Are you a new graphic designer wanting to illustrate your best creative work in a sketchbook? Do you feel annoyed when the time comes to buying a new sketchbook ’cause the old one is all done in??
After all, sketchbooks are an important aspect of drawing, and any graphic designer would only want the best quality sketchbook to accompany him/her! There is a huge surge in demand for sketchbooks in the last few years, and many brands have come up with their versions of this artist’s companion. However, only a few have been able to make a mark for themselves in the market.
This article brings together some of the best sketchbooks for graphic designers that can be the perfect accessory for your creativity.
If you are looking for just a single recommendation, we suggest the Moleskine Art Sketchbook, Hard Cover, Large (5" x 8.25") Plain/Blank, Black, 104 Pages. Moleskine is a brand that stands firm on its reputation of providing the best quality sketchbooks.
Every sketchbook of Moleskine is thread bound and is embellished with a cardboard cover. They use high-quality, acid-free paper, and the gsm used is perfect for dry media. This is the reason why it has become the first choice for many graphic designers.
Contents
#1 The Moleskine Art Plus Large Sketchbook
The Moleskine Art Plus Large Sketchbook boasts high-quality heavy paper, making it perfect for sketches, drawings, or even usage of tempera colors.
This sketchbook gives the best results with pen ink and does not allow the ink to feather or bleed. Sketching with The Moleskine Art Plus Large Sketchbook is a brilliant experience that many artists have stamped in the making.
Features and Benefits
- Configuration: The Moleskine Art Plus Large Sketchbook has smooth, soft, and plain sheet formation on which you can work with any kind of media
- Paper quality: The paper used for the sketchbook is 165gsm (111lbs). This is perfect for dry media and can be used for pencils, graphite, charcoal, and pens, etc., with ease. The paper is acid-free, pH neutral and FSC certified.
- Durable Cover: The sketchbook comes with a stable and robust elastic closure that helps you preserve your illustrations for a long. A perfect feature we all look for in a sketchbook, isn’t it?
- Total pages and color: The Moleskine Art Plus Large Sketchbook contains 104 smooth and plain sheets. Thus, you need not worry about filling up the pages anytime soon.
- Dimensions: The Moleskine Art Plus Large Sketchbook has a 5″ x 8-1/4″ dimension.
- Paper Weight and Quality: The Moleskine Art Plus Large Sketchbook possesses ivory paper pages that are designed in a perfect way to handle writing from any kind of pen.
Why should you buy it?
The Moleskine Art Plus Large Sketchbook is an excellent addition to your sketching accessories. It can help you to draw smooth and best sketches, paintings, or drawings, in fact, any kind of illustration you desire. Every Moleskine sketchbook is thread bound and comes with acid-free pages, elastic closure, as well as an expandable pocket.
- MOLESKINE ART COLLECTION: From sketchbooks and sketchpads to watercolor notebooks with heavy paper, to music notebooks with plain and pentagram pages, to storyboard layout notebooks, Moleskine's art collection of notebooks offer the quality you need.
- DURABLE COVER & ELASTIC CLOSURE: Hold writing projects & notes in your Moleskine notebook with an elastic closure band & inner storage folders. Leather-like classic Moleskine cover & thick, ivory paper pages are perfect for writing with fountain pens.
- GIFT QUALITY NOTEBOOKS: Moleskine planners, journals and notebooks come in hardcover or softcover and colors like black, red, blue, green and brown. The binding and cover have a durable finish, designed for daily journaling, writing and sketching.
- DELUXE QUALITY PAGES: Moleskine's thick, ivory paper pages in a hardcover Moleskine notebook, softcover Moleskine notebook, cahier or volant journal, or Moleskine planner are perfectly textured for writing with a ballpoint pen, fountain pen, or pencil.
- MOLESKINE QUALITY: We're dedicated to culture, travel, memory, imagination, & personal identity—both physical & digital. We bring this commitment to our notebooks, bags, apps & smart pens & notebooks.
#2 Pentalic Traveler Pocket Journal Sketchbook
Meet the Pentalic Traveler Pocket Journal Sketchbook, a unique sketchbook to accompany you on your creative adventures! As the name already suggests, you can carry this sketchbook in your pocket whenever you desire to wander around in search of creativity!
Features and Benefits
- Total pages and color: Pentalic Traveler Pocket Journal Sketchbook contains 160 acid-free pages.
- Pages quality: It is made up of chemical-free materials, and also, it is easy to recycle. The Pentalic Traveler Pocket Journal Sketchbook’s sheets are best for fieldwork, paintings, drawings, sketching, and notes.
- Paper GSM: The paper used is 120 gsm (70lbs). 120 gsm is high-quality paper, good enough for dry media as needed by graphic designers.
