Hahnemuhle 250gsm 100% Cotton Sketchbook, is the best quality I've seen. Their Mould made sheets, are second to none in terms of quality. Hahnemuhle makes the best quality papers in my experience, better even compared to Arches,Waterford etc..
Baohong has very nice 100% sketchbooks. I also like the new Tumuarta 100% cotton. (So far so good. Well, you may need a bit of glue from time to time 😅) Been using their regular 25% WC sketchbooks for a while now; very good books. Speedball sketchbooks if you’re into panoramic scenes. Paint looks nice and bright. A lot of people like Paul Ruben sketchbooks.
Very nice review. I have a very mini stillman and birn watercolour sketchbook (think pocket sized) and have yet to test it out but eager to try now. Always hearing great things about the etchr sketchbook too but haven’t been able to justify the price for it so far.
I didn’t see anyone else asking-what are the bits of tape at the top and bottom seam line of each of the square book pages? I’ve never noticed those before.
Hi! (Late reply) but I this particular book the pages were falling out so I had to tape them with a bit of tape. I believe it was because this batch was made with glued seams rather than stitched but they have since changed the construction of the sketchbook. Good question!
Interesting video. I just came across your channel. I haven’t tried any of the three sketchbooks mentioned in the video. I have tried Hahnemuhle 100% cotton sketchbook of a similar weight to the Etchr sketchbook. I enjoy it. My most recent sketchbook is Kilimanjaro 100% cotton 140 pound/ 300 gsm by Cheap Joe’s. It has spiral binding. Not everyone likes spiral binding, but I like it a lot because the sketchbook lies flat.
I haven’t tried either of the sketchbooks that you use and both of them sound definitely worth trying! I actually have been curious about trying a spiral bound watercolor sketchbook, because I enjoy the completely lay flat feature. Thank you for sharing!
Stillman and Birn make a variety of sketchbooks and they are excellent in my opinion, take gouache and Gansai Tambi watercolors beautifully. Etcher is extremely expensive and unless you’re producing high end work, seems a bit much. Also I wonder why a sketchbook (as opposed to WC paper for full finished paintings) needs to be archival?
Stillman and Birn have great sketchbooks with nice thick paper - I do love it for gouache and some watercolor painting (as long as it's not super wet) When I paint very wet it doesn't allow water to move around the way other paper in other sketchbooks do - so I guess I think of it more like a really nice mixed-media sketchbook. I can agree with you that Etchr is expensive - probably why I don't use it for random doodles! Hmm. And when it comes to them being archival, perhaps it's just that extra insurance that your sketchbook pages wont end up yellowing over time and deteriorating? (though I'm aware that would take a LONG time)...Not that my sketchbooks have anything that valuable in them that they would need to last forever... Now I'm just pondering too! :)
Very good info...I've had my eye on the new Baohong 100% Cotton PU Leather Watercolor Sketchbook 300GSM/140lbs on ETSY....I love the Boahong WC paper in general and thought of making my own sketchbook with it...but then I found their new sketchbooks on ETSY and they look very nice. Comes in 3 sizes.
I’ve heard really great things about Baohong paper! But I have get to try it myself! Making sketchbooks is great, but sometimes it’s nice when it’s already made ;) Thanks for sharing!
I don’t know, what the original purpose was for… but I always imagined people used it for/I have used it for putting in paper memorabilia that I wanted to keep. Like stickers, cards, ticket stubs?
Some folks use these for travel journals/street sketching and these pockets are for memorabilia to set in later pages, such as a sketch of a cup of coffee bought at a specific corner cafe and then add the receipt or business card to the page as well-multimedia/keepsake.
Thanks for a very useful review. Can you share what brand of artist tape you yse with these sketchbooks? I am struggling with finding a brand that doesn't tear the paper. Thank you.
I'm glad you found it useful. As for the artist tape, I've had luck with the generic white "artist tape" from art stores like Blick Art (for example) - I've also bought it on Amazon: amzn.to/3pMG2yt & the light purple 3M delicate surfaces tape amzn.to/430FhQB. I've used washi tape from time to time but I don't find it to be as reliable for keeping the paint from seeping - it might be the brand I have though!
Have you tried making it less sticky before you out it down on the paper? I use literally any tape I can find and hardly ever have any issues with ripping 🙂
@@mwilliamson7821 Yeah, give it another go! I usually do it quite a few times before putting it down and then I just make sure I press it well, especially at the edges to get nice clean lines. So far it's been working for me with any tape (haven't got any special artist's tape, mostly just regular paper one that was laying around my house) :)
I usually lay the tape on the underside of my forearm before laying it down, just a quick stick on and pull off, and it’s always worked very well for me. Can always use your desktop also, but I find the arm thing works best. 🦋
I love the Etchr sketchbooks, my other favorites are the Koval sketchbooks but they are much pricier than the lowest prices Etchr. But you’re right that my favorite sketchbook is the one I made with Arches cold press paper 😊
TYSM for taking your time to show us different watercolor sketchbooks.
You're welcome! It's only 3 out of SO many. I may follow up after I try some additional ones that people have suggested in the comments :)
Hahnemuhle 250gsm 100% Cotton Sketchbook, is the best quality I've seen. Their Mould made sheets, are second to none in terms of quality. Hahnemuhle makes the best quality papers in my experience, better even compared to Arches,Waterford etc..
Thank you! I just picked up some Hahnemuhle to try out.
@@SusanChiang In my experience, they make the best quality out there. The rest is personal preference. Hope you enjoy their papers, as much as I do!
