10 Best Sketchbooks

Many an artist will not be able to leave home without having a sketchbook with them, as inspiration can strike at any time.

Others may just require a reliable sketchbook for use while attending art classes, or stay in one place to sketch a particular image.

No matter what medium you use to draw or what type of genre you prefer, the best sketchbook needs to have a number of qualities in order for it to be suited to the task, whether this means slipping it into your bag or propping it up on an easel or table.

Top 10 Sketchbooks Ultimate Table

Picture Name Size Price Rating (1-5)
1. Colore Sketch Pad – Durable Sketching Paper And Notebook 9” x 12” $$
  • 4.9/5
2. Strathmore Series 400 Sketch Pads 9 in. x 12 in. 9” x 12” $$
  • 4.8/5
3. Art Alternatives Sketches in the Making Giant Hardcover Sketch Book 12.5” x 10.75” $$$$
  • 4.8/5
4. Leda Art Supply’s Small Softbound Sketchbook for Artists 5.5” x 3.5” $$
  • 4.8/5
5. Canson Universal Sketch Paper Pad 5.5 x 8.5 “: 100 Sheets 5.5” x 8.5” $
  • 4.7/5
6. Pentalic Sketch Book, Hardbound, 8-1/2-Inch by 11-Inch 8.5 x 11” $$
  • 4.7/5
7. CANSON XL Mix Media Pad 7” x 10” $
  • 4.7/5
8. Pro Art Hard Bound Sketch Book 5.5″X8″-Black 5.5” x 8” $
  • 4.6/5
9. Pentalic Traveler Pocket Journal Sketch, 8″ x 6″, Black 8” x 6” $$ 4.5
10. Moleskine Art Plus Sketchbook, Large, Plain, Black, Hard Cover 5” x 8.25” $$$
  • 4.4/5

Factors of Good Sketchbooks

  • Size. The size of the sketchbook will be an important consideration as it has to be suitable to your needs and be able to accommodate the size of the pictures that you create. You may want different sketchbooks to accommodate different needs, such as a smaller one for use when you are on the go.
  • Paper Thickness. The thickness of the paper is important for the manner in which you draw and the medium that you are using. Firm line strokes with a hard pencil, for example, will usually be victorious in a fight with thin paper. Accordingly, ensure that the paper is suitable for your intended use.
  • Paper Color. Though white paper will be standard for most sketchbooks, there are different grades of white to consider. If you prefer pages of a different color, such as the one that will work with your drawing, check the color of the sketchbooks from which you are selecting.
  • Recycled Paper. Recycled paper often has a different texture to the new paper, which may have an effect on the resulting image. Accordingly, this needs to be taken into account.
  • Cover. Whether or not the sketchbook has a hardcover will be important as this will dictate whether you will require a flat surface to lean on, or if the cover is sufficient when the sketchbook is folded.
  • Medium. The paper that is suitable for pencil sketches may not be able to stand up as well to watercolors, for example. Check the specifications of the paper to ensure it will be suited to your needs.
  • Binding. The binding of the sketchbook is important, not only from the point of view of which side it runs along but also for another important reason. While some people prefer to keep all their sketches together in a book, others will frequently rip out pages in order to display/use the sketches elsewhere, so the sketchbook will need to be able to accommodate your favored use.

Top 3 Best Sketchbook Reviews

1. Colore Sketch Pad

The Colore Sketch Pad is available as a single or as a pair and each pad contains 100 pages of lightly textured white paper.

It is spiral bound but also comprises micro-perforations along the bound side, so it is easy to tear pages out, if necessary, without a jagged edge remaining. By contrast, if you want to retain the pages as part of a book, this is also possible. This makes it a great multipurpose sketchbook.

The paper is robust enough to stand up to a variety of different drawing media, such as graphite or charcoal. Erasing lines were carried out without a problem and didn’t wrinkle the page.

At 9” x 12”, this sketchbook is a good size and makes it highly portable and it is not too thick, so it is easy to slip into a bag or carry it without it being too cumbersome.

It is easy to use and it stays flat when sketching.

The Colore sketchbook is an excellent pad for artists at different levels.

2. Strathmore Series 400 Sketch Pads

The Strathmore Series 400 sketchbook is a 100-page pad of paper with a fine-tooth surface.

It can be purchased singularly or in a multipack, so if you know that you like them, buying more will be cost-effective.

The spiral binding makes it easy to use as the pages can be folded back cleanly, so the pages are not inadvertently wrinkled or torn.

It is designed for general purposes as the 60 weight paper is capable of withstanding some firm strokes of a pencil without any negative effect. Therefore, it can be beneficial for amateur artists who are experimenting with a new dry media technique, or professionals who have been drawing for years.

The paper is not so thick that is too stiff to manipulate easily, but it is not so thin that it would tear easily.

When the sketchbook is folded back on itself and this is used as a surface, it is possible to cause an indentation on the next page for strong lines.

The Strathmore Series 400 is the best sketchbook for artists who require a versatile 9” x 12” pad that is suited to a range of uses.

3. Art Alternatives Sketches in the Making Giant

The Art Alternatives Sketches In The Making Giant sketchbook is well named as it is certainly a giant book at 3-times the size of an average sketchbook.

It is a substantial book made up of 300 sheets, which creates 600 sketching pages. It is hardback so it actually looks like a coffee table book or a reference book.

The book has more than enough pages to keep an artistic child entertained for an extended period of time, or is ideal to keep all your sketches in one book.

The paper is acid-free, 75 weight, and is bright white so sketches are clear.

The Art Alternatives Sketches In The Making Giant sketchbook is excellent for being able to present your sketches in a formal manner.