So if weight is an issue, it’s worth considering a softcover option.Īlso consider how robust the cover is. But the hard cover adds weight to the book. Hardbound books are great for urban sketching as the cover provides support whether you are standing up or sitting down to sketch. So there is a balance – if the paper is not designed for watercolour you might be discouraged by the results, but if the paper is high quality, thick and expensive, you might be afraid to use it.Īnother important aspect is whether the book opens flat so you can easily sketch on either side of the pages and have the option to sketch right across the spread.Ī spiral bound book is great for turning the book back on itself, so you don’t have to support both sides, but is harder to sketch across a spread (under the spiral). This is important when you are beginning as your biggest focus should be to simply create the habit of regular sketching. Something else to consider is whether thick good quality paper will create pressure to create a ‘good’ sketch. The way in which you work will also affect your paper decision – but that needs a separate article. The thickness of the paper will also affect whether you can work on both sides of the page. Keeping an elastic band around the book and/or putting it under some weight can often reduce the effect of buckling. If that’s the case for you then you will probably be happier with thicker, better quality watercolour paper.

How thick is the paper? A lot of people don’t like it when the paper buckles or warps when sketching with watercolour. So you have to work out which medium gets the priority in your decision making process! Most watercolour painters prefer to work on 100% cotton paper with some texture (Cold Press or Rough) but these papers often don’t work very well for ink. Watercolour likes textured paper while ink is better on a smooth surface. The reason why it’s good to ask yourself these questions is because there is often a compromise if you want more than one medium – eg. What different media will you be using and how will you be using it? Is there one medium that you will be using more than the others, one medium that is more important to you?

You might also realise that it is best to have more than one book – a small pocket sketchbook for quick sketches that you carry around with you everywhere and a larger sketchbook for taking out on sketching outings. These decisions will affect the paper, the size and the binding of the sketchbook. Or do you want your sketchbook to be filled with standalone sketches of scenes (from dedicated sketching sessions) with little or no text. What do you want to record in your journal? Do you want to record your everyday life and fill your sketchbook with all kinds of sketches (elaborate ones as well as quick ones) and notes, collage, maps etc.

Of course this might change once you begin the book, but it’s good to make your best guess as to how you think you will use it. If you are just starting, this article will probably seem a little overwhelming, so I suggest that you just skim it for now and then focus on the Conclusion at the end of the article.īefore you start assessing the physical characteristics of a sketchbook, it’s important to think through how you will use it. There are a lot of variables (and probably some more that I haven’t thought of!) so in the second half I will share my preferences. I do nearly all of my work inside a sketchbook, so I thought it might be helpful to share all the different considerations I make when deciding on a sketchbook.

Sophia online sketchpad