Are you looking for a sketchbook that’s cheaper than a Moleskine but just as good? You have landed up at the right place.
Moleskine products are top-rated, despite being priced at a premium. They are so popular that between 2014 and 2018, Moleskine nearly doubled its revenues.
Moleskine notebooks are well-known for their quality paper, texture, portable size, and durable flat cover. They work amazingly well with fine liquid ink pens, pencils, and ballpoint pens, which is why they are so popular.
But if you sometimes feel that Moleskine may be priced a little “too high,” you aren’t entirely off the mark.
So, let’s have a look at some of the best Moleskine alternatives, which are equally good but priced cheaper.
Contents
#1 Conda Double-Sided Sketchbook
Conda Double-Sided Sketchbook is our top choice. This sketchbook has a black embossed cover with 80 sheets and 90 gsm white paper. Its sturdy and light-textured paper works amazingly with a variety of dry media.
Its best features are
- Paper: The textured paper surface works well with dry media. The 90gsm white paper is perfect for rough sketches.
- Durable: The sturdy pages are suitable to handle wear and tear and hard pressure
- Easy to tear: The pages have perforated edges for easy tearing.
- Cover: The solid hardbound cover gives support to the user while drawing and sketching. The book makes a lovely keepsake so that you will be able to use it for a long time.
- Lay flat: The spiral-bound book is easy to turn and lies flat when you open it. It also reduces the fear of wear and tear.
- Avoid free: The high-quality paper is acid-free and unbleached. The acid-free paper maintains the drawing; it does not let the page fade.
Why should you buy it?
The hardbound sketchbook features 90 gsm textured paper with a versatile surface. It offers excellent durability, does not bleed through, does not age, and the spiral-bound pages are easy to tear out. It is the perfect alternative to a Moleskine.
- 【SPIRAL BOUND SKETCH PAD】: The spiral provides better access easily flip the pages over to the backs,,and sketch without removing pages,allow you to open your sketch book flat ach page has a perforated edging,Easy for you to separate paperand it will keep these papers nice and secure at all times.
- 【HARDBOUND SKETCH PAD】: Double-Sided handmade hardcover sketchbook and the paper is perfect for all artistic drawings and sketches. It is hard bound textured, black, slick-smooth, and waterproof cover. It definiantly helps protect your artwork. The pages are pretty sturdy and can withstand hard pressure and repeated erases. This would make a great gift ever for all of the artists in your life that they can treasure forever.
- 【DURABLE HIGH QUALITY PAPER】: Paper is extremely tough and durable,So it can withstand multiple paintings without deformation or penetration.80 sheets each pad of （90gsm/60lb） fine textured bright paper; providing better drawing & writing experience.--Ideal for all dry media including pencil, pen, pastels, charcoal, sketching sticks,gel pen and so on. NOT applicable to markers.
- 【PREFECT KEEPSAKE】:Acid-Free & Non-Faded paper,Protect your art by maintaining vibrant colors that will not yellow over time and last for years under normal use and storage conditions.If you takes time to fill this book up with nice drawings this will make a really nice keepsake！
- 【FOR ALL THOSE WHO LOVE PAINTING】:The conda sketchbook is suitable for all those who love to draw, for beginners to learn and develop their drawing skills, as well as the perfect gift for drawing enthusiasts. The high quality paper provides an excellent drawing experience for people of all drawing levels. The 8.5 x 11 sketchbook is therefore perfect for kids and adults to develop their drawing skills.
#2 Canson Universal Sketch Pad
The Candon sketch pad is our second choice. This paper pad has 100 sheets of 96 gsm paper. It is good to use for a variety of dry media. This paper pad has the same level of thickness that you expect from the Moleskine notebook.
Its best features are
- Paper quality: the high-quality textured paper of this sketchbook is good to use for various dry media. You can create your favorite designs with this sketchbook. The paper is acid-free, which makes it resistant to age.
- Thickness: The paper weighs 96 gsm, which is perfect for dry media like pencils and graphite.
- Erasable: The sketch pad paper is thick enough to be able to sustain heavy erasure.
- Smudge resistant: The paper does not allow ink to smudge. It is thicker and softer than a Moleskine.
- Softcover: The sketchbook has a spiral binding and softcover, great for carrying your backpack or bag.
Why should you buy it?
