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The best sketchbooks for artists
Included in this guide:
Choosing the best sketchbooks from the many options available is a big task, and your choice can have a real impact on your work. A sketchbook with heavier, thicker paper is more suitable for artists using watercolours and markers, whereas lighter paper works better for dry media.
It's also important to consider the 'tooth' or texture of the paper. Paper with more bite has pits and grooves to hold pigment from charcoal and pastels, while smooth paper is better suited to pencils and inks (see here for our pick of the best pencils around). You'll also want to think about binding. A spiral-bound sketchbook lies flat while you work, while some hard-bound sketchbooks can be harder to use.
Finally, there's the question of size. For sketching on the move, a smaller hard-cover sketchbook can be handy, fitting into a bag or pocket and protecting your work, whereas large-format sketchbooks will give you more space and freedom. Our pick of the best sketchbooks below cover all these options, offering something for every kind of artist.
The best sketchbooks for artists available now
01. Moleskine Art Collection Sketchbook
The best sketchbook overall is a great travel companion
Specifications
Size: 5 x 8.25 inches
Book layout: Hard-bound, side, portrait
No of pages: 240
Paper weight: 121lb
Reasons to buy
+Thick, robust paper +Convenient for carrying
Reasons to avoid
-Not suitable for watercolors -Alcohol markers may bleed
The Moleskine Art Collection Sketchbook gets our vote for the best sketchbook overall. This is the larger of the two sizes available, giving you plenty of room to work, but it's still great for sketching on the go thanks to its elastic closure, which keeps it neatly close in a bag, and its rounded corners that won't get bent. Its ivory-coloured paper is quite smooth, but with enough tooth for most dry media. With 240 pages, you won't need to worry about filling it up too quickly, but the price is so reasonable that it wouldn't matter if you did.
02. Leda Art Supply Premium Sketchbook
The best sketchbook for beginners and for practising
Specifications
Size: 7x10 inches
Book layout: Hard-bound, portrait
No of pages: 160
Paper weight: 81lb
Reasons to buy
+Hard bound, but lies flat +Pages easily removed
Reasons to avoid
-Cover is flexible -Doesn't carry markers well
If you're new to sketching, this superb all-rounder is great option to use for practising as you learn and progress. The Leda Art Supply Premium Sketchbook is a little smaller than A4 size, enabling it to fit neatly into most folders and bags and it's inexpensive enough to use for everyday practice, wherever you are. Its cover is waterproof, protecting your work on the move, though it is also flexible, so you'll need a hard surface to support it. Despite being thread-bound, the sketchbook lies just as flat as a spiral-bound notebook, and its cream-coloured pages have micro-perforations for easy removal.
03. Strathmore 400 Series Sketch Pad
The best sketchbook for professional artists
Specifications
Size: 9 x 12 inches
Book layout: Spiral-bound, portrait
No of pages: 50
Paper weight: 60lb
Reasons to buy
+Smooth, creamy paper +Variety of sizes
Reasons to avoid
-Expensive -Relatively few pages
Strathmore's specialist papers are made with specific purposes in mind, paying careful attention to colour, absorbency, weight and texture. For professional artists, the Strathmore 400 Series Sketch Pad is one of the best sketchbooks around, with a fine-tooth that carries graphite, coloured pencils and pastels well. This is the smallest pad in a series that comes in a wide range of sizes (all the way up to 18 x 24 inches if you need more space to work with). It's a top-quality pad, ideal for structural sketches. The price per sheet means it's probably a little too expensive for regular practising, but it's a delight to use.
04. Bellofy Artist Sketchbook
The best sketchbook for mixed media
Specifications
Size: 12 x 1 x 9 inches
Book layout: Spiral bound, portrait
No. of pages: 100
Paper weight: 1.10lb
Reasons to buy
+Acid-free +Spiral bound at the top
The Bellofy Artist Sketchbook boasts super-thick, premium paper that's strong and smooth enough to carry wet media like ink or watercolour and allow dry media like charcoal and pencil to slide over it. The 100-sheet notebook is acid-free, which helps reduce blotches and smudges, and it's made from recycled paper – another big tick. The notebook is spiral bound at the top, meaning it lies flat without the annoyance of the spiral part on either side. This is a particularly welcome bonus for left-handed artists, who can find the spirals an irritation. All in all, it's a pleasure to use.
