Artisanal & Bespoke Journals & Sketchbooks
Ampersand Book Studio journals and sketchbooks are designed to help you express yourself beautifully. In-stock journals and sketchbooks are available in our shop.
We want individual and customized journals to be "purpose-built." Since we work with papermakers and book material artisans from around the world, we can help you choose the paper, cover, and binding best for you. We work with a local letterpress printer, so pages can be made to order. To begin, just contact us.
Paper & Page Design
The most important part of any journal or sketchbook is the paper. Do you write with a fountain pen on both sides of the paper? Do watercolor sketches? Bullet journal with felt markers? Each use has unique requirements for best performance.
​
Ampersand Book Studio uses the worlds best papers. Our standard journals utilize Somerset Book 100% cotton paper from the historic St. Cuthbert’s Mill in Wells, England (115gsm) or Conqueror 120gsm paper from Scotland's Arjowiggins. For our bespoke journals and sketchbooks, we can accommodate special requests.
Ampersand Book Studio offers multiple page layouts. Our lined paper is designed in-house and offset printed at Betts Printing in Tucson, Arizona. Our grid and dotted paper is printed using an archival inkjet printer. And, of course, we offer classic blank pages.
Cover Materials
From the genuine morocco leather to hand-marbled papers, our journals and sketchbooks feature the world's best bookbinding materials. Our suppliers include...
-
J. Hewitt & Sons (England) – Leather
-
Jemma Lewis (England) – Hand-marbled paper
-
Hand-silkscreened Chiyogami paper (Japan)
-
Steve Siegle Leather (U.S.) – Morocco goatskin from Nigeria
-
Cave Paper (Tucson, AZ) – Hand-made decorative paper
- Renato Crepaldi (Brazil) – Hand-marbled paper
-
Much more....
We can work with you to realize any journal or sketchbook design that you can imagine.
