Sketchbooks are the artist's constant companion, repositories of our observation and thought. Here are my pick of the best sketchbooks, covering a range of media and purposes. You're sure to find one to suit you.
You can't go wrong with a sketchbook like this. The Canson Basic Sketchbook has a leather-textured hard cover that gives it a nice, solid feel. Contains 216 pages of 65lb / 96 gsm white, acid-free paper. The A5 - 5.5x8.5 inch - is fine if you like to work very small, but I prefer the A4 - 8.5x11 inch for general use. These sketchbooks are hardwearing, workhorse sketchbooks that also look great and feel nice to use.
Bliss. Fabriano's elegant, square artist's journal contains a range of Ingres laid papers in neutral tones including Warm White, Hazel Brown, Ash, Flet Blue, light Green and Ivory. An ideal sketchbook for those who favor charcoal drawing (try carbone pencils, which won't make such a mess when you travel), as well as Trois Crayons technique and pastel.
If you like to tear the occasional page out to give to a friend (or file in the trashcan!), then a wirebound book is a good choice. It is also ideal if you like to lay your book completely flat, such as when working outdoors - hence the name of Canson's Field Sketchbook. It has 80 pages of acid-free, 65 lb / 96 gsm paper. The black hard cover and double-wire binding still looks pretty stylish, and is quite robust.
For a landscape-format book, or if you prefer a portrait format with top binding instead of left binding, try this Michael Rogers Sketchbook. The short-side double wire binding allows the book to open flat. Contains 110 sheets of recycled, acid-free, 70 lb / 115 gsm paper.
Not prettily bound but with a durable, medium-surface, heavier paper, the Strathmore Dry Media Pads have a slightly heavier paper, at 100 lb / 163 gsm. They are available in a range of sizes, side and top bound, and contain acid-free, white paper, made in USA. Perforations allow easy page removal.
Another gorgeous journal. This elegant wire-bound watercolor sketchbook has 12 sheets of Arches 140lb / 300 gsm Cold Pressed (rough) watercolor paper. This beautiful album would make an ideal gift for an artist friend. Or better still, buy one yourself and fill it with paintings for someone you love.
The Arches Aquarelle Travel Album is short-side bound (ideal for landscapes) with double spiral binding, 15 sheets of heavyweight watercolor paper. Most watercolor sketchbooks are cold pressed, but this comes in both cold pressed (rough) and hot pressed (smooth). The latter is ideal for fine pen-and-ink work, when the smoother surface allows for more detail.
Ok, so it isn't strictly speaking a sketchbook, its a sketch pad. But what better than to get your favorite drawing paper (which you've previously lugged home, ever so carefully, in huge sheets) in a handy sketchpad? This paper is a favorite for colored pencil artists and is also used for graphite pencil drawing. The pads contain 250gsm Stonehenge paper, 100% cotton, American made, in a range of sizes from 5 x 7 inch up to 18 x 24.
