My Sketchbooks Comparison & Reviews: Canson, Moleskine, Hahnemühle, Strathmore, Clairefontaine... (2023 update)

I'm a sketchbook addict — whenever I come across a sketchbook that looks promising, I must have it.

I've been updating this review collection with many new sketchbooks that I've been testing over the years. (I'm also deleting discontinued sketchbooks.) I have quite a few more on my shelf that I haven't even had a chance to try yet, so you can expect more updates.

How I approach my reviews:

• I live in Croatia, which means I don't have access to many brands which may be common where you live. Many of the sketchbooks I've featured here are purchased locally. I sometimes buy sketchbooks when I travel, but I rarely buy them online because of high shipping costs.
• I switch between different techniques, so I favor sketchbooks that can handle multiple wet and dry mediums. This may not be relevant for all artists. The score in the comparison table reflects how versatile a sketchbook is, not necessarily its overall quality. My favorites may not be your favorites!

Sketchbooks reviews

• Moleskine Art Plus sketchbook
• Moleskine watercolor
• Canson ArtBook: Universal
• Canson 180° ArtBook: Universal
• Canson ArtBook: One
• Canson Montval watercolor
• Canson Montval Torchon
• Canson ArtBook: Mix Media
• Strathmore Mixed media Visual Journal
• Strathmore Softcover Toned Sketch Artist Journal
• Stillman & Birn Nova Grey Toned Softcover Sketchbook for Mixed Media
• Hahnemühle Kraft sketchbook
• Hahnemühle Watercolor Book
• Hahnemühle D&S Sketchbook
• Clairefontaine Goldline
• Clairefontaine Watercolour Carnet de Voyage
• Winsor & Newton hardbound sketchbook 110gsm
• Artway Enviro
• Hand Book Drawing Journal
• Royal Talens Art Creation
• Fabriano Schizzi

Comparison table is provided at the bottom.

Note: Links that point to the Amazon shop are affiliate links, meaning I get a small cut if you buy the sketchbook. The cost is the same for you.

My current favorites

• Canson ArtBook: Universal – for ink, colored pencils, messy sketching and journaling
• Artway Enviro – best cheap mixed media sketchbook (only available in UK and EU)
• Canson ArtBook: Mix Media – for detailed mixed media artwork & illustrations
• Strathmore Softcover Toned Sketch Artist Journal – for colored pencils and pastel
• Hahnemühle Watercolor Book – for watercolor travel sketches

Moleskine Art Plus sketchbook

Update 2023: My review is many years old and I never had the inclination to purchase another one, but from what I've heard online, the quality is not what is used to be. To that I wonder "What quality?", but apparently some folks loved it.

Considering all the hype about Moleskines, I was very disappointed with this particular sketchbook.

I knew it was not designed for water-based media, but I expected it would at least handle ink well, and it doesn't. Fineliners and brush pen look a bit faded instead of pure black, but the results with my calligraphy pen are very poor - streaky, patchy, and leaky. Don't let my sketch examples fool you, I increase the contrast in Photoshop before uploading. In reality the black ink is nowhere near black, the paper just soaks it up. There are visible streaks where the layer of ink is thinner. The paper is very smooth, but it's also coated and it prevents ink from setting properly. Thick black marker bleeds through.

You can use watercolor pencils on it and the paper won't buckle, but rub the paper with a wet brush too much, and you get patches of water leaking through the paper that ruin the uniformity of color. Both the color and watercolor pencils lose their vibrancy on this paper, because the slick surface doesn't hold on to much pigment. The final artwork colors are impacted by the yellowish tone of the paper.

You can use this sketchbook with opaque media such as gouache and acrylic. After giving up on using this sketchbook for sketches and drawings, I switched to using it as a mixed media art journal, and for that it works quite well. This, the thickness of paper, and the fact that the book opens absolutely flat so you can work across the spread are the only advantages in my opinion. If you aren't too concerned with ink and markers showing through the other side, you might as well buy something more affordable (see Royal Talens Art Creation). If you're only going to use it for mixed media (especially over gesso), then it's fine.

Verdict: I hated using it, and I will never buy it again. You've been warned.

Buy on Amazon.com

Examples

Some of the links lead to my other website, NelaDunato.com where I posted newer works.

• VIDEO: Mixed media visual journal tour: Moleskine sketchbook
• Art journal left brain vs. right brain
• Best of Mixed Media Art Journal #6
• Spider lady
• Flowers in her hair
• Visual journaling doodles
• Art nouveau antler girl
• Morana sulking
• Sketchbook addict strikes again
• Color pencil portrait sketch
• Mixed media art journal page

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Moleskine Watercolor Notebook

I'm not a fan of the landscape format. I have bought this sketchbook only because there is no alternative to it where I live — however, you may be able to find other sketchbooks locally or online with paper of comparable quality, but a more reasonable portrait format binding (Derwent, Global Arts, Stillman and Birn, Hahnemühle — if I find a retailer that doesn't charge an arm and a leg for shipping to Croatia, I will try them out).