05. Canson Artist Series Watercolor Pad
The best sketchbook for watercolor won't ripple or buckle
Specifications
Size: 5.5 x 8.5 inches
Book layout: Spiral-bound, side, portrait
No of pages: 20
Paper weight: 140lb
Reasons to buy
+Thick, robust paper +No bleeding
Reasons to avoid
-Expensive per page -Fairly small sheets
Mixed-media pads can be useful, but they rarely perform as well as pads designed for specific tasks. The Canson Artist Series Watercolor Pad is specially made to withstand repeated washes. Its thick paper ensures that it won't ripple or deform as it dries, and there'll be no bleeding. Each page is perforated, but Canson has factored that into the size, so you won't lose any paper when you tear a page out –something that happens with many similar pads. It works out a little pricey per page, but this sketchbook has been so thoughtfully designed, we think it's well worth the additional cost.
06. Canson XL Marker Paper Pad
The best sketchbook for markers allows easy tracing
Specifications
Size: 9 x 12 inches
Book layout: Hard-bound, top, portrait
No of pages: 100
Paper weight/type: 18lb
Reasons to buy
+No bleeding +Smooth paper
Reasons to avoid
-Paper can crease easily -Sheets may come loose
Another excellent wet media sketchbook from Canson, the Canson XL Marker Paper Pad provides 100 pages of thin, slightly translucent paper. That makes it quite unusual, but the paper works well for sketching and tracing. The surface is smooth with little tooth, so you won't need to worry about your markers snagging, and the ink won't bleed through to the next page. The translucent paper means you'll be able to see your sketches on the reverse, so you won't be able to sketch on both sides, the pad comes with enough sheets for this not to be an issue.
07. Strathmore 400 Series Toned Tan Pad
The best toned sketchbook will help you master values
Specifications
Size: 9 x 12 inches
Book layout: Spiral-bound, portrait
No of pages: 50
Paper weight: 80lb
Reasons to buy
+Smooth, warm toned paper +Lies flat in use
Reasons to avoid
-Rather costly -Not many pages
Toned sketchbooks are ideal for learning to use values since they encourage you to use a whole range, helping you achieve more realistic results. Strathmore also offers a grey-toned pad, but the Strathmore 400 Series Toned Tan Pad is our pick since its warm colour lends life to portrait sketches. The paper's smooth texture works particularly strongly with coloured pencils and graphite, though it carries all dry media well. If you've not used toned paper before then you might prefer a less costly pad at first, but Strathmore's paper is a joy to use once you're confident.
08. Pentalic Wire-Bound Sketch Book
The best pocket sketchbook – small but extra tough
Specifications
Size: 4 x 6 inches
Book layout: Spiral-bound, side, portrait
No of pages: 80
Paper weight: 70lb
Reasons to buy
+Robust cover and binding +Affordably priced
Reasons to avoid
-No page perforations -Markers will bleed through
The neat little Pentalic Wire-Bound Sketch Book is compact enough to fit in a pocket and tough enough to survive some rough treatment. Its hard cover prevents damage from everyday knocks and scrapes, while its double wire spiral binding is resistant to bending. There are no perforations for tearing out pages, so this is better for exercises and rough work than pieces that you'll want to place in a portfolio. However, its affordable price means we have no reservations about filling it and it's one of the best sketchbooks available for an artist on the go.
09. Canson Artist Series Universal Sketch Pad
The best large-format sketchbook
Specifications
Size: 18 x 24 inches
Book layout: Wire-bound, side, landscape
No of pages: 35
Paper weight: 65lb
Reasons to buy
+Lots of room to work +Pages easy to remove
Reasons to avoid
-Paper is thinner than most -Expensive
Many sketchbooks are close to A4-sized, but there's no need to confine your work to such a small space. The Canson Artist Series Universal Sketch Pad comes in a version that's two feet long, giving you space to draw freely. The spiral binding lets the sketchbook lie flat as you work, while the hard cover provides protection and support. Each page is easy to remove for storage in a portfolio. The paper doesn't have a great deal of tooth, so it's best for use with pencils and charcoal. Look out for multipacks of this and other Canson sketchbooks as these are often a good, economical way to stock up.
Read more:
- How to draw: the best drawing tutorials
- Best pens for artists: Get a brilliant pen
- Sketching tips: Hone your skills
Cat Ellis is a technology journalist , and has been for the last 11 years. She currently works as the fitness and wellbeing editor at TechRadar, as well as writing for other design and tech titles in her spare time.
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Source: https://www.creativebloq.com/buying-guides/best-sketchbooks
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