The 96gsm high quality fine textured paper is nearly as good as a Moleskine. The sketchbook is perfect for dry media like pencils, charcoal, and crayon. The paper is smudge resistant and does not bleed through
- Developed for Professional Artists — The Canson Artist Series range features quality art surfaces required by professionals to complete showcase-worthy pieces; paper types include sketch, drawing, vellum, pastel, acrylic, canvas, mixed media, watercolor & unique templates for comicbook artists & illustrators
- Dependable Sketch Paper — A finely textured surface for pencil, charcoal, pastel & graphite; erasable & smudge resistant
- Convenient Pad — Wire bound with micro-perforated true size sheets
- Multiple Sizes — Available in 5.5x8.5", 9x12", 11x14", 14x17", 18x24"
- Acid-Free & Archival Quality — Rest assured your artwork will stand the test of time. The acid-free nature of the paper prevents yellowing or deterioration, ensuring that your creations retain their original colors & integrity.
#3 Ohuhu Markers Pad Sketchbook
The Ohuhu sketchbook has easy-tear pages with perforated edges. Despite being a hardbound book, you can share your artwork with others without fear of wear and tear. The 200gsm heavy paper has a smooth and flat surface, making it perfect for mixed media usage.
Its best features are
- Easy-tear Pages: the sketchbook features easy to tear pages with perforation.
- Portable size: The pad has a 6.9″ x 6.3″ size, which is highly mobile and can easily fit inside your bags.
- Double-sided: The double-sides 30 sheets of paper let you create professional or day-to-day designs in this sketchbook.
- Paper quality: The 200gsm heavy-weight drawing paper is both durable and delicate. This paper has a smooth and flat surface that prevents bleeding and smudging. This sketchbook is a great choice to use for most of the dry media.
- Acid-free: The paper is acid-free. Acid-free paper has better absorption power, making this sketch great for watercolor.
Why should you buy it?
The 200gsm heavy drawing paper has a smooth and flat surface that prevents bleeding and smudging. So it is a perfect choice to use for most art media.
- 6.9 × 6.5 INCH DRAWING PADS (6.3"×6.3" After Tearing): Why limit yourself when you could be using a better-sized surface to draw on! You'll feel the freedom with the Ohuhu Marker Pad. You can tear off the paper, let your inspirations run wild on a single piece of paper (6.3×6.3inch) and post your masterpieces on Instagram, Facebook and more! Plus, the pad is super portable and fits in nearly every bag, so you can draw wherever inspiration hits you!
- 120LB (200GSM) HEAVYWEIGHT DRAWING PAPERS: It's the perfect combo of durable and delicate. This 120LB (200GSM) heavyweight paper has a smooth, flat surface that prevents bleeding, smudging and feathering for clean artwork. It is a great choice sketchbook for most of DIY art medias. From alcohol markers to solvent markers, from colored pencils to charcoal, from pastels to inks, and more!
- ACID-FREE ART PAPERS WITH MAXIMUM BLENDABILITY: Keep your artwork looking great for years to come since it's 100% acid-free and even better, this marker pad is crafted specifically for use with Ohuhu markers for seamless blending!
- DOUBLE SIDED, 30 SHEETS, TOTALLY 60 PAGES: Each sheet of this marker pad features a double sided texture, offering up 60 pages total to explore your professional or beginner creativity. Works for all sorts of styles, including sketch, stipple, draw manga, cartoons, still life drawings and more!
- EASY-TEAR PAGES: Sometimes you mess up and want to start over, or you want to tear out a page to share with a friend. Whatever the reason may be, it's easy to rip out pages thanks to the perforated edges which make it a breeze. Carry your sheets wherever you go, from traveling to class or wherever! Great as a Back to School Christmas supplies.
#4 AppreciArt Sketchbook
This sketchbook is an excellent alternative for Moleskine sketchbooks. Its 120gsm high-quality ivory paper makes it an ideal choice to use for all kinds of dry media. The sketchbook is hardbound and has acid-free paper. So it is also useful for drawing water paintings.
Its best features are
- Quality Paper: the sketchbook features high-quality textured paper with a beautiful cover.
- Acid-free: It is an acid-free paper, which keeps the paper as new even after a long time.
- Dry media friendly: The high-quality ivory paper is good to use for all kinds of dry media. It includes charcoal, pastels, and drawing pencils.
- Great for gifting: This sketchbook includes six drawing pencils of various thicknesses: HB, B, 2B,4B,6B, and 8B. The elastic holder is stitched on the cover of the sketchbook. Moreover, it is packaged in a beautiful box with a cello-shaped cutout. So it is an excellent gift for your loved one.
Why should you buy it?
The art sketchbook comes with a pencil holder stitched on the cover, which includes six pencils and is packaged in a beautiful box with a cello-shaped cutout. So it can be a good idea to give this sketchbook to an art lover. Its classic appeal makes it a perfect alternative to Moleskine.