Paper is a medium-weight cold pressed watercolor paper — great for just about any water media application and double-sided use. The texture however makes it less than ideal for smooth ink drawings. Advanced watercolor artists may not find this cellulose paper impressive, but it's good for mixed media and quick sketches.

Update: They now have a portrait version, so I bought another one!

Verdict: It's pretty good in my opinion if you're not too fussy about your watercolor paper.

Buy on Amazon.com

Examples

Some of the links lead to my other website, NelaDunato.com where I posted newer works.

• VIDEO: Urban sketching and seascapes: Moleskine watercolor sketchbook tour
• Fragment of Dominican monastery in Rijeka
• Summer trip No 1
• Rijeka city clock tower
• Summer vacation beach sketch
• Seascapes and urban sketches 2012–2016

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Canson ArtBook: Universal Sketch Book

The price of this one is about the same as Moleskines. After testing all my drawing instruments on it, I love it! I keep using it again and again. The paper is only 90gsm, but it's not as porous as other drawing papers, so nothing but a thick alcohol marker bled through for me. Paper grain is very fine so my brush pens, dip pens, fountain pens and calligraphy pens glide over it and I can say this is absolutely the best sketchbook for ink of all the other ones that I've tested so far. No feathering, no bleeding, no ugly yellow paper tone, opens flat, has 112 sheets (224 pages), a rubber band, and a back pocket... It survives years of wear and tear being carried around in bags, and to me it's well worth the price.

Watercolor warps the paper a little. It's not bad with light washes so you can add splashes of color to your lineart, but it's not intended for wet washes. But I'm stubborn and have done pretty complex watercolor drawings on this one with decent results. Since the paper is so thin, the warping flattens out over a few days while the sketchbook is kept closed.

This is one of my favorite sketchbooks for small colored and watercolor pencil drawings, because I can get intense colors, as well as smooth strokes and subtle shading.

It's advertised as resistant to erasing, and I can confirm that it really is. I was able to get 2B graphite lead and light color pencil strokes completely off without a trace of residue.

Verdict: So far this is my favorite sketchbook for everyday use. I filled up 4 of these since 2012, and keep buying more. This one, plus a sketchbook for watercolor and mixed media, is really all I need.

Buy on Amazon.com

Examples

Some of the links lead to my other website, NelaDunato.com where I posted newer works.

• Sketching process video: Aqua lady
• Maple elemental study
• True gentleman
• Fantasy sketches from my vacation
• Summer trip No 3
• Mermaid finished
• Collection of surreal pencil sketches
• Weird mixed media dream journal page
• Sketchbook update: doodles edition
• Cthulhu's daughter
• Aqua Ladies
• Animal sketches and studies 2019–2020 (all except the bear skull on toned paper)
• Heart to Heart
• I broke up with Instagram (a graphic essay)

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Canson 180° ArtBook: Universal

The paper in this sketchbook is exactly the same as in the above reviewed Canson ArtBook Universal sketchbook, so I'm not going to repeat it. Notable differences between the two are that the 180° has no spine cover so it can lie fully flat, and has fewer pages (80 compared to 112 the former has). It also has a magnet clasp instead of a rubber band which sounds fancy, but I don't really care. I think it just makes the sketchbook more expensive and less resistant to wear.

I have the A4 sized one which is too big to carry around on a day-to-day basis, so I don't use it very often. I like it for life studies, ink drawings, and larger pencil sketches.

Verdict: I prefer the regular Universal sketchbook because it has more pages for less money, and I don't have any issues working on two spreads since it opens pretty flat too. But if the regular Universal sketchbook is not available, this one is the closest substitute.

Buy on Amazon.com

Examples

The links lead to my other website, NelaDunato.com where I posted newer works.

• MerMay 2019: Day 1
• The Totem
• Trophy sketch
• Sketching in the natural history museum

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Canson ArtBook: One

I bought this one only because my usual Canson ArtBook Universal sketchbook was not available, so I thought this one would be similar enough. It's not. I regret buying it.

The paper in this one is 100gsm compared to the 90gsm in Universal, but it's quite porous so it's only good for dry media. Ink and other wet media doesn't move across the paper, it just soaks up and sometimes goes through to the other side (see photo). Even fineliners feather out on this paper if you draw slowly. High-quality watercolor pencils and watersoluble pastels don't dissolve into uniform surfaces. The initial lines remain visible because the pigment sticks to where it first landed.

