All ideas have to come forth from somewhere, and for most artists, their ideas begin with a sketch. And no better feeling can replace being able to express your feelings and thoughts whenever you feel like. That’s why sketchbooks are important. Although the best sketchbooks are linked to professional artists, they don’t necessarily mean that the best sketchbooks are only made for that profession. In fact, sketchbooks are pretty common even for writers too.
Regardless of whatever profession you are in, there’s not enough reason why you shouldn’t express your thoughts, ideas, feelings, drawing, or words. However, given that there are lots of options when it comes to sketchbooks available in the market, getting one that is perfect for you can be an uphill task. But not to worry. We have reviewed some of the best sketchbooks that you can consider getting for yourself or a present to a loved one.
Canson Universal Sketch Pad
This Canson Universal sketch pad has some fantastic reviews from customers who have previously used it. And their reviews are all justified. Canson has over the years continued to research and redesign this sketchpad to ensure it offers nothing short of an exceptional performance for users.
Pros
- It’s available in five different sizes which means you can choose a size that works best for your needs
- It’s nicely priced which makes it affordable for most people
- The paper surface is quite durable which allows you to erase without any damages being made to the paper surface
- It’s a versatile sketchpad that accommodates different kinds of dry media thanks to the fine texture
- Heavyweight drawing sketchpad that is made with micro-perforation and smudge-resistant qualities to encourage the easy removal of the actual size sheets
- The 100 sheets of paper that make up this sketchbook are acid-free and give you a chance to draw or write as much as you want without having to worry about your pages yellowing over time
Cons
- Use of thicker sharpies or application of pressure from normal writing can bleed onto the next page
- Ink use can also easily bleed over
Leda Art Sketch Book
This Leda Art sketchbook boasts of 160 pages that are versatile and excellent for different types of media. It has three different sizes to suit your preference. What stands out about this sketchbook is that it has tear resistant pages that make scribbling or drawing on it fun.
Pros
- The Leda Art sketchbook is versatile and easily accommodates the use of ink, pencil, pastel, graphite, charcoal as well as a light watercolor wash
- The 160 cream-colored smooth papers available in this notebook have been designed to highlight your colors
- Compared to the Canson Universal sketch pad, this Leda Art gives you 60 more pages that you can draw scribble or write on
- This sketchbook is quite handy and can be easily packed and taken anywhere with ease
- It’s flexible thanks to the all-weather cover that helps protect your pages regardless of the weather condition
- It has a smooth and soft design that allows you to enjoy dense pages that won’t easily rip or smear
- Can be used as a planner or writing journal
- The pages lay flat nicely for easy art-making which most customers love
Cons
- Some markers bleed on to the next page of this sketchbook
Travelogue Drawing Book
Now, if you are more of a colorful person and want your sketchbook in other colors apart from black, then the Travelogue drawing book is the perfect sketchbook for you. It’s available in four different colors and six different sizes.
Pros
- It’s available in four different colors – Cadmium Green, Ivory Black, Ultramarine Blue, and Vermilion Red
- It comes in six different sizes – Large Landscape, Large Portrait, Grand Portrait, Pocket Landscape, Pocket Portrait, and square – giving you the freedom to choose it in a color and size that works for you
- The papers used in designing this sketchbook are heavyweight and buff colored
- The cover is made from a European cloth that is finely woven and is durable. It also has rounded corners that give it a beautiful design and has an elastic closure
- It’s perfectly sized for portability giving you the freedom to pack this sketchbook and go wherever you want to
- The paper on this sketchbook is versatile as it works well with both dry and wet media such as pens, acrylic paint, markers, pencil and watercolors
- Features 128 pages of smooth drawing papers and has a bookmark that is excellent for marking pages
Cons
- Some dry and wet media bleed through to the next page
Strathmore Series Sketch Pad
When it comes to lasting artworks, the Strathmore sketchbooks have always been a darling to many. Thanks to continuous improvements in the quality of this sketchbook, Strathmore has continued to create a brand that artists have continued to love throughout the years.
Pros
- This sketchbook is made from all-purpose paper that works well for perfecting techniques or experimentation
- Excellent choice for novice users as well as intermediates who are looking to perfect their drawing skills
- It’s available in six different sizes which allow you to buy it in various packs such as 1 Pack, 2 Pack up to 6 Pack
- Each pad has 100 sheets of papers which saves you frequent buying if you buy it in more than one pack
- Accommodates the use of different media such as colored pencil, graphite pencil, soft pastel, charcoal and sketching stick
- Your art’s life is prolonged thanks to the acid free paper that guarantees longevity
- Has a fine-tooth surface that easily grabs dry media and can easily stand up to reworking and repeated erasures
- Has excellent paper quality making this sketchbook one of our best
- Boasts of micro-perforated sheets that tear out nicely and true-to-size
Cons
- Slightly expensive compared to other sketchbooks in our review
Final Thoughts
When shopping around for a sketchbook, its important that you pay attention to the size of the sketchbook, weight, cover, type of paper, binding, as well as the default orientation. Sketchbooks come in different sizes. If you love to draw outside or when on the move, you should try to find a sketchbook that can easily fit into your bag. Whatever artwork you paint, we hope our review above will help you narrow down on a perfect sketchbook.