I am rather obsessed with sketchbooks. I have been on a mission for several years to find the 'perfect' sketchbook. Having never found exactly what I want, on my next trip, I’m going to bring loose paper and make my own sketchbook. I’ll let you know how that goes. Here is a list of the sketchbooks I have traveled with in the past. I’m not saying there are not better ones out there. These just worked for me (or didn’t) at the time.
- I like a size I can carry in my purse or backpack and is easy to hold while sitting or standing.
- I like a strong cover for added support.
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I like really thick, strong watercolor paper because I use a lot of water and it doesn’t bleed through.
This is a also a really good general book, but I find the pages a little thin for watercolor. I love that it has twice as many sheets as the Beta, however.
This is a strong book with a really hard cover. It is great if you want a firm drawing surface and you don’t mind the spirals. It is also a little bigger but still a good size for a backpack.
I love this sketchbook. It is called a “Visual Journal” and it is one of the best watercolor sketchbooks I have encountered. I love it because the paper is really thick and there are 22 pages, which makes it perfect for a trip. It has a hardcover that is nice-looking (the cover in the picture tears off revealing a nice brown patterned cover). I often paint a picture on the cover.
Instead of bringing a bound book, for my Cabo trip, I created an accordion mini-sketchbook. I chronicled the trip in little snippets.
Part of an accordion sketchbook I made out of watercolor paper for a trip to Cabo in Mexico.Cabo was a short, one week trip so it worked out perfectly. You can buy one at RandsHandmades on Etsy, or they are pretty easy to create. Words and Pictures has a great blog on how to make an accordion sketchbook yourself. I'm all about DIY.
I’m sure there are other great sketchbooks out there. What are your favorites?