Another issue I have is the binding. ArtBook One has 6 signatures with 8 sheets each so it doesn't open fully flat, which means that if you want to scan your full-spread drawings, half a centimeter along the spine won't scan properly. ArtBook Universal has 14 signatures with 4 sheets each, which makes the binding looser so it opens fully flat. The binding on One also contains way too much glue that seeps into the centers of each signature and the sheet sticks together until you detach it (see photo), which is just unforgivable. Granted this sketchbook is much, much, cheaper than Universal, but a brand like Canson shouldn't drop the ball so hard on any of their products.

The ArtBook One has no rubber band or pocket, and the cover is faux textile (not faux leather).

It's pretty great for dry media. Colored pencils, charcoal, and pastel apply very nicely and blend well.

Verdict: Unless you draw with charcoal and pastel pencils regularly, I think Canson Universal is undoubtedly a better option, and the price difference is worth it.

Buy on Amazon.com

Examples

• Charcoal portrait
• Comics class panels

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Canson Montval watercolor

This spiral-bound watercolor sketchbook features the same paper available from Canson in large sheets and blocks. I bought it only because there were no hardboud watercolor sketchbooks avalabile in my local art store at the time. I'm not a fan of spiral-bound sketchbooks for traveling as the pages get frayed at the edges and ink rubs on the opposite page.

Update: Canson now made the same Montval paper available in a 24-page spiral-bound hardcover form, with an elastic band. While pricy, it's definitely more practical than the small pad I used.

The paper is decent 300gsm cellulose watercolor paper that I often used for my large paintings. The cold-press texture means my ink lines are not as crisp, but for quick watercolor and ink sketches and doodles it's fine. I had to protect some pages with tissue paper because the ink rubbing was destroying my fragile watercolor paintings. If I only get 12 sheets of paper, I really want to be able to use both sides.

Verdict: Would not buy again because it's spiral-bound and a handful of pages, so I filled it up very quickly.

Buy on Amazon.com

Examples

• VIDEO: Doodles and seascapes: Canson Montval watercolor sketchbook tour

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Canson Montval Torchon

This spiral-bound watercolor sketchbook features the same paper available from Canson in large sheets and blocks. Most of my complaints about this sketchbook are the same as for the regular Canson Montval above: pages rub against eachother in my bag, and there's too few pages in the book in my opinion, and even at that rate it's not cheap for the size.

The paper is decent 270 gsm cellulose watercolor paper with a "snowy" surface. Because of this surface, the paintings reproduce much better in photos than they do in scans – the bumps are quite pronounced by my scanner. The brush pen lines are decently crisp, and the wet-in-wet watercolor paint spreads really nicely so as far as urban sketching goes, I might actually prefer this surface to the regular cold-press Montval.

Verdict: I don't know if I'll ever buy it since I lean more towards the stiched watercolor notebooks... so I'll say no.

Examples

• Little church on the Kastav town square

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Canson ArtBook: Mix Media

I received this sketchbook as a prize in a contest. I admit I would not dare buy it myself because it's fancy and huge. I found it so intimidating that I kept putting off using it for years. It even inspired one of my blog posts: Are you saving your "nice" notebooks for later? Learn why you should stop it.

This 224gsm mixed media paper comes in the regular spiral-bound Canson Mix Media ArtBook, but mine is the "Repositionable" spiral-bound sketchbook that doesn't seem to be available any more as of 2022. (There may be some leftover stock in certain stores, but it's not listed on Amazon, nor the official Canson website) In the Repositionable ArtBook you can pull the papers out and put them back in, which makes it easier to work on and scan. With the bulky nature of the sketchbook, sometimes I prefer the option of working on a single sheet of paper. Other times I work directly in the sketchbook that's propped up on an easel. The pages are perforated so you can also tear them off. One thing that bugs me is spiral-bound sketchbooks that don't have an elastic band.

Do not confuse this one for their popular XL Mixed Media sketchbook – this one has completely different paper. XL Mixed Media has two variants: 160gsm paper with a subtle texture (which buckles a lot with watercolor), and 300gsm paper with a strong laid texture. To complicate matters more, there's also the Canson Mixed Media Artist sketchbook (300gsm).

This is one of the best heavyweight cellulose sketchbook papers I've used. I've tried it with watercolor, acrylics, ink, colored pencils, water-soluble crayons, etc. With watercolor the paper gets a bit wavy, but it's not too bad and it works OK for wet in wet effects. I did have some issues with the darkest colors lifting though, so if lots of layering is needed I wouldn't recommend it. In fact, lifting color is so easy I started using this technique for soft highlights.

One side of the paper has a stronger texture typical for cold press, and the other one is a bit smoother so it's better suited for dry media, ink, and markers.

