Do you love to draw and sketch everything you see around you? If yes, you should buy a good sketchbook and let the world know about your talent. But there are many choices available, which one is best for you?
Most artists and professionals will boil down to two brands: Strathmore and Moleskine. But the question remains, which one is the best? That is why we decided to do a "Strathmore vs. Moleskine Sketchbooks" exercise for you.
If you are looking for just a summary:
Moleskine sketchbooks are great when you are storytelling, and you need a combination of words and pictures to illustrate your point.
Strathmore is excellent for pure artwork; it provides a brilliant white background that is a perfect contrast against graphite or charcoal sketches, but not so great when using ink.
So without further ado, let's dive right in!
Comparison Between Moleskine And Strathmore
Lay-Flat
Moleskine sketchbooks do not lay flat entirely because they are sewn together. You will get some resistance from the pages. The user needs to put some force to spread the sketchbook's gutter and spine flat on the table.
Strathmore sketchbooks have spiral binding; they can lay completely flat.
Paper stitching
The pages of the Moleskine are Smyth-sewn and not just bound with glue. The sketchbook is overall sturdy.
Strathmore sketchbooks have a twin-spiral binding that makes them easy to use. If you want to tear apart the sheets, it is very convenient with the perforation provided.
Paper Quality
The paper of a Moleskine sketchbook is coarse. Coarse paper is better adept at holding wet media. Moleskine handles pens and markers quite well.
Strathmore paper is smoother, it's also great for wet media, but if we had to choose one, Moleskine is preferable for pen-work.
Paper Color
Moleskine sketchbooks use the same iconic ivory-colored paper that you know from their notebooks. It has been the hallmark of Moleskine forever, and it does tend to make your drawings, sketches, paintings, and notes look more elegant and "older."
Strathmore pages are bright white. To be honest, color is a personal preference, and if you love to have a white background to contrast your charcoal or pencil sketches, Strathmore might be a better option for you.
Primary uses
Moleskine paper is excellent for both writing and sketching. If your chosen medium of art is illustrated stories with pictures or cartoons, Moleskine is the superior choice.
Strathmore uses excellent quality paper, but the pages tend to smudge slightly if you plan to take down notes on it. So writing is not the strong suit of these sketchbooks.
Cover
Moleskine sketchbooks have a hardbound cover.
Hardbound covers have many advantages: they keep your artworks safe, they are waterproof and typically sturdier. A hardbound cover will make sure that the paper does not bend or develop creases.
When you want to sketch but don't have a surface to write on, a hardbound book will serve you well.
Strathmore sketchbooks are softbound.
While the cover is thinner and less protective, there is one great advantage a softbound cover gives you - if you travel a lot, you don't want a heavy hardbound cover weighing down on your shoulders.
Secondly, a softbound cover is easier to roll up and fits nicely in almost any space, whereas you can't do that with a hardbound.
Enclosure
Moleskine sketchbooks have an elastic band around the cover that helps hold the pages well. It keeps all the sketches safe, and the pages do not flap around if you are sketching in a windy place.
Strathmore sketchbooks are spiral bound; the pages tend to flap around a bit on a windy day.
Strathmore Sketchbooks
As an artist, you need to have an eye that looks into the beauty of something you want to draw on your sketchbook. Strathmore brings various sketchbooks for you that are available in spiral and hardbound, in small size and a large size paper.
It has sketch pads available with several sizes starting from 40 to 100 in one place. All the sketchbooks by Strathmore are large enough to sketch, draw, paint and do a lot more with paper sheets.
Here are a few of their top products.
Strathmore 400 Series Sketch Pad
The sketchpad is available with a fine-tooth surface that has an acid-free sheet designed for dry media. There are 100 sheets in the sketchpad, all of size 9X12 inches. The sketchbook's best thing is it is a twin spiral bound that helps flip the pages with ease. sketching and painting on a spiral bound sketchbook is much easier
- Multi-purpose sketchpad: the sketchpad is perfect for charcoal, graphite, colorful pencils, sketches, and oil pastels too. Use it for anything without the drawing getting blurred and spoilt.
- Twin-wire bound sheets: the sheets are bound by twin-wires that make it convenient to tear the sheets to their original size. Moreover, flipping the pages is also very convenient as the sketch pad is wire bound.
- High-quality paper: the sheets are heavy that makes it perfect for doing art with dry media. The high-quality paper helps to bring out the sketch and colors in the best way.
- Hardbound cover: The sketchbook cover is hardbound, helping keep the sketches safe without the fear of it getting torn. Hardbound covers are more durable and long-lasting.
Strathmore Toned Tan Drawing 400 Series Toned Sketch Pad
Strathmore toned tan drawing sheet has a medium surface that is perfect for light and dark media. The sketchpad has 50 sheets that are acid-free and made of recycled fiber. The size of the sketchpad is 9 inches X12 inches. It is light in weight and can be carried along while traveling with ease.
