How to choose a Sketchbook

So you want to know how to choose a sketchbook? Good for you! The guide below is based on my personal experiences when choosing a sketchbook. The first step is to decide what type of sketchbook you want!

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Size

• They can come in small (approx. 3×5 inches), medium (approx. 5×8 inches), or large (approx. 9×12 inches or larger). I would pick it up from your local art/craft store like Utrecht, Dick Blick, Michael’s, or Jo-Anns with a 40% or 50% coupon. If you don’t want to leave your house you can always get it from Amazon.
• It’s probably best to stick to one sketchbook at a time but I tend to have two or three sketchbooks at a time. That’s because I have a large 9×12 one I carry in a backpack and smaller ones that I carry in a purse/bag or pocket for whenever I feel inspired.

• You might want a heavier weight of paper if you have a heavy hand or one that contains some cotton fibers for quick watercolor washes and to prevent the paper from buckling or warping. Normally you’d want 75 gsm or higher depending how heavy of a hand you have if you’re planning on primarily using dry mediums. If you want to quick watercolor washes I recommend at least 140 gsm.
• I find that 100 gsm seems to work for me since I usually use dry materials and handles light washes but it does buckle the paper, but that doesn’t bother me. If it bothers you, you’d might want to use 150 gsm or more.
• I like measuring by the “grammage (aka gsm) because it’s easier to tell if it’s thicker or not. You might also want to consider eco-friendly paper or paper made from sustainable sources.

• I usually prefer either a solid color or one with a really neat design that appeals to me. Normally I default to the standard black color or company design. If you feel adventurous you can choose whatever colors you want.
• I like to put stickers and doodles on my covers to personalize my sketchbooks.
• I’ve discovered Traveler’s Notebooks (aka: TNs) which are typically made of leather but the paper is replaceable and held in by elastics. Think of it like a refillable cover that changes and ages as you use it. I’ve found that I plan on using this method from here on out. Not only is it more eco-friendly, the weight of the notebook isn’t as heavy. I am able to customize the paper I want to use and can change them out as I need. It is a bit of an investment but you can also make or buy your inserts with whatever is your favorite type of paper if you enjoy the process
• The most important thing is that the sketchbook appeals, interests, and inspires you.

• Next you’ll want to think about whether you’d like a soft cover or hard cover design.
• I personally like hard covers because they get tossed around in my bag/backpack without a problem. Unfortunately, I found that
  out when I had softcover sketchbooks. After awhile the edges started curling and became dog-eared from the abuse. Furthermore, I accidentally spilled food and liquids on my soft cover sketchbooks and now they don’t look so pretty.
• Take my advice and consider whether you’re klutzy enough like me to make my mistakes and choose your books accordingly.
• Hard covers tend to be a little heavier than the soft covers but they make pretty sturdy backboards when drawing out in the field. But if weight is an issue for you, I recommend the soft covers.

• Now we’re getting a little more nit-picky on the types of sketchbooks such as the binding and enclosures. You normally want a sketchbook that is typically like a normal book and lies flat. That way it allows you to utilize the entire page and there isn’t a
  “hump” that will distort your drawing. Another thing, you may not want to use this type of binding for gluing images or sticking a lot of loose pages in it because it might break the binding. If you do, you might want to remove some pages first. Don’t throw it away though! You can still reuse it for other projects. It’s something I realized a bit too late so learn from my mistake!
• Then there are spiraled notebooks which always lie flat but the spirals may get in your way when drawing or be uncomfortable to rest your hands upon. An easy remedy is to turn the sketchbook so that the spirals are on top or bottom so they don’t get in your way. I would recommend using this type of binding if you like to draw on flat surfaces or plan to stick a lot of paper in your book. It also makes it easier to scan in pages in a flatbed scanner if you keep a sketchblog.

• Size (small (approx. 3”x5”), medium (approx. 5”x8”), or large (approx. 9”x12” or larger))
• Weight of the paper
• Color/Design
• Soft cover/Hard cover 
• Paper type preference

To me, choosing a new sketchbook is one of my favorite parts about keeping a sketchbook. Starting something new with a fresh start. Finding and experimenting on the different types of paper. Some artists are easy to please but there are others who are still looking for THE ONE sketchbook for them. Some hands-on creatives even go as far as making their own sketchbooks. As I grow and experiment I’m learning what I like and it’s been a fun journey! I hope you enjoy it as well!

Technically you can use whatever paper you want, even a notebook if you don’t mind the lines. Personally I could do both but I like not having the lines on my artwork when I scan them in. It might be cheaper but I like the archival purposes of sketchbooks rather than cheap notebooks. I’ve also known and have done something where I just drew on loose leaf paper and put them in a binder but I prefer keeping a somewhat chronological order to my sketch progress now.

Meanwhile, check out some of these great articles also about choosing a sketchbook if you’re still on the fence.

Do you guys have a favorite type of sketchbook? If so, let me know in the comments below! I’d love to hear about it!