So far I've only used one side of the paper (because it's so fancy!), but I wouldn't mind using both sides as an art journal.

Buy on Amazon.com

Verdict: Great paper for mixed media. Nifty "repositionable" trick, but I think the standard spiral-bound Mix Media ArtBook would work for me too.

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Canson ArtBook: Illustration

Update: As of 2022 Repositionable sketcbooks are no longer available. There may be leftover stock in certain stores or second-hand. I believe their Illustration paper is now renamed "Comic/Manga Illustration", the weight and description is the same.

I received this one as in the prize package as well, so most of my feelings around it are the same. This one doesn't have a regular sketchbook version, only sheets of paper which are quite expensive.

This 250g paper has a smoother surface. Canson refers to it as "super smooth", although I don't agree since it has narrow vertical grooves that show up strongly when working in colored pencils. Canson recommends it for pencil, pen, ink and markers (solvent and alcohol based). I don't use markers but watercolors, so you bet I'm going to break the rules.

The experience of drawing with ink on this paper is wonderful. Since the paper is thick, there's no bleeding or even shading on the other side, so I can comfortably use both sides of the paper.

Coloring with pencils is a bit of a challenge, given those grooves I mentioned earlier. It takes a lot of effort to get rid of those, and even then it doesn't always work unless you want to resort to using solvents (which I did try, but I'm not a fan). Watercolor pencils are a better option than regular pencils.

Watercolor paint goes on surprisingly well, and I even had some granulation show up. It buckles a bit on a size this big, but not too bad. It works quite well for the combination of watercolor for the base layers, and colored pencils for details and shading.

Verdict: I like it more than the Mix Media paper for the kind of work that I do. Due to the size and its portfolio-like nature, I use it only for final drawings, not for sketches. Unfortunately it's no longer available in sketchbook form.

Examples

All the links lead to my other website, NelaDunato.com where I posted newer works.

• The Shadow

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Strathmore Mixed media Visual Journal

After unsucessfully trying to buy their soft-cover stitched mixed media sketchbook (which doesn't seem to be available in any of the EU-based art stores where I normally shop), I settled for the spiral-bound version. It contains the same 100% cotton 190gsm vellum finish mixed media paper. I bought the largest size intending to use it for artwork, as a possible alternative to my Canson ArtBook Mixed Media paper (above). The ugly branded cover can be torn off to reveal the ugly brown cover. There's no elastic band.

Fountain pens and fineliners work well on this paper. Brush pens will leave smoother lines when applied slowly (and the tip is wet), but faster strokes will have a bit of texture on the edges. But if the brush is a bit on the dry side (as some brands tend to be), the lines appear faded/dull and grainy. This would not be my choice of paper for ink-heavy work.

The paper of this size buckles quite heavily under wet watercolor washes, and I wasn't able to flatten it fully afterwards. The paper soaks up water so it requires working fast in order to avoid hard edges. Layering works much better than on other mixed media sketchbooks I've tested, as the dry layers don't lift as much, but lifting paint on purpuse is still pretty easy. I haven't noticed any pilling while scrubbing the paper, so at least that's the benefit of 100% cotton. It also doesn't rip when I peel the masking tape off, while the paper in Canson ArtBook rips quite easily.

The paper has a dense grainy tooth that accepts dry media nicely (graphite, color pencils, charcoal, pastel pencils). With color pencils the grain is pretty visible, unless you blend and burnish with lots of pressure. Some of it remains visible on dissolved watercolor pencils and crayons as well, even with lots of scrubbing. I haven't had this problem with their 400 series mixed media pads which also have a vellum surface, but it feels much softer. I prefer a smoother look to my drawings.

I sound nitpicky, but after so many recommendations I've heard, I expected to enjoy it more. Perhaps a smaller paper size would buckle less. It's not ideal for any of the mediums I use most often.

Verdict: The price of Strathmore sketchbooks is quite a bit higher in Europe than in the US, and in Croatia it's more than double the price in the US. It's way too expensive to use for experimenting and practicing, as I can get cheaper sketchbooks with a lot more pages that perform just as well. It doesn't suit me that well for detailed mixed media artwork. If you can get it at a good price in the US it's fine, but I probably won't be buying another one.

Buy on Amazon.com

Examples

All the links lead to my other website, NelaDunato.com where I posted newer works.

• Forest Fae mixed media drawing

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Strathmore Softcover Toned Sketch Artist Journal

Mine is gray, containing 60 sheets (112 pages) of 118 gsm recycled paper. The paper tone is medium greenish-leaning gray. The faux leather cover is very soft to the touch and easily indented. The binding is pretty tight so it won't lie fully flat. I need to press on the spine hard to open up the spread and weigh it down to stay open. I like the squareish format and the size that's in between A5 and A4, but I'll likely leave that extra width empty near the spine because it's difficult to scan.

