Starting a New Journal

I purchased a couple of handmade sketchbooks from a dear friend of mine and started one of the two last night.  

The sketchbooks I purchased are 6 x 8 inches and 7.5 x 7.5 inches.  The 6 x 8 has Fabriano in it and the square format has Stonehenge Aqua.  Since I've been working in my handmade sketchbook with Fabriano, I decided to start the one with the Stonehenge (one of my favorite papers) for a change.

The first page I decided to work a simple color chart of the colors in each of four palettes I alternate using.  Although I basically use the same colors in each brand, they are different either in tone or transparency.  I like to experiment too with brands and this collection has taken years to build.  My Winsor and Newton paints go back to 1992.  Holbein not too long after that after going to class that gave out a few tubes and I purchased other colors I wanted to use.  Daniel Smith came years later and ones I use most with QoR next in line.  

Second and third page I wanted to work a comparison with different pens and inks...to include the hacked fountain pen with the Zebra G nib.  The TWSBI Eco has a dryer feed and after doing this, I will probably load it with a darker grey ink or even black versus the Urban Grey now in it.

And today we learned two of our new rooted trumpet plants have a flower growing on each.  Took photos and immediately came inside to make this entry in the sketchbook.