B5 192-page Hardcover Journal finished in Yellow Gold and Indian Hand-Marble

Long ago, while growing up near Seattle, I struggled with dysgraphia, yet eventually took-up Italic Lettering with an Osmiroid Pen, and later, as an architect, I would do field pen & ink sketching with my Mont Blanc Diplomat. So, while I am a fan of fountain pens and fine paper for them, I have evolved into being a painter with a brush. Some years ago, while visiting an artist friend in Paris, he gave me one of his Mont Blanc pens. Since we will soon be visiting him, I sought out Graystorm Studio for this wonderful hand-made sketchbook as a gift (on the strength of what I saw on an Instagram posting).

There are qualities you can take for granted with Graystorm Studios notebooks: impeccable construction, aesthetics, and performance.

But what keeps me coming back again and again? Why do I never want to run out of these journals? It’s the confluence of all the above, resulting in an uncanny object that pulls the writer to the page. The beauty of the covers and the artisanal construction draw you to the books; the fantastic paper is a voluptuous, euphoric joy to write on. You’re compelled to write!

This particular gold and marble journal has a fascinating three-dimensionality that’s simply impossible to capture with photography. As always, the beauty and performance are unparalleled, and no matter how wet a fountain pen I use, there is never any ghosting or bleed through, and my pen glides on the paper like wet ice gliding on wet ice.

On a personal note, I’ve struggled with writer’s block for years, but since I’ve found Graystorm, I write pretty much every day now. I’m constantly looking for the opportunity to think, dream and tell stories in my Graystorm journals. For me at least, these journals are magical objects.

Beautiful book and excellent craftsmanship!

This is the second Graystorm Studio journal I've purchased. I filled the first with six months of daily writing, and each morning I smiled as I handled the pages. This journal's even better than the first: The hand-marbled cover shimmers in a way that doesn't come across in photographs. My advice is grab journals when you see a cover that speaks to you!