Rate Your Sketchbook
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Most artists keep some type of sketchbook, whether it’s for drawing or just jotting down ideas. But like any tool, if it doesn’t fit right or feel good to use, how often will you use it? Finding that perfect fit for your drawing needs can be more difficult than one would think. Me? I’m picky about sketchbooks.
Take my current sketchbook for example, a 12 x 9 inch Catchet Flexicraft. It’s a standard size sketchbook with a double wire binding containing 75 sheets of 75lb. weight acid free off-white sketch paper.
The stiff plastic covers flex too much for me to use it on my lap. I don’t care for 12 x 9 format, but they make lots of other sizes. The black covers lack any distinguishing markings to determine front from back until it’s opened. The paper absorbs quite a lot of ink without any seepage, but it does suck up the ink. My new Rotring didn’t flow very smoothly on it either, but it takes multiple erasures really well.
Since it’s about time for a new sketchbook, I decided to try a couple from Creative Mark.
First, I selected their Reflexions sketchbook. I chose the 10 x 7 inch size, and it’s perfect. It’s exactly what I want and the stiff black covers attached with the double wire binding are really rigid. They neither bend nor flex, and provide ample support for lap drawing. The imprints on the covers assure that I’ll not have any more upside down drawings in my sketchbook. Yay!
The paper itself is rather lightweight at 70 lbs. and won’t tolerate a lot of erasing. This was my first time using the Rotring, and I seeped through to the next page in a couple of places. However, the pen moved smoothly over the paper with no draging or skipping and survived the Faber-Castell brush pens just fine.
The 80 sheets are perforated along the long edge, so I can easily tear out the seepage page and use it under the next drawing to prevent further accidents. I don’t normally tear pages out of my sketchbooks, but the perforations are a nice option providing the sheets don’t start tearing out on their own.
My second selection was the Raffine sketchbook, and this one is 8.5 x 5.5. I can’t believe they call this is a sketchbook. The 48 sheets of 100 lb. cream colored paper are 25% rag, and feel more like expensive cardstock than paper. This stuff is so nice it’s scarey.
The front cover is a bit flimsy, but the back cover is good and solid. This size was difficult for me to work with in a vertical format, but a horizontal image wasn’t a problem. The 8.5 x 5.5 size fits easily into my purse, but I wouldn’t want anything smaller.
Unfortunately, the covers are the same size as this beautiful paper, with no overhang to protect it. I really wish Creative Mark would take a look at their Reflexions cover for this sketchbook. While I’m wishing, I might as well wish for a 10 x 7 inch version, too. Sadly, this sketchbook is not available in that size.
There was no ink seepage on this quality paper which has been sized internally as well as externally. The Rotring and brush ink pens flowed ohhh so smoothly across the surface without sacrificing color or coverage. This sketchbook is pricey, but it’s so nice I’m positively giddy.
So, have I finally found my perfect sketchbook? Yep, at least two, and here’s how I rated them:
Raffine: 9/10 - Pro: Paper quality. Con: Poor fit on back cover. Best ink color.
Reflexions: 8/10 - Pro: Price & cover durability. Con: Paper weight. Excellent ink color.
Catchet: 7/10 - Pro: Price. Con: Cover too flexible. Average ink color.
My ratings were based on paper quality, cover durability, and price. How about you? What are you using? Have you found your perfect sketchbook yet?
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I ‘Tagged” you in a blog post yesterday.
Cool. I hope the next magnificant 7 have as much fun with this as I did.
Thanks for the sketchbook review! I’ve never done more than doodle in mine, probably because they’re cheap and can’t take much abuse. I do like my little 5.5×8.5″ one - like you said, purse-size.
Live and learn- I prefer a smaller sketchbook to a larger one. My original is almost out of paper, and I thought it might be interesting to do a comparison of the old vs. the new. Glad it was useful.