I tried 10 SKETCHBOOKS to find the best paper for SKETCHING!

I’d love to hear your experience with sketchbooks and what you’d recommend! I also totally understand that this can be subjective depending on what materials you use and price varies a lot depending on the country you live in. This video focuses on beginners who are learning basic sketching and then what to move on to when you gain more confidence but there are many more sketchbooks for all levels of skill and mediums I haven’t tried so I’m looking forward to hearing what you would recommend to us all too! 🤗

Very useful information! Thanks so much!❤

Scottie so what would you say is the best for urban sketching watercolor

I switched from Moleskine to Leuchtturm and enjoy it much better. I recently tried Blackwing notebook with the stark white paper and I love drawing on it that I may switch permanently. I have Croquis for quick sketch drafts and currently trying the Midori drawing paper. I switch mediums often so I need several notebooks.

Is the canson mixed media good for poscas? Pls reply🙏

The Moleskins are very scratchy when using fountain pens.

You started drawing that well?

I'm sure once I get the right sketchbook, I can totally draw like you. It's just the paper, haha!. Seriously, you are fantastic.

Agree. Canson Mix Media! and Leuchitturm1917

My man proceeds to draw random lines next to some of the most beautiful artworks I've ever seen

I'm much less advanced artist (love ur voice, it makes me sleepy! 🙆) but found/love/appreciate the canson as well! 🙋💐

I sketch all the time, but I never bought any sketch books. i bought 200 gsm papers instead. It's much cheaper that way

I like any series (most prefer the beta) of the Stillman & Birn softcovers. But. Last year i went to Ross (US department-ish store) and they were selling a few Strathmore soft cover mixed media for 3 dollars each. The only issue was a horrible large sticker pasted on the top...... I bought all 4 available because i heard good reviews. This Strathmore is now my favorite sketchbook.

This is what i need

Hello!! Great video altough i am looking for a big sketchbook with a lot of very thin pages, what would you recommend?

Loved my Canson Mixed Media sketchbook, but the pages tore out to easily. I found another MM sketchbook at Walmart that has pages you can take out and put back, I wonder if the quality is the same 🤔

The sketchbook I'm working with now is okay, but it smudges too easily:(

I use canson alot but at first bond paper was the one i usually use

Good review. I personally now use Strathmore 400 series, black, hardbound, sketchbooks in A4 and A5 sizes. I do pencil, fountain pen, ball point pen, technical pen, and related pens with waterproof inks. Many sketches are finished with watercolors. I like the way these books take the various medias that I use. Some sketch books and watercolor books I have used may be good for one or two medias, but not for others. Many of my older sketchbooks are completely done in graphite and over time they have smeared and/or faded. Some of them I tried spray-on fixer which appeared to be a good sealer but years later I find the sketches have faded, or smeared into the fixer. Some have even caused the pages to stick together to the point what is between the pages is forever lost. The Strathmore 400 series have served me well at home and plein air. To date, I have not experienced any of the earlier issues. The cost may be a bit more than the others, but I feel the quality will last me a lot longer than the others, especially the ones with a spring holder that keeps the book together. -OkieSketcher1949

I really like the Artway Studio Casebound A5 Sketchbook

I got a moleskin blank page notebook 📒 😊

I buy most of my sketch books from the thrift store. Usually completely unused and only 1-4 dollars. And it really takes the guilt out of it when they are found at that big of a discount.

The Canson mixed media books are really great, they do take ink very very well. I like drawing with an H pencil the best on that paper. I have occasionally seen hardcover versions out there.
Great people drawings!! I have been trying to draw people for 25 years and I still can't draw them out of my head well. It drives me nutso.

Don't overlook the many 50 lb 75-80 gsm sketch books out there if you're first staring out, especially if as most beginners you're using dry mediums like graphite, charcoal and colored pencil. The paper quality is on par with the good dollar store pads but the spiral binding from the name brand books is better than the tape bound cheap ones.

