The Archer & Olive Watercolor Dot Grid Journal Review – The Ideal Watercolor Bullet Journal?
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Check out my Archer & Olive Watercolor Dot Grid Journal review to see if this notebook will fulfill your watercolor bullet journal dreams!
This post is sponsored by Archer & Olive. Although I am receiving compensation for this post, all comments and reviews of products received are mine and mine alone. I strive only to give an honest review and promote products and art supplies that I think are excellent.
Making Waves
Over the years, I’ve tried all kinds of things in my bullet journals, but nothing has topped watercolor for me. I love watercolors. I’m bananas about watercolors. Look through my Instagram or post history and you’ll see that I’ve pushed my journals to their limits with watercolors again and again. However, finding a journal I like for bullet journaling and watercolors has been a challenge. That’s why I was giddy with excitement when Archer & Olive reached out and asked me to review their watercolor dot grid journal. I knew that if this had the potential to be the watercolor bullet journal I’ve always dreamed, then I had to check it out for myself.
My Archer & Olive Watercolor Dot Grid Journal Review
After years of compromising between having good watercolor paper quality or a good bullet journal, I was hopeful that the Archer & Olive Watercolor Dot Grid Journal would stand up to the test. I wondered… could I have it all? Let me share what I found in my Archer & Olive Watercolor Dot Grid Journal review!
What I Loved
The Gorgeous Cover
The muted colors, energetic design, and luxurious texture of the Archer & Olive Watercolor Dot Grid Journal was a feast for the senses. Who doesn’t love gorgeous plant illustrations?
The Spiral Binding
I didn’t think I’d like the spiral spine of this watercolor journal, but I actually loved it once I used the notebook. A spiral spine ensures that the paper lies flat, which is essential when working with watercolors and writing. You don’t want all the water lolling around because the page won’t stay flat. Also, I can’t resist gold, so the gold spiral was a nice aesthetic touch.
The Paper Thickness
The thing I was the most curious about with the Archer & Olive Watercolor Dot Grid Journal was the paper thickness. The paper is 100% cotton and 200 gsm, so I knew it was certainly thicker than your standard bullet journal paper. But could I assault it with copious amounts of water? The answer is yes, yes I can. I bombarded this journal with a very wet wash, and it didn’t even flinch. It even withstood embossing with no problems! You can say that the Archer & Olive Watercolor Dot Grid Journal passed the paper thickness test with flying colors.
The Dot Grid
There are plenty of journals and sketchbooks out there with watercolor paper, but this one has something special — a dot grid. This journal was designed for a life of creative planning. The dots are subtle enough to stay out of your way when you’re creating something beautiful, but they provide enough of a guide to easily draw out intricate spreads. That’s a win-win.
The Bells and Whistles
While I almost never use pen loops on journals, I find it very helpful that one is attached. I also thoroughly appreciate the firm elastic strap used to hold the watercolor dot grid journal closed. These little elements just show the attention to detail that went into creating this amazing notebook.
It’s Vegan
I’m not vegan, but I do try to make environmentally savvy decisions about my purchases. That means I’m always happy to see companies that are clearly working toward the same goal. The Archer & Olive Watercolor Dot Grid Journal’s 100% cotton paper is stretched with starch, which means it is completely vegan. Neat, huh?
The Company
I only ever work with brands that I know produce quality, but Archer and Olive takes it a step further by having rock-solid ethics and values as a business. Archer & Olive is a woman-owned business just like Little Coffee Fox, and I have to give that a major thumbs up.
And Bonnie, the owner of Archer & Olive, is a huge proponent of mental health. She started Archer & Olive to help other people find balance and healing through journaling just as she did. Bonnie aims to take Archer & Olive into a greener future by working towards less waste, and she supports the artist community by valuing creators and paying them for their work. Basically, this company is the freaking tops. I love their amazing products, but I love the soul of Archer & Olive most of all. If that’s not a major selling point for supporting this business, then I just don’t know what is.
One Little Criticism
I do have one single factor that I want to point out as a potential negative for the Archer & Olive Watercolor Dot Grid Journal.
The Spiral
The spiral is an excellent way to make sure the watercolor paper lays flat while you are using it. However, if you want to create a spread that spans across two pages, the spiral might pose a problem. When you are in the first or final quarter of the journal, one side of the journal will sit higher than the other. And the gap between the two pages will be a challenge if you like having one spread across two pages. If this is a huge bother for you, then you’ll be happy to know that Archer & Olive is working on a watercolor dot grid journal with sewn binding that will be out soon.
A Watercolor Bullet Journaler’s Dream
If you’re ready to finally have a bullet journal that can withstand your wildest watercolor dreams, then hop on board with me and grab yourself an Archer & Olive Watercolor Dot Grid Journal. You will finally be able to let loose creatively while you plan without fear that your journal can’t handle it. Unleash your creativity, grab your watercolors, and get to making something completely unique to you.