- PENCIL HOLDER: Never wonder where your pencils are again! Offering unbeatable value, our sketch book includes 6 drawing pencils; HB, B, 2B, 4B, 6B, and 8B soft lead hardness. With an elastic holder stitched directly on the notebook cover; all your sketch pencils are in one place!
- PERFECT GIFT: Adding a special touch, every sketchpad is packaged in a beautiful box with a cello-shaped cutout. Not only does this showcase the sketch pencils, they also become the strings of a Cello! From birthdays to Christmas, it’s a unique and thoughtful gift for artists, kids, teens, and adults
- HIGH QUALITY: Featuring a beautiful fabric cover and heavyweight paper 80lb (120gsm), this 8.5x11" hardbound sketchbook delivers quality you can trust! With 100% acid-free drawing paper, medium tooth, and ivory color art paper, it’s safe for all types of dry media including, charcoal, pastels, drawing pencils, and colored pencils
- BRING IDEAS TO LIFE: Great for beginners and professional artists alike, our hardcover sketchbooks are the perfect place to develop ideas and hone your craft! Our 8.5" x 11” blank notebooks have 110 pages (55 sheets) with lay-flat binding for comfortable and convenient sketching. The 2 different color bookmarks enable you to return to any page with ease
- GREAT FOR ON THE GO: Carry all your favorite drawing pencils right on the cover! From scenic landscapes to your local coffee shop, our art sketch book is perfect for travel! Hardbound and Lightweight makes it ultra-durable yet super-portable
#5 Genie Crafts DIY Cover Sketchbook
The three-pack spiral sketchbook features a thick and sturdy 150gsm paper. You can use it with gel pens, metallic pencils, oil pastels, and markers. The high-quality paper sketchbook is good to use by beginners or by experts to create beautiful designs.
Its best features are
- Versatile paper: This high-quality sketchbook is useful for creating a day to day design. Its thick and sturdy paper is suitable for gel pens, metallic pencils, markers, and oil pastels.
- Acid-free: The acid-free paper is suitable for wet media; it can absorb more water.
- Three pack: The three-pack spiral sketchbook contains 75 sheets per pad. It is good to use both by beginner artists or by professionals.
Why should you buy it?
The DIY Sketchbook is an excellent choice to create designs by both new and advanced artists. The quality and thickness of its paper are better than that of Moleskine. You can use it for gel pens, metallic pencils, markers, and oil pastels.
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Buyers Guide
Moleskine notebooks are quite popular because of their high-quality paper, cover, and designs. When you are finding the alternatives for Moleskine, you have to consider all these factors. These factors can help you in choosing the best Moleskine alternative.
Paper Quality
The first thing you need to consider while buying a Moleskine alternative is the quality of the paper. You can use documents that are water-resistant, textured, thick, and acid-free to let you create beautiful artworks.
Covers of Sketchbook
When you are looking for a Moleskine alternative, then hardcovers are always more preferable to paperback. The hardcovers are suitable to provide support when you are drawing.
You can quickly and comfortably draw on hardcover as compared to paperback. Hardcover based sketchbooks can be taken outdoors with you without fear of wear and tear. Moreover, the drawing surface should be comfortable to work on.
Paper Weight
The weight of the paper is also an essential factor to consider. When you choose an alternative for Moleskine, the best papers are ones that are above 100gsm.
100gsm is suitable for dry media, but if you are looking to work with wet media, you should look for at least 200gsm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Moleskine acid-free?
Yes, Moleskine notepads are considered acid-free. They are made from pigmented pulp and are an excellent choice for all dry media and Moleskine pens and papers.
You can conveniently use it for most of the dry media. These are thicker than the standard ivory-colored notebooks.
Is Moleskine good to buy?
Yes, Moleskine notebooks are worth your money and are an excellent choice to buy for creating a day to day designs. It is the right choice of notepad for both beginner and expert artists.
These notebooks are of a variety of sizes and are compatible with all kinds of dry media. So it is good to use in creating your favorite designs.
What paper do most of the artists use?
Most of the artists, both beginners, and professionals, rely on canvas paper. You will find most of their artwork on canvas paper. This paper is always preferable to choose for various painting techniques and to draw intricate sketches.
You can use graphite, pencil, oil, acrylic, and other sketches while drawing on canvas paper.
Do Moleskine notebooks lay flat?
No, the Moleskine notebooks do not lay flat when you open them. They can’t stay open, and whenever you want to know what you have written in your notebook, you have to open it every time.
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