A good watercolor sketchbook will determine the performance of your creative technique. Its importance resides in the combination of the preferred process and surface quality and material.
Following is a listing of the most common sketchbook brands’ specifics to help you navigate and make the right choice!
#1
Pentalic Watercolour Sketchbook Journal
GENERAL SPECIFICS: Pentalic Watercolour Sketchbook Journal uses 100% cotton, 300gsm paper, and has 64 pages.
DESCRIPTION: The Pentalic sketchbook has high-quality paper and may resist heavy washes, although it will lightly buckle. For this, it’s not the right choice for pen and ink work because the cold press surface is relatively coarser with more grain.
FOR WHO: Pentalic sketchbook is for those who like heavy washes. Satisfying with pen and ink, but it’s more suitable for paint.
#2
Khadi Papers Sketchbook
GENERAL SPECIFICS: The Khadi sketchbook uses 100% cotton, 210 gsm paper, and has 80 pages.
DESCRIPTION: the paper is handmade in India and sold in loose sheets, but it also comes in a sketchbook of different formats with a cardboard cover.
Excellent paper quality is the right choice for wet on wet techniques as it has a lovely granulation. It also handles well heavy washes.
FOR WHO: This choice is the perfect one for both pen ink and watercolor.
#3
Watercolor Sketchbook from Global Art Materials
GENERAL SPECIFICS: The GAM sketchbook uses 25% cotton, 200 gsm paper, and has 60 pages.
DESCRIPTION: The paper is pure white with a clothed cover. The paper handles wet on wet well but not for heavy washes.
FOR WHO: This choice is suitable for who prefers white paper. It is ideal for pen ink and light washes.
#4
Strathmore 400 Series Watercolor Journal
GENERAL SPECIFICS: The Strathmore watercolor Journal has 300 gsm, no cotton-made paper, and 48 pages.
DESCRIPTION: This is a good quality sketchbook with a paperback and hardcover format, useful as a solid back to draw on.
It handles water well even though the paper has no cotton content. It isn’t easy to use with heavy washes. As the support is not as absorbent as cotton paper, use wet on wet with care to prevent puddling.
FOR WHO: Strathmore sketchbook is for those who use pen and ink and medium washes.
Conclusion
For watercolor techniques, it is preferable to use paper with at least some cotton content. It makes the surface more absorbent so that it can handle some wet on wet techniques. It doesn’t have to be 100% cotton, unless for heavy washes.