Strathmore recommends this sketchbook for pencils, charcoal, soft pastels, and oil pastels. I tried watersoluble pencils and pastels, and the paper buckles a bit.

There was barely noticeable feathering when applying ink with a wet fountain pen, and the brush pen lines are slightly textured. It soaks up ink, but I haven't had any shading or bleeding on the other side.

The paper has enough tooth, so white and light pencils and pastels stand out really nicely against the paper. The gray background provides a nice contrast to warm skintones and animal fur, as well as vibrant botanicals. But it also works great for monochromatic studies.

It's very satisfying to work with color pencils in this sketchbook and they also erase well from this paper.

Verdict: It's on my shortlist of toned sketchbooks for future purchases, if I can find it at a good price.

Buy on Amazon.com

Examples

All the links lead to my other website, NelaDunato.com where I posted newer works.

• Botanical colored pencil & pastel studies

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Stillman & Birn Nova Grey Toned Softcover sketchbook for mixed media

Stillman & Birn are louded as the Holy Grail for watercolor, ink, and mixed media artists because they come in an impressive variety of paper types, sizes, and binding. I'm a fan of the A5 soft cover sketchbooks since they're lightweight, so popping one in my bag is a no-brainer. Sadly they're not as common in stores as big brands, so it took me a long time to get my hands on them.

Their 150gsm mixed media toned paper line comes in 3 colors: tan, grey, and black. Grey is a medium value, right about 5 on a value scale (same as Strathmore Toned Gray). It has a warm tone that leans toward pinkinsh. The surface is "e;medium grain"e;, that is lightly textured. White and light colors stand out really nicely against this gray. Of course, you'll get the best results with opaque mediums like pastels, paint markers, and gouache.

There are 46 sheets (92 pages) in the softcover sketchbooks, sewn into 6 signatures. While the book opens flat, it's a bit harder to make it stay flat than hardcover sketchbooks. However the spine is flush to the scanner bed so there's no issues when scanning (compared to Strathmore Softcover Toned Sketch which always leaves a gap). The cover has a pleasant soft touch finish, but it's not as and sensitive as Strathmore.

Watercolor paint works fine. The paper buckles quite a bit, but when the page dries it flattens out pretty well, and I have no issues drawing on the opposite side or scanning the page. The obvious issue is that the colors will look quite muted on this paper (at least mine do since I only use transparent pigments). The less obvious issue is that the paper appears a shade darker while it's wet, so the color shift (from wet to dry) on this paper is much stronger than on white paper. But I have to say warm metallic watercolors like gold and bronze look very cool on this paper.

Ink pens are slightly affected by the paper grain. Quick, dry lines look textured or broken up. Slow, wet lines look fairly clean – I can see the texture when I look closely, but it's not too bad. Fountain pens glide over the paper without issues. I prefer super smooth paper for ink, but I can work with this.

I was most interested in using Neocolor II water-soluble pastels in this sketchook because they're opaque and vibrant, and don't need a ton of water to dissolve. I like how my test drawing turned out, and I expect this would be a great sketchbook for gouache as well.

Watercolor pencils work well too. The high quality brands I'm using dissolve with no visible marks. Light colors are very transparent (like watercolor paint) so they don't show up that well on this paper. Bright colors like red and teal are slightly muted compared to white paper, but still very nice.

Colored pencils take a bit of effort to fill in the texture, I was only able to do that with heavy pressure. Soft and opaque pencils like Derwent Drawing show up better on this paper than the hard and semi-transparent Polychromos, but they're both highly pigmented so I see no issues using either. Bright orange and red colors really glow on the gray backdrop, while yellows tend to be more transparent. Erasing light strokes is easy.

Charcoal and pastel pencils work fine for quick sketches, but layering is limited so I wouldn't use this sketchbook primarily for those mediums. While the paper texture captures the pigment, it's also very easy to wipe it away.

Verdict: This one is the most versatile of the toned sketchbooks I've tried so far, so it's currently my favorite one. But in many online stores they're more expensive than Strathmore Sketch, so I have to decide if I want to pay more to be able to use wet media.

Buy on Amazon.com

Examples

Some of the links lead to my other website, NelaDunato.com where I posted newer works.

• Colored pencil skull study
• Castle study with watersoluble crayons

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Hahnemühle Kraft sketchbook

I recieved this one for free from Hahnemühle. Finally a spiral-bound sketchbook with an elastic band! It looks quite plain with brown covers, with 80 sheets (160 pages) of smooth 120gsm ochre colored kraft paper.

