Mr. Mateusz, thank you very much for the opportunity to talk to you!

The MD brand has become a cornerstone of Escribo over the past few years, so we eagerly awaited the anniversary collection. We were thrilled to learn that you designed one of the covers for MD Paper notebooks.

What was your collaboration with MD Paper like? Did creating a project for one of Japan's fastest-growing paper companies put any pressure on you?

Mateusz Urbanowicz: Hello! I'm very happy that the MD Paper brand is well-known and used in Poland. My collaboration with this brand began quite innocently – I used notebooks and sketchbooks at work every day, took photos that later ended up on Instagram, and that's where I first connected with company representatives. It all started with a meeting at the company's headquarters with the people who actually design and manage the brand's direction. Personally, I was very interested in the notebooks, sketchbooks, and "field" notebooks from the TRAVELER'S notebook series, so we discussed the benefits and our needs as artists for over an hour (my wife, who creates comics professionally, was with me). I really enjoyed meeting high-class craftsmen who truly value what they do with someone who actually uses their products in a rather "professional" way, let's call it. My wife and I, on the other hand, were very interested in what it's like to create such products, so the conversation was very lively. Since then, I've been one of MD Paper's designers' "contacts" in the art world, so whenever there's a new product or event like this anniversary, I'm often asked to collaborate, test, provide feedback, or even demo a product that MD Paper can post on their website (my drawings and hands are often photographed), but it's more of a collaboration than a simple commission. There's no pressure, no stress, because both parties appreciate each other and what they do.

What was the reason behind choosing these particular illustrations for the MD Paper notebook design?

MU: This time, I created the notebook illustrations specifically for this purpose – I didn't use something I already had "in the drawer," but painted two new scenes specifically for the anniversary. I wanted the size and subject matter of both illustrations to fit the notebooks as best as possible. Personally, MD Paper sketchbooks and notebooks are my safe haven, where I can write and draw the strangest things, explore ideas, and learn without any restrictions – I don't think about social media or any particular audience. I wanted to show some of that freedom in the anniversary illustrations.

You're an artist who uses a wide color palette in your work. When creating the cover design, did you consider how the illustration would look once it was embossed?

MU: I knew that only the lines of the first image would be embossed on the cover, without the colors, so I tried to make the lines themselves interesting enough. This is something new for me, because colors usually play a key role in my work. This time, I considered the notebook's size and the fact that too small and delicate details wouldn't look good when embossed. The position of the MD Paper logo was also important.

How does it feel to see your own work transformed into such a minimalist form?

MU: This kind of relief is a very interesting form – the illustration is on the cover, yet it's subtly embossed so that it doesn't distract or overwhelm with black or color – I really like this solution. I'm also quite positive and accustomed to simplifying my works (which are usually full of detail and colorful textures), having worked several times on Japanese Ukiyo-e projects, or woodblock prints, where, due to the limitations of the medium, the illustration must be simplified to just a few, relatively simple engravings. I like such limitations and trying to "extract" as much as I can from a simple medium.

MD products are a part of your daily life. Would you say that MD Paper products are the quintessence of Japaneseness?

MU: Although Japan inspires me greatly in my daily artistic endeavors, I'm probably not the best person to define what constitutes the "quintessence" of Japaneseness. Japan has too many facets, traditions, and forms to point to anything and say, "This is the quintessence." MD Paper products are certainly minimalist, high-quality, and highly functional, but they also require some sacrifices (for example, the lack of a hardcover). So, in their concept, they resemble traditional Japanese tools, which, while high-quality, take some getting used to. Traditional scissors without handles come to mind, for example.

Like us, you probably always have your phone at hand, but you take notes in an analog way. What do you gain from writing by hand?

MU: I try to use my phone as little as possible. I believe dedicated tools allow for better concentration on what we're doing. A table with just a notebook, pen, and coffee won't tempt us with the possibility of watching a Netflix series. In my work, I consciously try to give myself more opportunities to think, concentrate, and combat distractions—traditional tools are much better in this regard.

This is apart from the obvious fact that I simply like the physical feeling of sketching and writing on paper – digital devices are still a long way from that – although I must admit that lately I have also been using a Supernote A5X digital notebook, which I really appreciate – but I always have an MD Paper notes A5 in my bag.

You're attentive to the world; your drawings capture the fleeting details of everyday life. You certainly possess a great deal of sensitivity and attentiveness. This is also evident in the articles you post on your blog. We're impressed by the meticulousness with which you choose your tools. Where does your love for fountain pens come from?

MU: Every tool has its pros and cons – fountain pens have many advantages that I personally value when writing and drawing lines: they glide smoothly across the paper in every direction (something comic book nibs don't have), you can achieve a consistent line width, they don't break lines even with short or faster strokes, they don't make those "ink poops" around curves that ballpoint pens have, and you can use a wide variety of inks, including waterproof ones. For me, there's no better writing tool than a well-fitting fountain pen, and it's hard to find something as flexible for drawing either.

As writing instrument enthusiasts, reading your thoughts on them is truly fascinating. Seeing brands beloved by us and our customers, such as Lamy, Blackwing, Kaweco, and Caran d'Ache, genuinely made us smile. Which utensils can't you live without?

MU: Limiting my tools to the bare minimum is a constant struggle for me – especially in Japan, where you can find so many interesting supplies, it's hard to walk into a shop for paper or watercolors and not walk out with a new pen or electric sharpener you didn't intend to buy.

However, I try to have a basic set that I use constantly – I usually have two or three pens (Pilot and IndiGraph) in a Peg and Awl artist's roller, Balckwing pencils, Kuretake brushes with water in a handle, and a sharpening knife. This is my drawing and sketching kit, and it hasn't changed much lately.

We wouldn't be ourselves if we didn't delve a bit further into the topic of writing instruments. What was your greatest paper discovery after arriving in Japan, which for many of us is practically a paper paradise?

MU: Besides all the pens, markers, brushes, and pencils, which are too numerous to mention (almost all the supplies I use now were bought in Japan – in Poland I worked almost exclusively digitally), I was most impressed by the selection of paper. Including MD Paper products, of course, Japan offers so many excellent notebooks, sketchbooks, and high-quality loose-leaf or pad paper for writing, drawing, and painting with watercolors or traditional Japanese techniques that I have to hold back again. Sketchbooks, in particular, are begging to be purchased, but since paper has an expiration date, I try not to be tempted too often.

Thank you so much for this inspiring conversation! We cordially invite you to Katowice on your next visit to Poland. We'd be happy to guide you through the world of Escribo papermaking.

The conversation was prepared by Katarzyna Stróżecka.

Mateusz Urbanowicz is a Polish artist who lives in Japan. He creates extraordinary watercolor illustrations through which he shares his thoughts and experiences in Japan. He has collaborated with the Comix Wave Films studio, where he created backgrounds for productions such as "Your Name."

You can read more about the artist on his blog.

The MD Paper 15th Anniversary Collection is now available on our website. We also invite you to join us in celebrating the MD Paper brand's birthday from April 19th to 29th at our brick-and-mortar store in Katowice!