Baohong has very nice 100% sketchbooks. I also like the new Tumuarta 100% cotton. (So far so good. Well, you may need a bit of glue from time to time 😅) Been using their regular 25% WC sketchbooks for a while now; very good books. Speedball sketchbooks if you’re into panoramic scenes. Paint looks nice and bright. A lot of people like Paul Ruben sketchbooks.
A late thank you for these tips/suggestions!
This video is really timely as I have been researching travel journals for a trip in July. Thank you!
I hope you end up finding a good one and have fun on your trip in July!
Very nice review. I have a very mini stillman and birn watercolour sketchbook (think pocket sized) and have yet to test it out but eager to try now. Always hearing great things about the etchr sketchbook too but haven’t been able to justify the price for it so far.
A mini Stillman and Birn sounds like it would be fun to work in! I hope you enjoy it when you get started! :)
I didn’t see anyone else asking-what are the bits of tape at the top and bottom seam line of each of the square book pages? I’ve never noticed those before.
Hi! (Late reply) but I this particular book the pages were falling out so I had to tape them with a bit of tape. I believe it was because this batch was made with glued seams rather than stitched but they have since changed the construction of the sketchbook. Good question!
Interesting video. I just came across your channel. I haven’t tried any of the three sketchbooks mentioned in the video. I have tried Hahnemuhle 100% cotton sketchbook of a similar weight to the Etchr sketchbook. I enjoy it. My most recent sketchbook is Kilimanjaro 100% cotton 140 pound/ 300 gsm by Cheap Joe’s. It has spiral binding. Not everyone likes spiral binding, but I like it a lot because the sketchbook lies flat.
I haven’t tried either of the sketchbooks that you use and both of them sound definitely worth trying! I actually have been curious about trying a spiral bound watercolor sketchbook, because I enjoy the completely lay flat feature. Thank you for sharing!
@@SusanChiang you’re welcome!
Very helpful. Thank you. 😊
I’m glad you found it helpful! And you’re welcome ☺️
Stillman and Birn make a variety of sketchbooks and they are excellent in my opinion, take gouache and Gansai Tambi watercolors beautifully. Etcher is extremely expensive and unless you’re producing high end work, seems a bit much. Also I wonder why a sketchbook (as opposed to WC paper for full finished paintings) needs to be archival?
Stillman and Birn have great sketchbooks with nice thick paper - I do love it for gouache and some watercolor painting (as long as it's not super wet) When I paint very wet it doesn't allow water to move around the way other paper in other sketchbooks do - so I guess I think of it more like a really nice mixed-media sketchbook.
I can agree with you that Etchr is expensive - probably why I don't use it for random doodles!
Hmm. And when it comes to them being archival, perhaps it's just that extra insurance that your sketchbook pages wont end up yellowing over time and deteriorating? (though I'm aware that would take a LONG time)...Not that my sketchbooks have anything that valuable in them that they would need to last forever... Now I'm just pondering too! :)
Thank you. I think the Claire Fontaine sketch book is very good, it’s cotton, but pricey
I will have to look into that! Thank you for the recommendation!
Very good info...I've had my eye on the new Baohong 100% Cotton PU Leather Watercolor Sketchbook 300GSM/140lbs on ETSY....I love the Boahong WC paper in general and thought of making my own sketchbook with it...but then I found their new sketchbooks on ETSY and they look very nice. Comes in 3 sizes.
I’ve heard really great things about Baohong paper! But I have get to try it myself! Making sketchbooks is great, but sometimes it’s nice when it’s already made ;) Thanks for sharing!
You have to be fast as lightning to get a 4x6 cold press one.
yes!
What are those interior pockets for? Was there an original purpose?
There are other places you can write down your info. I'm stumped. Thanks
I don’t know, what the original purpose was for… but I always imagined people used it for/I have used it for putting in paper memorabilia that I wanted to keep. Like stickers, cards, ticket stubs?
Some folks use these for travel journals/street sketching and these pockets are for memorabilia to set in later pages, such as a sketch of a cup of coffee bought at a specific corner cafe and then add the receipt or business card to the page as well-multimedia/keepsake.
Thanks for a very useful review. Can you share what brand of artist tape you yse with these sketchbooks? I am struggling with finding a brand that doesn't tear the paper. Thank you.
I'm glad you found it useful. As for the artist tape, I've had luck with the generic white "artist tape" from art stores like Blick Art (for example) - I've also bought it on Amazon: amzn.to/3pMG2yt & the light purple 3M delicate surfaces tape amzn.to/430FhQB. I've used washi tape from time to time but I don't find it to be as reliable for keeping the paint from seeping - it might be the brand I have though!
Have you tried making it less sticky before you out it down on the paper? I use literally any tape I can find and hardly ever have any issues with ripping 🙂
@@sekkachigaming Thanks. Yes I have but perhaps not enough? I'll keep trying.
@@mwilliamson7821 Yeah, give it another go! I usually do it quite a few times before putting it down and then I just make sure I press it well, especially at the edges to get nice clean lines. So far it's been working for me with any tape (haven't got any special artist's tape, mostly just regular paper one that was laying around my house) :)
I usually lay the tape on the underside of my forearm before laying it down, just a quick stick on and pull off, and it’s always worked very well for me. Can always use your desktop also, but I find the arm thing works best. 🦋
I love the Etchr sketchbooks, my other favorites are the Koval sketchbooks but they are much pricier than the lowest prices Etchr. But you’re right that my favorite sketchbook is the one I made with Arches cold press paper 😊
I haven’t heard of Koval before! Thanks for sharing. And you’re right about those handmade ones 😉
Koval has just released Traveller's Sketchbook - the one with press studs - with Arches paper.