The toned paper makes it possible to draw with both dark and light media, and get a nice range of shades with minimal effort. It's very slick, much smoother than other sketchbooks on this list, similar to the Moleskine sketchbook. But unlike the Moleskine, this one works wonderfully with ink. The paper is pretty sturdy so I haven't had any leaks, even with heavier ink application, so I'm able to use both sides of the paper.

Due to the smoothness of the paper, my white pencils do not come out as opaque on this paper as they do on Strathmore Toned Sketch Artist Journal. I assume their Cappucino sketchbook might perform better with light color and pastel pencils, but I haven't tested that one yet. So that's the only drawback of this sketchbook: color and watercolor pencils are less intense on this paper. Pastel pencils come out stronger, but it depends on the color and possibly the brand. White gel pen, paint markers, and gouache so far performed best when it comes to opacity.

When it comes to water-soluble media such as pencils and crayons, it holds up well if you're careful enough. Too much scrubbing, and the paper might eventually pill. I haven't tried watercolor on it, I don't think it would work. (Hahnemühle now makes toned watercolor sketchbooks too.)

Verdict: I like it for quick portrait and animal sketches and studies since there's a ton of pages, so I'm not afraid to "waste it". I don't know if I'd buy it again, as I'm currently testing several other toned sketchbooks.

Examples

All the links lead to my other website, NelaDunato.com where I posted newer works.

• Mycelium Spirit
• Prisoner of Worry
• Bear skull sketch

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Hahnemühle Watercolor Book

This one is in many ways similar to the Moleskine Watercolor Notebook. I bought it while I was traveling, and now I'm bummed that I haven't picked a larger size. The paper is comparable to Moleskine in many ways: the thickness, texture and feel are pretty similar. I've seen other reviewers compare it unfavorably to the Moleskine, but I personally haven't noticed any difference. I don't use a lot of wet-in-wet effects so maybe that's the reason.

The cold press texture means that my ink lines are not super smooth, but I like the effects I can get with a dry brush, which is a new trick I learned. My fountain pens and brush pens all work nicely on this paper. Texture is visible when used with color and watercolor pencils, so I first add a flat watercolor wash to cover up the white of the paper.

Verdict: I would like to buy this one in larger size, I think it would be quite good for my quick mixed media sketches, which is something I do more often than pure watercolors anyway.

Buy on Amazon.com. There's also a portrait version.

Examples

Some of the links lead to my other website, NelaDunato.com where I posted newer works.

• Video: Watercolor sketchbook tour – Urban sketching & landscapes
• Urban sketching & landscapes 2019-2022
• Seascape and a swallowtail butterfuly
• Moonlight cactus and a seascape

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Hahnemühle D&S Sketchbook

I recieved this one for free from Hahnemühle, and I still haven't made up my mind about it. There are pros and cons to it, but I find that I'm not using it as much as my other sketchbooks.

It's an interesting sketchbook for sure, with bulky natural white paper of a buttery texture. Gritty enough to catch pigments from dry media, but it's not textured so blending is smooth. Pretty much a dream to work on with color pencils, pastel pencils, charcoal and graphite. But you know me, I can't possibly be constricted to that.

The paper can handle some watercolor and ink with minimal buckling, but it's not really intended for that, and the colors lose their vibrancy. Ink lines are fuzzy, so I have entirely given up on that. Watercolor pencils and crayons fare much better, and it's good for gouache. Acrylics would probably work too.

It doesn't have a strap nor the back pocket, but it has a bookmark ribbon. The binding is pretty tight, so I avoid full spreads.

Verdict: If you mostly use dry media, it's nice. But if you like mixed media and ink, not so much.

Not on Amazon, here's the Hahnemühle product page.

Examples

• Japanese inspired woman mixed media sketch
• Watercolor and colored pencil tulip study

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Hand Book Drawing Journal

This was my first square sketchbook, which made the experience of using it interesting. The paper is a natural white, so not too creamy yellow, and it didn't affect the colors of my final drawings too much.

The paper has a slight tooth, but my inked lines with brush pens, fountain pens, and calligraphy pens came out smooth with minor feathering. Heavy ink application may leak onto the other page. Ink did not smudge after it's dry.

It worked very nicely with colored pencils, pastel pencils, as well as water-soluble pencils and crayons. Heavier applications of graphite or color tend to transfer onto the opposite page.

I did use light watercolor washes with this one, and it was OK. Not great, not terrible. Gouache worked quite nicely. I did some ink wash too, by going over fountain pen ink with a wet brush, and that came out nice without the paper getting too warped (but I only used a very small sketchbook size, I don't know what happens on large sizes.) Hand Book has a watercolor sketchbook too that I haven't tried.

Verdict: I got it as a gift and used it up, but I wouldn't buy one. The paper is not that great in my opinion, and they are not cheap.

Buy on Amazon.com. There are portrait and landscape versions.