- Dimension: The Pentalic Traveler Pocket Journal Sketchbook is 6 x 0.62 x 8.38 inches.
- Hardcover and Bookmark: The cover of the Pentalic Traveler Pocket Journal Sketchbook is adjustable and rugged. It contains a high-quality ribbon bookmark as well as an Italian formulated cover.
- Pocket: The Pentalic Traveler Pocket Journal Sketchbook has a pouch or bag to conserve steady mementos secure and safe. You can also utilize it to contain ticket stubs, photographs, creativity, brochures, and any stuff you want to spur recollections.
Why should you buy it?
The Pentalic Traveler Pocket Journal Sketchbook is one of the best products as it offers good quality pages that can complement any type of drawing. The best aspect about the Pentalic Traveler Pocket Journal Sketchbook is that it is a pocket sketchbook that you can carry around easily. Thus, you need not worry about looking for a medium to sketch when you get the inspiration for your next creation!
- DURABLE COVER - Flexible, water-resistant cover with an heavy-duty sewn binding.
- ACID FREE - Our paper is made by using alkaline paper making technology which prevents papers from fading or discoloring. Acid-free paper addresses the problem of preserving documents or artwork!
- RECYCLED PAPER - Our recycled sketch paper is perfect for sketching, notes or field work.
- ALL-IN-ONE SKETCHBOOK - Offering everything someone would want in a journal: an expandable pocket, elastic closure and a ribbon that marks your place.
- CREATE EVERYDAY - Pentalic was created with professionals, students, and artists in mind to offer them endless possibilities to sketch, journal or draw works of art!
#3 Strathmore 455-3 Drawing & Sketch Paper book
Another great addition to your creative accessories can be Strathmore 455-3 Drawing & Sketch Paper book. This sketchbook is designed especially for graphic designers who desire only the best and nothing else.
It is simply amazing, and it will assist you in sketching, painting, and drawing as it is made of high quality and disposable materials. The sketchbook’s papers are designed while paying the utmost attention to weight, color, absorbency, and texture.
Features and Benefits
- Total pages: The Strathmore 455-3 Drawing & Sketch Paper book contains three sets of 100 pages of acid-free papers.
- Dimension: The Strathmore 455-3 Drawing & Sketch Paper book is 12 x 0.5 x 9.2 inches.
- Pages and Quality of Pages: The Strathmore 455-3 Drawing & Sketch Paper book comprises 100% cotton, chemical-free materials.
- Paper GSM: The Strathmore 400 series is meant for advanced artists and graphic designers who use dry media. It has 89 gsm (60 lbs) paper.
- Hard Cover: The cover of the Strathmore 455-3 Drawing & Sketch Paper book is hard and tough. Thus, you do not have to worry about losing your pages; even you have to tear a page or two.
Why should you buy it?
The Strathmore 455-3 Drawing & Sketch Paper book is made up of top and high-quality materials. It can also help you make unique sketches, paintings, and drawings without any risk of damage.
You will be happy to purchase this product at a reasonable price. This Strathmore 455-3 Drawing & Sketch Paper book is fantastic, and it is easy to recycle.
- All-purpose paper intended for experimentation or perfecting techniques
- Includes 3 pads of 100 sheets of paper
- Lightly textured
- 60-pound weight paper
- Total of 3 pads
#4 U.S. Art Supply Sketch Pad
Need a fantastic sketchbook that will help you in your creativity? So, meet the U.S. Art Supply Sketch Pad. The U.S. Art Supply Sketch Pad is the best product for helping you augment your creativity. According to The Architect’s Guide, it is a high-quality product and is one of the ten best sketchbooks for designers.
Features and Benefits
- Dimension: 9-x-12-inches gives you plenty of surface for art-making.
- Pages: The U.S. Art Supply Sketch Pad has 100 sheets of cream color sheets, and it will pronounce your every streak.
- Paper GSM: The US Art supply sketchpad uses 100 gsm paper, which is perfect for all types of dry media.
- BEST FOR INK: Customers report that U.S. Art Supply Sketch Pad works excellent for calligraphy artwork or ink drawings of all kinds.
Why should you buy it?
The U.S. Art Supply Sketch Pad is made of recyclable and the best materials. The U.S. Art Supply Sketch Pad has shiny, soft sheets with a smooth texture.
It will help you to create your fantastic creativity smoothly and softly.
- 2 Pack of 9" x 12" Professional Sketch Book Pads. 100 sheets in each pad, a total of 200 premium artists' quality sketch pad sheets that are ready for you to unleash your artistic creativity!
- High-quality sketch pads with standard-weight, 60 lb, 100 gsm, smooth natural white paper sheets. These versatile, durable, acid-free, neutral pH sketching paper sheets are suitable for all types of mixed media and all skill levels of artists.
