The Creative Block is a super chunky notepad that features 300 sheets in a variety of twelve different creative prompts, designed to get your pen moving. A really thick notepad with blank pages – and a few nudges to get you started.
We all know about creative block. Whether it’s caused by limiting beliefs, no inspo, an unexplained low, lack of space… Whatever the reason, it sucks. So how do you turn the tap back on? How do you get your ideas to flow again? How do you get back to that feeling of exhilarating creativity? The one where you’ve got it all at your fingertips. It’s in your hands. You’re a genius at work.
But you’re staring at a blank page. And the tap is dry.
In 2017, we designed a testing pad for our stores to encourage you guys to pick up our pens and get them moving. To get your draw on. To have some fun. Wordplay or pencil play. Pressure-free. No big deal.
Since we made them, you’ve been asking to buy them. Everyday.
Well, now you can.
We call it The Creative Block. We got stuck on the name.
It’s a super chunky notepad, a thick pad with blank pages (and not-so-blank ones), filled with quirky, creative prompts to jolt you out of your rut. Designed with our signature Papersmiths touch – because cool designed stationery should also be practical, playful and ridiculously satisfying to use.
Available in pink or butter yellow. It's designed by us and printed by our buddies in Bristol. We've used an uncoated 100gsm Italian paper stock made with 80% recycled fibres and 20% ECF virgin fibers. It’s a smooth, dreamy surface that takes pencil and ink beautifully.
It's FSC® certified, acid free, chlorine free, biodegradable, recyclable and, we hope you'll be pleased to hear, it comes without any unnecessary packaging.
This was the first ever Papersmiths notepad - our own paper product. And we're still proud as punch.
Here in butter yellow, launched in 2025, but also available in the original Papersmiths pink.
You’ll find twelve different prompts tucked into its pages:
- Squiggle Room
- What's your favourite word?
- Still Life
- Bust-a-Rhyme
- Draw someone in the room
- Self Portrait
- Guest Book
- Confess
- This is where you draw the line
- Lonely Hearts
- Show your working
- Draw a Dog
Key specs
- 300 pages – a really thick notepad for serious scribblers
- Uncoated Italian paper, 100gsm
- Made with 80% recycled fibres
- Designed by Papersmiths
- Printed in Bristol
- FSC® certified and fully recyclable
- No unnecessary packaging
- Includes 12 illustrated and word-based creative prompts
Size: A5