Examples

All of the links lead to my other website, NelaDunato.com where I posted newer works.

• Video: Month Of Fairies sketchbook flip
• Month Of Fairies: Week 1 (only the square shaped ones)
• Month Of Fairies: Week 3

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Winsor & Newton spiral-bound sketchbook 170gsm

My sketchbook is from 2007 so I didn't feel that my review accurately reflected its current quality, which is why I deleted it.

If my understanding is correct, the current 170gsm sketchbooks (both spiral and perfect bound) have the same paper type as the 110gsm below, only slightly thicker. This means it's not a good paper for wet media because it lacks the necessary sizing.

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Winsor & Newton hardbound sketchbook 110gsm

I haven't spent a lot of time with this sketchbook yet, as I'm forcing myself to complete the many, many sketchbooks I started a long time ago. I'll just note some of my initial impressions for now and come back with a more thourough review.

It contains 80 sheets (160 pages) of 110 gsm cartridge paper intended for dry media, perforated alongside the spine. I didn't realize the pages were perforated when I bought it, and I'm bothered by it because it prevents pages from lying completely flat and drawing over the entire spread (which I often do). The build quality of the sketchbook is among the flimsiest that I've had. It's just been sitting on my shelf, and there's already some tears on the black cover wrapping paper. The front and back cover are not lined up properly. The decade-old spiral bound sketchbook feels a lot more premium than this, and held up really well during this time. It's unfortunate that the quality has gone down so much.

The surface is less smooth, and gray and sepia brush pens show a slightly grainy texture. Black lines look fine, but there's some barely visible feathering on wet strokes. I've had worse, so I wouldn't discount this sketchbook for ink completely. Some brush pens I used leaked through the paper, so using both sides of the paper may not be possible with ink. Fountain pens work fine, but the ones that are especially wet do feather.

The paper surface is prone to pilling and warping. I wouldn't use it for more than quick, light watercolor washes.

Colored pencils and pastel pencils work nicely on this paper. The fine grain accepts layering, though getting rid of the grain with pencils takes some effort.

Watercolor pencils and watersoluble crayons work well, but I'd be careful not to scrub too much as I don't feel like the paper can handle it.

Verdict: Given the drop in quality, I don't think I'll buy them again.

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Royal Talens Art Creation

I bought this one locally out of curiosity because of its 140gsm paper which is supposed to handle light washes of watercolor, and is also very smooth. Sounded good for my ink and watercolor technique, but does it meet the expectations? I'd say it's so so. I like it better than the Moleskine sketchbook which it shares very similar features with. Both are hard-bound with thick cream-colored paper, open flat, have an elastic strap and bookmark ribbon, rounded page corners, and both feature covers in black and red. (Talens covers also come in other colors, but otherwise I'd say it's a pretty convincing copycat of the more popular Moleskine.) If I had to choose between these two, I'd pick the Talens one. But would I choose it overall? Not really.

I pop this one in my purse because I got the mini size, so I can doodle in it with brush pens or fountain pen, which it's very good for. But watercolor buckles the paper a bit even with less watery applications, so to me it's not better than my everyday Canson Universal. The cream paper is really not my thing.

Verdict: If you like the Moleskine sketchbook, you will probably like this one, and it's cheaper. I hate the cream-colored paper, so I won't be buying more.

Buy on Amazon.com. There are portrait, square, landscape versions.

Examples

• Trees on a cliff
• Restaurant window

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Clairefontaine Goldline

The paper is medium weight (140gsm) and has a fine tooth. Works well with ink, the lines come out very smooth and I haven't noticed any leaking on the other side. Dry media works well of course, but to be honest I haven't used it much in this one. It is advertised for dry media, so I expect that shouldn't be a problem.

Watercolor buckles the paper slightly, but the colors come out on the page bright and saturated (since the paper is bright white), and I haven't noticed any damage while dragging the brush over the wet page, so that's better than most sketchbooks on this list. I also used it a lot with mixed media and acrylics.

Unlike most hardbound sketchbooks it has no back pocket, strap, or bookmark ribbon. I can't remember how much I paid for it, but I think it was pretty affordable. It's a bit tight around the spine, so it takes an effort to lie it flat, but I was still able to paint full spreads.

Verdict: Seems good so far, it scored very high in my versatility test. I might get this one again if I don't find something I like better.

I can't find the exact one I have on Amazon, here's the Clairefontaine product page.

Examples

• Eurasian jay in a tree
• Mixed media leaf prints

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Clairefontaine Watercolour Carnet de Voyage

Literally meaning "travel sketchbook", this is a sturdy hardbound book containing 60 sheets of 180gsm paper. The covers are wrapped in canvas (and I suppose they could be easily painted with acrylics), available in a gorgeous red, cream and gray color. There is a bookmark, but no elastic band.

