "light washes" so I'm hoping y'all have some personal experience to share regarding how well the paper holds up to just watercolor.
Helen

[sketchbookbinder]

Originally Posted by Fidgement

Hi all, are both of these sketchbooks good for watercolor? I see they are now becoming widely available and the description indicates "light washes" so I'm hoping y'all have some personal experience to share regarding how well the paper holds up to just watercolor.
Helen

Helen,
We'll let the artists on this thread answer your question about how well our 180 Lb. Beta (white) and Delta (ivory) holds up to watercolor. But about "light washes" I just want to clarify that we say that it's our 100 Lb. Alpha (white) and Gamma (ivory) series that are suitable for light washes, not Beta and Delta. We consider the Beta and Delta Series multi-media papers which, by definition, would support watercolor artwork.
Michael

[vhere]

I'd agree. I've used watercolour, collage ... all sorts in my spiral bound S&B's of this weight and the lovely heavy 180lb paper has never buckled yet. It's also possible to work on the other side of the paper with no show-through.

Paper that buckles and bleed-through are 2 of my pet hates!

The sizing, which makes colours glow and the texture of the paper, which I like as it grips enough without being insistent in the final work, make this paper a firm favourite.

The hardback is the icing on the cake, allowing double page spreads and better strength in storage and use.

So whilst it isn't specifically 'watercolour paper', water based media work beautifully on it. You can see some of the work here.

[zook]

Could you define light washes please. I have another brand of sketchbook that is supposed to support light washes, but with WC pencil and Niji pen, it pills and buckles. I'm wondering if I don't understand "light washes" ???

I have a S and B Alpha and love it! My pencil just melts across the page. It's simply elegant!

[defeated]

my alpha has held up beautifully to light to medium washes with watercolor, wc pencil and water soluble crayon. my last page warped a little, but I really abused it, and left the book open...I expect it to flatten nicely after closing for a while. From that I would expect the 180 lb paper would hold up to anything short of a nuclear attack.

[thevaliantx]

Would these be suitable for a newcomer to watercolors who is looking to get into "art journaling"?

[CandAlArt]

My Gamma (100lb. Ivory hardbound) is so nice I have been afraid to make it my "regular" book, but I must change that attitude. I have used graphite, watercolor pencil with waterbrush washes, Tombows, and Flair pen with waterbrush (reeeely cool look). All those were excellent. As I view them I think they are sketches of my usual sort but they look better, so... it has to be the paper (I am still developing a discerning eye for what makes stuff look better or not). My bleeders were Nano pens and- of course-Sharpies. ((Note:they bled thru every paper I own and I have a broad range. WC paper might work but I am not going that direction just to use those brands of pen. Save 'em for package mailing labels.))

Excellent in looks and performance, worth the price (no more than a few burgers, meh), good size at 5.5x8.5. Gee, thanks S&B

[DrDebby]

thevaliantx, the Beta and Gamma S&B journals are delightful for art journaling. They can take a certain amount of water and layering. Tho' not the same as watercolor paper, so some techniques of pouring watercolor or wet in wet might get a bit much for the paper.