I love to buy new travel journals. And I’m always experimenting with different types. When I look online for advice of which to buy, I always read about specific journals, but never anything about what type of paper is best for me. After journaling for a while and testing different notebooks I realized that one of the most important aspects is the paper. The ideal paper for your travel journal depends on your preference. Here are the things you’ll need to consider when choosing the right paper.
Lined/Unlined/Grid/Dot
Ask yourself, how do you use your notebook? Do you mostly like to write in your journal? Do you like to have straight lines? Or do you like to draw? Or Make info graphics? The answers to these questions will determine which is right for you.
Lined
Hello to those of you who have ever kept a journal ever in your life! It was probably a lined journal. These are the most common and so most journalers have experience with them from way back to their first journal that they hid under their bed. If that’s you, maybe your long history with it means it’s perfect for you, or it could mean that lines make you think of writing exercises in school that you never want to think about again. My point is that for some, lines make the ideas flow, but for others it stiffens you up and has stopped you from keeping a travel journal in the past.
I am a person that likes to write and draw. I started with lined journals but I realized that if there are lines. I will write in them and my notebooks will become boring and not a reflection of my style. If this is you, stop using lined paper! And try something else…
Unlined
Because of my mixed past with lined paper, I like to use unlined, blank notebooks. They free me up and make me feel like anything is possible on the page. I carry a small ruler with me if I feel the need for a straight line (which I usually don’t) WONKY LINES FOREVER!
Dot
Dot paper has become really popular recently for planners and journals, thanks to bullet journaling. Bullet journals are really popular and for good reason. The dots are small enough that they give you a lot of freedom to play, but by connecting them you can create straight lines, boxes and charts really easily. It’s great for those who don’t like lines, but want to easily create uniform boxes and grids. So pretty!
Grid
Grid journals are similar to dot journals and remind me of the lab notebooks from my school days. They’re great for aspiring scientist and data collectors. Charts on charts! I also love the look of grid paper in travelers notebooks. When I’ve used grid paper in my travel journal it made me feel like an explorer and adventurer.
Cheap/Expensive
This is the most important thing that I never hear people talk about when it comes to journal paper: cheap vs. expensive
Both are great! You just have to figure out which you like better. Moleskine are so well loved because they are high quality. The paper is nice, they have a beautiful binding. They are the Cadillac of travel journals and if you want it and will use it, buy it, it will be so worth it. But if you care less about the quality of paper and will feel like it’s too precious to write in, don’t buy it! It will not be worth it! It will just sit in your bag and take up space and make you mad. Don’t do it.
Because you know what, cheap notebooks are great. And you know what else? They’re better and more worth it than the expensive journal….if you use it. It’s all about person preference so you gotta try and if you try and decide you’re a cheap notebook kind of traveller. Congratulations, you;re in good company.
Lynda Barry a champion journaler, swears by her cheap (50 cents!) composition notebooks to detail all the events in her life. She’s been She doesn’t use her journal exclusively for travel, but she is a journal champ and definitely someone to look up to for the aspiring journaler. Check out her book Syllabus or her tumblr for inspiration on cheap paper magic.
Thick/Thin
Ever use a sharpie in your journal and have it bleed through to back of the paper? That’s because the paper is thin. If you’re planning on using anything besides a pen on your journal, thinking about thick vs. thin paper is key.
Thin Paper
A lot of cheap notebooks use thin paper. Like the composition books above, there will probably be bleed and if you paint on them, the paper can wrinkle and curl. If you don’t mind that (like Lynda Barry) then thin paper is for you.
Thicker Paper
If you want to use watercolors, markers or glue in your notebook and don’t want the paper to curl, thicker paper is great. When it comes to thicker paper in travel journals, it’s hard to tell if its thick or thin without feeling it. I’ve done this for years, through trial and error finding the type of paper I like best.
Moleskine is definitely a good choice. Their paper is very thick and holds a lot of mediums like watercolor and acrylic ink and glue well.
Another brand I’ve found lately that I love (and is a better price than moleskine) is the GERMAN NAME. This paper is thick, holds pain well, doesn’t bleed and is a dream to write and draw on. It’s my go to notebook right now because of the paper.
Guaranteed Thickness: Art Papers
If you really want the guarantee of thickness and durability there are a couple of great choices that you can get at the srt supply store. They sell this paper in a variety of notebook sizes and bindings. Just decorate the cover a bit and voile, a beautiful notebook that has great quality paper that you know you can count on.
Mixed Media Paper
Mixed media paper is made for multi use and is best for scrapbook/writing and drawing. It’s also good for light painting, including watercolors, gouache, acrylics and is great with graphite, pen and ink, colored pencils, markers, pastels. I like it because it’s durable but not too thick or heavy. Sometimes if the paper is too thick, I feel like I’m painting a canvas instead of keeping a travel journal.
Watercolor Paper
Watercolor paper is the thickest, most durable type of paper you would need for your traveler’s notebook. If you like to do a lot with heavy watercolor, this is the paper for you. It comes in two types: hot press and cold press. Hot press is smooth, so it works well to write on. Cold press paper is textured, so it doesn’t take well to pens and pencils. If you want to draw and write, I would suggest going with hot press paper. But you should experiment!
In my experience, you can’t know which paper is best for you till you experiment. This is the fun part! Buy a cheap journal with lined paper and see how it feels. Maybe you never wrote in the nice leather journal you bought because it was too special. I have certainly done that before. Or maybe, like me, having lined paper makes you feel like you need to write down every detail. Get a blank notebook! My point is, you won’t know these things till you try. And now you know what to look for. So, on traveller!