The paper has two distinct sides, one with a weave grain, and the other is smooth. Water-based media works better on the grainy side, and the smooth one is better for sharp ink lines, but if you want to use both neither is great. Another odd thing is that because of the stitched binding the order of grainy vs. smooth pages is random: grain on the left, smooth on the right; then a spread with both smooth pages; then a spread of both grainy pages; then smooth on the left, grain on the right. For this reason it's difficult to use full spreads, since frequently they're a different type of surface. I'd prefer to have consistent paper throuought.

One time I had a wet watercolor wash completely leak through to the other side of the paper (small flecks of water and pigment). I was working on the smoother side. It didn't happen again, but because of this I'd say referring to this sketchbook as a "watercolor" one is a bit bold.

Verdict: It's another one of those "I'll use it up eventually, and never buy it again". I don't see any advantage to this sketchbook over the Goldline. It's not that great for watercolor.

Clairefontaine product page

Examples

• Small waterfall watercolor sketch
• Restaurant terrace
• "Conformity" color study
• Creepy ink and watercolor doodles

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Artway Enviro

Artway is a lesser known UK brand aimed at art students. I was attracted to this sketchbook because it's made of 170gsm acid-free recycled paper. The cover is also unusual, made from bare thin MDF board which feels and smells like an art class drawing board. The paper has a fine tooth and is advertised for dry media, ink, and light watercolor or ink washes.

The ink lines come out very smooth, no feathering or bleeding whatsoever, and no lines can be seen on the other page. I have to leave the ink to dry for some time before applying wet media over it, because if I go over my brush pen lines with color immediately, the ink gets mixed a bit with the color (could be due to the ink I use, and maybe India ink dries faster).

Watercolor pencils and watersoluble pastels work quite well, though I need to keep my strokes even because they don't dissolve completely otherwise. Watercolor buckles the paper slightly, and since I have the A4 version, this is quite pronounced when applying wet paint to a larger area. (The larger the paper, the more noticeable the buckling is.) Since the paper is thick, the buckles don't flatten out in a closed sketchbook as easily as they do on thin paper. I have noticed slight pilling occasionally when I brush over the wet area so I try to avoid that.

The sketchbook comes in A5 and A4 sizes in landscape and portrait orientations. Being a more budget and environment-friendly product, it has no back pocket, strap, or bookmark ribbon. It can be forced to open flat, and I was able to draw and paint over the full spread. It's quite heavy due to the MDF cover so I don't see myself carrying it around in my bag, which may be its main drawback.

Verdict: I like it. It's very affordable and has a high versatility score, so this may be one of the best bang-for-buck sketchbooks in Europe. I already bought a new one before I even finished the first one!

Not available on Amazon.com. Buy on Amazon.co.uk | Buy on Artway website

Examples

All the links lead to my other website, NelaDunato.com where I posted newer works.

• Self-portrait with headdress
• VIDEO: Cute kitten mixed media drawing process

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Fabriano Schizzi

I never intended to use this one as a sketchbook. I bought it for my intention journal (not-a-planner) and filled it with writing, and then, inspired by my mixed media Moleskine art journal, decided to recycle this one into a junk journal.

On its own, the paper is thin natural white dry media sketch paper with a bit of grit so it works well with graphite, charcoal, colored pencils, pastel pencils, what have you. Watercolor pencils are so so, ink applied with a brush pen or a wet nib feathers a bit. Works well with fountain pens and fineliners. It would have worked for me early on when I mostly sketched with ballpoint pens and fineliners, but for what I do now, the paper is not good.

I made use of it by covering the pages with gesso, acrylic paint, or watercolor, and work over with various water-soluble media like crayons, Inktense pencils, gouache etc. The paper doesn't buckle a ton which is surprising, making it a very affordable mixed media journal for those who don't want to splurge on actual mixed media sketchbooks.

Verdict: It's OK if you need something extremely cheap.

Examples

Some of the links lead to my other website, NelaDunato.com where I posted newer works.

• VIDEO: Messy mixed media sketchbook tour 2020-2022
• VIDEO: Anti-perfectionist recycled art journal in progress
• Wonky mixed media portrait
• Drippy mixed media portraits

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Sketchbook media comparison table

I assigned points for each medium I tested on the paper, no gesso or any other primer applied. (I don't have any alcohol markers, sorry.) OK = 1 point, Great = 2 points, Bad = 0 points, and the sum is at the bottom. This is my subjective impression of how well the medium performed – if you like certain effects you may rate them differently.

The score by no means reflect the overall quality of the sketchbook, just how versatile it is with different mediums. You need to weigh your priorities when choosing the one that's right for you.