- Sturdy top spiral-bound sketchbooks for easy page-turning. Pads have a heavy chipboard backing and cardstock cover for extra protection. Excellent for kids and adults to create artwork or develop and practice their skills.
- Sketch pads are ideal for writing, drawing, and sketching. Great for use with colored pencils, graphite pencils, pens, markers, charcoal, soft pastel, sketching sticks, etc.
- Perfect for use by aspiring artists, art students, and professional artists! These premium sketchbooks make a perfect gift to anyone who enjoys sketching, drawing, and creating art.
#5 Artist’s Choice Sketch Pad
Join the artist’s choice sketch pad. It is made up of the best, high quality, and acid-free materials. Artist’s choice sketch pad comes with two packs of 75 sketch sheets. This is a beautiful sketchbook, and its pages do not wither or ripple due to illustrations. Also, since every page is perforated, it implies that you will not lose any paper even when you tear down any paper.
Features and Benefits
- Dimension: The dimension of the artist’s choice sketch pad is 11.96 x 9.52 x 1.25 inches
- Paper GSM: The Artist’s choice sketchpad uses 90 gsm (60lbs) paper. 80-120gsm paper is considered ideal for dry media like pens and pencils.
- Total Pages: The Artist’s choice sketch pad has two packs of 75 pages, which means that you wouldn’t fall short of pages for sketching.
- Quality of Pages: The Artist’s choice sketch pad is made up of the best materials to help you make your creativity beautiful.
Why should you buy it?
The artist’s choice sketch pad is another addition to the best sketchbooks for graphic designers. This is a fantastic sketchbook that you can buy at a reasonable price.
No products found.
Buyer’s Guide: Best Sketchbooks for Graphic Designers
Sketchbooks are an essential accessory for artists, especially graphic designers. Thus, it is necessary to look for certain qualities that can lend you a helping hand in buying the perfect sketchbook for yourself.
For example, if you want to sketch using markers and watercolors, then a sketchbook with thicker paper is more suitable. However, if you’re going to use dry media, you would like to go for lighter paper, which is ideal for this media type.
Quality of Paper
The quality of the paper of the sketchbook is an essential feature. After all, you cannot expect to draw or illustrate a low-quality paper, has poor color or bleeds and feathers easily.
The book needs to be free of chemicals or acid so that there is no bloating on the paper after sketching. Acid-free paper is also excellent for keeping your work good as new even after a long time.
Ideal for Dry Media
The paper should be ideal for all kinds of dry media, such as pastels, pens, pencils, markers, etc. The reason being that graphic designers usually need to work with these dry media while drawing.
Thus, they need a sketchbook that is ideal for these media. For dry media, it is suggested to use sketchbooks that are in the range of 80-120gsm.
Hardcover vs Softcover
When purchasing a sketchbook, the type of cover is also an important consideration. If your work requires a lot of traveling and you have to make sketches on the go, then a softcover sketchbook that fits easily in your backpack is good for you.
On the other hand, if you are mostly into office work, then hardcovers offer many advantages. They can protect your sketches better and let your sketch work be waterproof.
Frequently asked questions: The Best Sketchbook for Graphic Designers.
Q. What is the best size for a sketchbook?
Ans. The universal size of a sketchbook is 9X12 inches or 11X14 inches. This is the average size of the page of a sketchbook that makes sketching comfortable.
Q. What is the difference between drawing and sketching paper?
Ans. Whereas drawing paper is used for finished artwork, the sketchbook is used for experimenting and case studies. While drawings are considered to be the end product, a sketchbook can have samples and quick drawings.
Q. How can I select the best sketchbook?
Ans. A significant point to consider while selecting a sketchbook is its size. Thus, you need to first consider how big you would like to draw a sketch.
If you want to place your sketchbook at home, you can go for a large sketchbook, but you can take a pocket sketchbook if you’re going to carry it around.
Wrap Up
A graphic designer needs sketchbooks that are perfectly designed for dry media and can help bring out the beauty in their designs. We hope that this article can help you in finding the best metal mechanical pencil.
In our opinion, the Moleskine Art Sketchbook, Hard Cover, Large (5" x 8.25") Plain/Blank, Black, 104 Pages is the best choice among the various options that we have considered because it has smooth and silky sheets that are of supreme quality.
The Pentalic 6" x 8" Pocket Sketchbook Traveler Journal, 160 Pages, Black is our next best choice because its sheets are ideal for dry media.
Suppose you are looking for a value for money option. In that case, you can also consider the No products found., which offers excellent value and features at a very reasonable price point.
RELATED ARTICLES:
You might also like our article on the Best Watercolor Books for your sketching.