Anything over 70 lbs, 100 gsm is commonly considered drawing paper and will stand up to wet media like markers, ink and light watercolor.
My favorite "sketch" pad is Canson Universal, Strathmore 400 series is a close second. For drawing most 130 plus gsm pads will do but Blick has some very affordable offerings if you live in the states.

how do i even find 70gsm papers, i rlly like smooth papers and i cant find 70-90gsm sketchbook anywhere :C

Cancer sketchbook XD

Hi Scottie what's the size of your moleskine sketchbook?

Good video. Your artwork is beautiful! I have a small moleskin which I like and I also have the mixed media with the blue cover.I like that one too.

I work at an art supply store and I agree on the versatility of the mixed media books. Stillman & Birn also make a variety of quality sketchbooks with different surface textures.

Thanks for recommendations. Never heard about Leuchtturm, have to try one 🤔

I'd recommend Art Creation sketchbooks. They're cheaper and thick enough (140grm)

All decent art supplies are expensive. Sure I used sketch pads from the dollar store when starting. To practice and learn my tools. Have so much respect for good paper. It was once a tree! 🌳 However, as you improve you should do your best to use quality material. There is a small Pentalic sketch book, I purchased, a couple of years ago, that cost me just over $5.00 CAN, today they want over $21.00 CAN. Talk about goudging! However Amazon has some art material made just for them, not Amazon basics, that are brand names and because they are made for Amazon they sell them for a good price for about a year or so. Then they put the price up to what you would expect. It is always good to keep you eyes open for a deal. PS: You don't tell us the weight of "Strathmore" used. I like "Strathmore." You say you don't like it but it seemed to inspire you!

I recently decided to give urban sketching with ink and watercolor a try after watching your videos, taking inspiration from Albert Kiefer and Toby from Toby Urban Sketch. I actually found a Canson mixed media book, same size as yours but it was actually 114LB paper, so even thicker for very reasonable price at a local store. So far only one sketch, but, I'm going to keep at it!

Have you tried the Royale Talens Art Creation sketchbooks?

Thank you bro

Where can I find that small daiso brownish sketchbook?

stillman and birn make the best sketchbooks for sure

I feel like the xl sketch makes the copic color markers dull and cason really brighten them up but the paper kept ripping on me🙈😆

Completely agree regarding Canson Mixed Media. Great sketch books.

I've collected sketchbooks for years. The one I almost instinctively turn back to is a black hardcover from Art Alternatives. I draw with Pilot G2 .07 and Bold points, and those sketchbooks handle the ink well.

I'm impressed that you didn't like the Strathmore 500 mixed media sketchbook. The paper in this sketchbook is 100% cotton and it is one of my favourite papers even for finished paintings and it is unfortunate that Strathmore discontinued it in full size sheets and rolls.
Anyway.. A very good sketchbook to try if you like is the Fabriano Ecological Drawing Book that has 70 sheets at 120 gsm. It works nicely with pens and pencil and accepts light watercolour washes too.

Interesting video.
I've got Crescent Rendr no show thru paper sketchbook, using it for ink and marker drawings, which im really satisfied with. But its also kinda oke for colored pencils.

Need still to get and try out by all loved Moleskine sketchbook :)

Also, I recently got Hahnemuhle Cappuccino sketchbook, with toned tan paper in it.
I intend to make drawings which will correspondent by their atmosphere with the specific color of paper (for examaple castles on toned tan, and water themes on toned gray),but, since there are no sketchbooks with different color pages, im going to glue the white and toned gray pages into the Cappuccino sketchbook.
What do you think of such an idea guys?

Stillman & Birn sketchbooks. Available in a variety of sizes, textures, formats and weights. 150 and 270 gsm, smooth and textured, ringed, hard bound, toned and soft bound. High quality sketchbooks.

wow those sketches are amazing

Good idea for a video! I am curious to try watercolor wash over ink sketches some time, so I'll have to consider which sketchbook.

Canson but hardcover one is my number one <3

I have been exclusively Tan paper sketchbooks for many years now. You def make me wanna try out that canson one tho, paper that can handle anything sounds excellent to me