Minimalism

9/24/17 Just paper and pencil.

Maybe it’s when my bag starts to feel too heavy. Whenever I pare it down, the weight gradually creeps up again. You know what I mean. That’s when I start thinking about minimalism – the smallest sketch kit I could possibly use, or which Field Notes I would take to Gilligan’s Island. It’s more complicated than it seems, because the drawing implement I take depends on the notebook I choose.

Dime Novel, the latest edition of Field Notes, is slightly larger than the standard format, giving me just a little more page space, and the pages are blank, making them ideal for sketching. In addition, the 70-pound white paper holds up to most of the sketching media I typically use – brush pen, graphite, colored pencil (though not my favorite Sailor fude fountain pen). It can even take a light swipe from a waterbrush. And with more pages than a standard Field Notes, I could stay longer on Gilligan’s Island. (You can read my full review of Dime Novel on the Well-Appointed Desk.) I decided to put the Dime Novel to the test.

With creamy white paper, it’s tempting to take along colored pencils – but then, of course, I’d need several colors. I could grab a single brush pen – that would be minimal. But “minimal” isn’t just about the number of implements – it’s also about simplicity. What’s the simplest, most basic sketching tool I have? 

Last Sunday, a lovely sunny day, I walked up to Maple Leaf Park with nothing but the Dime Novel and one Blackwing. As much as I love exploring lots of different media, sometimes all I need is paper and pencil.