The Best Sketchbooks For Every Medium
From dusty graphite to bold marker, there are so many tools you can use to create art.
These tools are known as media--each medium has its own unique characteristics,
so picking the right kind of paper will enhance your drawing experience.
In this video, we’ll show you some sketchbook recommendations for popular media
and also a few specialty picks.
Let’s begin!
Recommendations
All Purpose
If you don’t want to be limited to one medium, consider the Stillman & Birn Zeta Sketchbook.
It has smooth, thick paper that handles both dry and wet media well.
The paper is white so that colors are true to life.
It’s also acid-free to ensure that your work lasts.
You can choose from a few different bindings and sizes.
Dry Media
The Stillman & Birn Alpha Sketchbook has a mild tooth that catches
just the right amount of graphite and colored pencil pigment.
The acid-free paper is also heavy enough to handle some light washes of ink or watercolor.
Like other Stillman & Birn sketchbooks, you have a choice of bindings and sizes.
Inks
The bright white sheets of the Canson XL Marker Pad will make your ink colors pop.
Markers glide across the smooth paper, and it’s surprisingly
bleed-resistant for how lightweight the paper is.
Each pad gives you plenty of space to work with and has pages that can be easily removed.
Alcohol Markers
The Maruman Soho Series Sketchbook is our favorite to use with Copics.
The alcohol markers blend like a dream on the paper.
It’s quite absorbent, so be warned: Copics will bleed through.
However, the lack of streaking, smooth application,
and incredible blendability more than makes up for the bleeding.
For a bleedproof option, try the Crescent Rendr sketchbook.
Watercolors
The Global Art Fluid 100 Easy-Block is our pick for watercolor art.
The heavy, 100% cotton paper is designed especially to take watercolors,
and two sides are securely glued down to prevent buckling.
You can pick from a few sizes and shapes for the perfect canvas.
Specialty Sketchbooks
Now here are our recommendations for specialty notebooks.
Toned
The toned paper of the Global Art Kona Drawing Pad lets you approach your drawings in a different way.
Its grey sheets cover the midtones, letting you focus on rendering shadows and highlights.
You can also try black paper from a sketchbook like the Koh-I-Noor Black Drawing Pad.
Diary
The Maruman Sketchbook Diary is designed for you to record your days in drawings.
The paper is thick and textured so you can draw or paint on it.
Each page includes space for you to draw and five lines
to add a caption about your day, like a picture book.
Pocket
The Leuchtturm 1917 Pocket Sketchbook is made for art on the go.
It’s packed with 96 pages of thick and smooth paper.
Plus, it lays flat easily for a comfortable drawing experience.
The elastic band helps protect the pages, so you can safely carry the sketchbook around.
Did we help you find a new sketchbook for your favorite medium?
Let us know in the comments below.
You can find these products at JetPens.com.
Be sure to also check out our blog for even more recommendations.
Thanks for watching!