Refillable Creativity
As kids filling the page was the only job; as adults we worry about wasting the paper we have. Eden's approach to the DiaryFlex is about getting back to curiosity.
A collector who flies through a sketchbook every few weeks, Eden loves the DiaryFlex because the case becomes hers to personalise, while the refillable pages inside never feel like something to ration.
You've mentioned that many artists feel intimidated by blank pages. Why do you think it's important for artists to make their own rules when creating art, rather than following what they think they 'should' be doing?
"As a kid your only job is to fill the page, but as an adult you're also the one responsible for providing the paper, making sure pen nibs don't get ruined, and keeping the table clean. We put a lot more mental restrictions over what we feel like we're 'allowed' to do because as adults we feel like it's our role to keep things tidy and controlled, but art deserves to be approached like a curious child so lost in their own imagination that the real world fades out. Anyone can take a photo of what something looks like but only you can show how you see it in your eyes."
How has using refillable sketchbooks like the DiaryFlex changed the way you experiment and play with your work?
"I'm a very sentimental person, I like having physical tangible objects that stick with me and gain scratches and stories and personality over a long period of time, that I can hold years later and soak in the nostalgia from. Sketchbooks can be tricky because although they seem like the perfect surface to personalise, it seems equally pointless to spend time on when i fly through one every couple of weeks. The DiaryFlex is like finishing a good book and finding out there's already 3 sequels! You can let yourself get attached to the case and make it your own, while the refillable pages inside don't feel like a scarce resource that needs rationing."
The DiaryFlex and refills seem perfect for artists who view their sketchbooks as spaces for fun and exploration. How do you use yours?
"I mark the page before i even have a chance to overthink it - I love that the pages in the DiaryFlex don't bleed through so i can pick up whatever art material is closest to me and scribble before I even decide what i want to draw. I see it like cloud gazing or reading tea leaves, it doesn't matter what I'm actually looking at on the page because whatever is on my mind at the time will be what my subconscious picks out from the pattern, and i let it build from there."
What would you say to an artist who's nervous about starting a new sketchbook because they're worried about messing it up?
"Once pencil touches paper you're 90% of the way to filling the page, most of the resistance to starting anything anything is truly just the rules and limitations we put on ourselves, so get out of your own way! If you're worried about making 'bad art' and messing up your sketchbook then make that your goal instead. The sooner you give yourself permission to be bad at something, the sooner you'll be able to get good at it!"
The team at Hahnemühle are excited to follow Eden's creative journey and to admire the art curated on her future refills. You can find more of Edens art on Instagram @_edenfaith
To find out more about Eden's choice of the Hahnemühle DiaryFlex see the product here.
DiaryFlex, the sustainable notebook from Hahnemühle with content that can be exchanged or replaced, offers different rulings: blank, lined or dotted. You can use the cover again and again! Whether it's a notebook for thoughts, sketches or to store ideas: there's room for everything on 160 pages. The 100 gsm natural white paper is suitable for fountain pens, ballpoint pens, fineliners or even pencils for sketching. The cover can be reused as often as required with the interchangeable and replaceable content inserts. Simply pull the notebook out of the flap and replace it with a new blank, lined or dotted refill.
