Generic sketchbooks are a good choice if you need affordable paper due to budget or high volume use. They are serviceable and give satisfactory performance for line drawing and general rough sketching, but will not be suitable for finely detailed work or realist portraiture. Most sketchbooks will stay in good condition for a reasonably long time if stored away from sunlight and pests, but only rely on archival properties if they are stated on the product by a reputable manufacturer. For detailed realism, heavily worked surfaces or long-term archival preservation, you'll need to choose a higher quality paper.
Let's take a closer look at how generic sketchbook paper performs with a range of mediums.
