Croquis books are a standard type of sketchbook in Japan, popular for their sturdy, portable format and high page count. Commonly carried by university students, croquis books typically feature lightweight pages that work best for dry media. The idea is...

This classic writing notebook has been made in Tokyo since 1947 by Tsubame Note ("Swallow Note" in English, after Japan's beloved springtime birds.) Using traditional stitched signatures and a durable lay-flat binding, Tsubame University Notebooks offer a pleasant and practical...

With our curated MaimeriBlu mixing sets, we decided to try something a little different. Rather than offering one large set, we split the best colors into two smaller sets: this set of five Deep Colors and another set of five...

With our curated MaimeriBlu mixing sets, we decided to try something a little different. Rather than offering one large set, we split the best colors into two smaller sets: this set of five Best Brights and another set of five...

This gorgeous trio of granulating colors is a perfect way to introduce yourself to MaimeriBlu, a premium line of single-pigment Italian watercolor. We've selected these three colors from Maimeri's extensive selection of granulating pigments, which open up with water and...

This unique composition book from Kokuyo features a stylish herringbone pattern on the front and back covers. It's a nice, grown-up spin on the standard "marbled" comp books that are common in the United States. Inside, the paper is a...

The incredibly cheap, highly capable Kokuyo Calculate Pad is made from thin, off-white recycled paper, but it works well with all kinds of pens and pencils. Fountain pen ink didn't bleed through in our tests—with a variety of nibs and...

Platinum Preppy is the world's best cheap fountain pen. Despite its incredibly low price, Preppy packs a surprising list of features and offers a writing experience well beyond its class. It's smooth and easy to use, even at the popular...

With this simple supply kit, you can convert up to five Preppy fountain pens for use as "eyedropper pens." Because Preppy has an airtight barrel and is inexpensive enough to use for experimentation, it's a popular choice in the pen...

This excellent piston-style converter allows any Platinum fountain pen (and also certain models from Kuretake) to accept fountain pen ink from a bottle. Simply pop it into the pen where the ink cartridge would normally mount, then draw ink through...

This 180 mL polycarbonate vial is made of virtually indestructible, hard, crystal-clear plastic. It's large enough to serve as a leakproof travel water cup for watercolorists working on park benches. It can also hold several tubes of watercolor or gouache,...

With rock-solid build quality and an enticing array of premium features, Platinum's Pro Use 171 Mechanical Pencil is one of the most well-rounded writing instruments in our shop. The finely knurled metal grip is instantly noticeable when you pick up...