Testing smooth-surface sketchbooks – which one works best for you?

Hello, fellow sketchbook lovers!

Over the past few months, I’ve been experimenting with five different sketchbooks.

Recently, my focus has been on capturing detailed facial expressions, primarily using colored pencils for final touches. Initially, I struggled with cold-pressed paper, which was too grainy for the precision I needed.

This led me to search for smoother surfaces, ultimately testing a variety of sketchbooks with different textures and thicknesses.

I’ll be honest – each sketchbook serves different purposes, so they’re not entirely comparable to one another. I tested each one with a color pencil, watercolor, crayon and 4B pencil. Each scanned image isn’t going to be exactly the same as when you see it in real life, but good enough to show you how they look different in each surface. Now, let’s dive in!

Vif Art – Maruman

Maruman is a well-known Japanese brand for sketchbooks. Their F0 watercolor sketchbook (242g/m²) caught my eye at Itoya, Ginza. This hot-pressed, smooth-surface sketchbook features a warm, natural color and offers a sturdy base for both wet and dry media.

• Paper Weight: At 242g/m², the paper is thick enough to handle watercolors without warping or bleeding, making it suitable for mixed media work.
• Surface: The hot-pressed surface is relatively smooth, making it ideal for detailed line work with pen, ink, and botanical art, where minimal grain is preferred.
• Color: The warm tone subtly enhances watercolor paintings, giving a soft background for vibrant colors.
• Portability: Its compact F0 size makes it a great companion for on-the-go sketching and painting.

How I used it : This sketchbook will be fantastic for urban sketching, especially if you use minimal water and work quickly. However, lifting watercolor pigments once applied is difficult, so it may not be ideal for techniques requiring multiple washes.

art creation

I purchased the Art Creation sketchbook after seeing several artists on Instagram using it for daily sketches. It was cheaper than Moleskine, which influenced my decision to give it a try.

• Paper Weight: The 140g/m² paper is suitable for dry mediums like pencils, charcoal, and ink. It can handle light washes or markers, but it’s not designed for heavy wet media.
• Surface : The paper has a subtle grain that provides grip while still allowing for detailed work. It’s versatile, but its texture might not hold as much pigment as you’d want for detailed color work.
• Design and Portability: Compact and easy to handle, this sketchbook is perfect for quick sketches or spontaneous drawings wherever you are.
• Binding: The sturdy binding lets the pages lay flat, making it easier to work on both single pages and spreads.

How I used it : I initially used it for colored pencil drawings but didn’t find myself reaching for it too often afterward. While similar to the Vif Art in feel, it didn’t hold much pigment and felt a bit too smooth for effective layering. Its price is reasonable for everyday sketches but might be too smooth for those seeking more texture.

CROQUIS – Maruman

After trying the art creation sketchbook, I realized I needed a lightweight option for quick idea sketches. That led me back to Maruman, where I picked up their Croquis series in a compact square-sized (SQ2) format.

• Paper Weight: With a weight of 60g/m², the paper is extremely light and best suited for rough sketches and line work. It’s too thin for any significant media like watercolor or markers.
• Surface : Smooth and easy to draw on similar to two previous options. This paper is great for fluid lines and quick sketches.
• Design and Portability: The Croquis sketchbook’s compact size(there are many options though I picked the smallest option) and lightweight design make it ideal for carrying in your bag for spontaneous sketching work.
• Binding: The spiral binding allows the pages to lay flat, adding durability and making it easy to flip through.

How I used it : This sketchbook became my go-to for quick idea sketches, but because the paper is so thin, pencil marks and even ink tend to bleed through. I also used it up quickly because each book only holds 80 pages, making it a rather expensive option for simple and random idea sketches.

Lightwish

I bought the Lightwish Sketchbook for my 21-day drawing challenge, knowing I’d primarily be working with watercolor. The paper needed to be thick enough to handle water well, and the sketchbook exceeded my expectations in some areas.

• Paper Weight: The 300g/m² paper is a great balance between thickness and flexibility, making it suitable for pencils, inks, charcoal, and even light watercolor washes.
• Surface: This premium cotton 100% watercolor paper. The smooth surface is ideal for detailed drawings with watercolor and mixed media, but it may not hold up for heavy watercolor layering.
• Binding and Design: The hardcover and spiral binding make this a durable sketchbook that lies flat, ensuring the pages stay intact through extended use.

How I used it : I loved using this for light watercolor, created interesting illustration pieces. But its higher price makes it more of an investment for everyday use. If you’re working with a combination of media on the go, it’s versatile and a really good choice, but not ideal for heavy watercolor work.

Kokuyo Drawing Notebook

After a few months of trying different sketchbooks and defining my work process, I started to look for a lightweight sketchbook for rough sketches that can keep the history of my ideas. I came across the Kokuyo Drawing Notebook on amazon. Kokuyo is famous for its quality with student notebooks, so this “drawing notebook” piqued my interest.

• Paper Weight: The paper is thinner (50~60g/m², unknown but similar to Maruman’s Croquis) and better suited for quick, dry sketches.
• Surface : The smooth surface is perfect for precise lines and quick shading, but the thin paper doesn’t handle layering well.
• Portability: Lightweight and easy to carry considering it contains 192 pages. It’s great for traveling artists who need something convenient for ideas and concept sketches.

How I used it : This sketchbook is excellent for collecting rough ideas over time, but its thin paper limits its use for wet media or heavy layering. If you just use it to test things out quickly, the paper is good enough for that purpose. Considering how thin it is, I was surprised to find that the paper didn’t wrinkle much. I found that it’s a great archival tool for idea sketching and a more cost-effective option than Maruman’s Croquis.

Final Thoughts

Each artist has a unique relationship with their sketchbooks, and every product caters to different needs. I hope my honest review gives you a clearer idea of how each one might suit your work. If you’ve tried any of these sketchbooks, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

JAY

Illustrator

書く、そして描くひと。

書きたいことはたくさんあるけれど、誰かが読むと思うとそれが書けない。だけど書きたい。だらか誰もみてない隠しノートだと思うことにしました。