Concept sketches for a superbrandnew property in development, using my favorite pens and sketchbooks, of course.

Cracking open a new sketchbook and opening it up to the first spread is a magical feeling. There's something exhilarating about new creations, inventions, user interface elements, logos, toys and characters on the precipice of coming into the world with just a few pen strokes. The energy of a new sketchbook and fresh pens is directly connected to starting school, and bringing new pencils, crayons, markers and notebooks to the first day of classes. It never gets old. If you want to reset your creative clock, pick up some new art supplies; pretty sure it's guaranteed to rewind the clock at least 5 years.

I've always been curious about other creative pros and what their go-to items are, so here's my contribution.

Though I've tried all sorts of notebooks and sketchbooks, I prefer Moleskine sketchbooks.

I have big and small, mini, soft-cover, hard-cover, but the ones that I buy in bulk are the professional A4 size, unlined regular sketchbooks. These ones give me plenty of room to work out little and big things. The paper is smooth, and takes the felt-tip Papermate Flair pens flawlessly. When I have the opportunity, I give these as gifts to others as well.

About Pens: I've received many pens as gifts over the years. Many times they're very nice pens, expensive pens. I generally favor utility and color and the absence of smudging, smearing and the mess of many fine writing instruments. I have gravitated to some very basic, utilitarian pens that happen to be inexpensive, the Papermate Flair