I take my notebooks seriously. No matter where I go, I bring it with me. That’s why choosing the right kind of notebook is important for me.

For some reason, I’m always a fan of Muji. They make their look brand-less yet that’s the beauty of it, you can play with it making as if it’s your own brand. Now, I’ve been using a Muji notebook with the black cover and plain sheets as my sketchpad. Then I’ve tried the dot-grid sheets. Totally different in many ways. Here are some options in choosing between the plain or dot grid notebook.

Plain NotebookI like to draw my drafts in my notebook which servers as my sketchpad. Even when I just do word dump or making notes for an idea, this plain sheet notebook always come in handy.

PROS:

• Whenever I want to make my drawings digital, it’s easier to clean the elements.

• It gives me freedom to draw and add notes on the side without any distraction from the background.

• Does not restrict my taking down notes from going to one area to another.

• You can add photos, torn papers or anything that you’d like to keep and serves as your instant scrapbook.

CONS:

• You have to get used to writing paragraphs without any guide.

• Perfect square or anything that needs some geometric patterns are quite hard to make having no guidelines to follow.

• Trying to do lettering or typography is quite challenging. Letters may get a little uneven.

DOT GRID NOTEBOOKSI see most artists especially graphic designers used dot grid notebooks. I got curious and thought it could be more helpful with my designs.

PROS:

• Lettering can be aligned easily.

• If you’re making drafts for an identity, this is truly helpful. It gives you enough proportions for the elements and typeface.

• Geometric patterns are easier to create.

CONS:

• Transferring your elements into digital can take more of your time in cleaning it up.

• The dots can also be a distraction while you are trying to draw because you can’t help notice the grid.

• If you have big penmanship, the spaces in between can also be a hindrance. Either you’re trying to follow one space or two spaces in between.

• My unorganised handwriting looks more unorganised than the usual.

Having these options, I get to know more which kind of notebook pages I should get next time. If you’re an artist, graphic designer, or you just like taking down notes, you know having the right kind of notebook matters. You also have to consider your needs in choosing the right one. Notebooks can be very personal. It’s like an extension of who you are, don’t you agree? How about you, which kind of notebook pages you prefer?

Also, if you’d like to try Muji notebooks I have limited stocks in the store, both in plain and dot grid sheets and different sizes.