My Favorite Sketchbooks for All Mediums

I’ve written a lot about sketchbooking on my blog. If you missed some of my posts on this topic, you can check them out here:

• How to Make Sketchbooking a Habit

• 30 Sketchbook Prompts to Kickstart Creativity

• Why Having a Sketchbook Will Change Your Life
  

The one thing I haven’t talked about is how to pick out a good sketchbook/art journal. When I’m shopping around, I look for the following:

1. The Right Paper: This is most important. Even if you only use a certain medium for your art, I like a sketchbook that works for all mediums, just in case you want to try something new. For this, you’re looking for “mixed media” or “watercolor” sketchbooks. The paper must also be thick/high GSM (aka grams per square meter) and it must be close be more white or ivory than cream. Lastly, I like a smooth-ish paper. Hot-pressed is smoother than cold pressed. However, a cotton blend paper can also give you a smoother texture.

2. Small Size: I like a small sketchbook, because it’s less intimidating, and more portable. For me, this made a huge difference in maintaining a sketchbook habit. Usually 8.5 inches max is the largest dimension I like on any side.

3. Nice Cover: As an artist, design important to me. I love a sketchbook with a leather bound cover. It feels so much more special. It also makes process photos of my sketchbooks look much nicer.

Here are my favorite sketchbooks that meet the above criteria:

Moleskine Watercolor Album

Dimensions: 8.25 x 5 in. | Horizontal | 72 Pages | Cotton Blend 200 gsm Paper | Cold-Pressed

As many of you may know, this has been my go-to sketchbook for years. The paper is technically for watercolors, but all mediums usually work on watercolor paper. I’ve used pencil, pen, and acrylics in my sketchbook and all work great. The cover is hard-bound black leather, mostly smooth, with a slight texture. I love the feature of the elastic band that holds the sketchbook closed. The pages lay flat nicely when painting, and I love the horizontal orientation. Sadly, the paper in this sketchbook is not 100% cotton, but I can’t say I notice the difference. The paper in this journal is slightly off-white with a slight texture.

This sketchbook comes in a vertical 5 x 8.25 in. orientation, as well as larger sizes too.

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Strathmore Mixed Media Journal

Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 in. | Vertical | 64 Pages | 100% Cotton 190 gsm Paper | Cold-Pressed

This journal actually has the same paper I use for my final art pieces. When was looking for a sketchbook years ago, I don’t think this even existed. Otherwise, I probably would have purchased it. Now, I buy Moleskine out of habit. However, if I were to change things up, this would be my favorite option. The hardcover is a dark brown leather with a nice texture. It has really nice stitching inside so the pages stay flat when painting. The paper is slightly off-white with a slight texture.

This sketchbook comes in a variety of sizes and orientations as well.

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Stillman and Birn Zeta Series Softcover Watercolor Sketchbook

Dimensions: 7.5 x 7.5 in. | Square | 52 Pages | Cotton Blend 270 gsm Paper | Hot-Pressed

I kind of love that this sketchbook comes in a square. Not only that, but the square seems to be the perfect size. The paper in this sketchbook is extremely thick, much thicker than the paper in those I’ve mentioned thus far. The cover is soft, but it’s finished with a nice black textured leather. Buyers rave about this art journal, making it one of the bestselling ones on Amazon. The paper in this sketchbook is bright white, and very smooth.

This sketchbook comes in a variety of sizes and orientations as well.

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Arteza Watercolor Sketchbooks

Dimensions: 8.5 x 8.5 in. | Square | 68 pages | 230 gsm Paper | Cold-Pressed

How cool are the linen-bound hardcovers on these? I couldn’t get over how stylish they look. They also come in a beige and dusty blue option. I’m loving the black elastic strap on the outside, and the bright red ribbon bookmark on the inside. Also, you can buy them in packs of 2 or 3 - a great move if you want to stick with a sketchbooking habit long-term. Even though these journals look super stylish, you aren’t sacrificing on quality. The paper is extra thick, mixed media paper, so it will hold wet paint nicely. The nice binding ensures they lay flat while you paint. The paper is slightly off-white with different textured pages - one side smooth, one side textured.

These also come in a vertical 8.3 x 11.7 in. and a horizontal 8.3 x 5.1 in. size.

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Customizable Cover

ETCHR Mixed Media Sketchbook

Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 in. (A5) | Horizontal | 50 pages | 100% Cotton 230 gsm Paper | Cold-Pressed

This sketchbook has a hidden talent. You can customize the cover with your own art! I know, crazy right?! I also think the crisp, white cover looks awesome plain. You know I love the black elastic strap too. While this sketchbook is super stylish, it also has some serious quality paper. It’s super thick and durable. The paper is off-white, with a slight texture.

This sketchbook also comes in horizontal 11.7 x 8.3 in. (A4) and 5.8 x 4.1 in. (A6) Sizes.