- Spiral-bound: as the sketchpad is spiral bound, turning the pages is very convenient, and the paper is perforated; therefore, tearing it apart is also convenient.
- Toned tan paper: this paper helps to highlight your sketches effectively. Showing the difference between the light and the dark color shading is possible with this sketchpad. The paper helps to pop out the colors used on it effectively. Though the paper is thin, it is also smooth, helping to do sketching, coloring, shading, and painting effectively.
- Quality of paper: there are 50 single sheets in the sketchpad that help you do various artwork in one place. The sheets are acid-free and high-quality, which is recycled too; this makes the sketchbook eco-friendly.
- Lightweight and portable: the tone tan sketchbook is light in weight; it weighs 80 pounds. You can carry it along with you wherever you go with ease.
Strathmore 300 Series Mixed Media Pad
If you are interested in buying a mixed media pad that helps you do watercolors, sketching, simple drawing, and painting, you can buy the Strathmore 300 series pad. The pad measures 9 inches X 12 inches and has 40 sheets to show your creativity. It has a hardbound cover that helps to protect your drawings and keep them safe.
- Micro-perforated sheets: the sheets in the pad are micro-perforated, which helps to tear the sheets conveniently. The paper is of heavy quality that helps to keep your drawings as it is. It allows the artist to add details using various forms of media in their pictures.
- Mixed media pad: Strathmore 300 series helps you experiment with different mediums like a pen, pencils, color pencils, watercolors, and pastel colors. It is best for both dry and wet media that makes the sketchpad perfect for beginners and trained artists.
- Helps practice different techniques: mixed media sketchpad helps the artists to practice with other methods. It not only helps to enhance their skills but helps make them perfectionists when using the canvas.
Pros And Cons Of Using Strathmore Sketchbooks
Pros
- A hardbound cover adds a protective layer to the artwork.
- Spiral binding makes it easy to flip the pages and act as a desk when traveling.
- All the Strathmore sketchbooks have some drawing or a picture on the cover that attracts the artists.
- The pages are wide enough that helps the artists to use every bit of the paper when drawing.
- Perforated sheets of paper are convenient to tear out from the sketchbook.
- The sheets are either white or tan-colored that makes the artwork speak for itself.
- You can use the dry and wet medium as per your choice.
- Paper quality is best for those who have a heavy hand in drawing.
Cons
- Strathmore sketchbooks do not have an elastic enclosure and neither does it have any bookmark.
Moleskine
Moleskine boasts its quality and provides its users with sketchbooks, journals, pads, planners, and large sketchbooks with thick outer cover with smooth paper. You can write, make notes, draw, color, and sketch in the Moleskine sketchbooks\notepads without worrying about the color bleeding.
- Multiple-use sketchbook: write notes, jot down ideas that come to your mind instantly in this handy book. The expandable pocket at the end helps keep small notes, mementos, and important papers safe.
- Compact size: The Moleskine sketchbook's pocket size is 3.5 inchesX5.5 inches, making the sketchbook very portable. Though the sketchbook's size is small, it has 192 pages to give you ample amount of space to sketch, draw, color, and write notes.
- Attractive construction: the green myrtle color of the sketchbook makes it look desirable. The elastic band helps to keep the sketchbook closed when not in use. Other colors are also available to choose from. It has round edges, and pages are ivory colored, smooth, and acid-free. It will help preserve your artwork and will not let color bleed.
Moleskine Cahier Journal 80 Pages
Cahier Journals are lightweight and very portable, and you can use them for day-to-day writing and drawing. It is available in a set of 3 at a budget-friendly price that is affordable for anyone. The cover of the Cashier journal is thin; it will make you feel as if using handmade paper.
- Convenient construction: the journal has 80 pages, and the last 16 are perforated. You can detach them from the sketchbook with ease. It also has a pocket to keep notes, important mementos, or cards. The sketchbook is thin, and you can carry it with you wherever you want to. Its compact size makes it fit in any bag.
- Size: the journal is available in size 5 inches X 8-1\4 inches. The pages are off-white and are acid-free. The journal has visible singer stitching, and the brown cover makes it look like cardboard.
- Lightweight and flexible: Moleskine journal weighs 47 pounds that make it highly portable. Use it for any occasion as it comes in a set of 3; you will not regret buying this in a set. The cover and the paper is soft and makes the journal lightweight.
Moleskine Art Sketchbook With 104 Pages
You can now observe, imagine, sketch and draw anything you feel like on the Moleskine art sketchbook with 104 pages. The sketchbook has an elastic closure and also has a ribbon bookmark. Let your creativity turn into a masterpiece on paper with the Moleskine art sketchbook.
- Good paper quality: the Moleskine sketchbook has a high paper quality that can withstand regular use or eraser. Make drawings, sketches, and artwork with different pencils and colors in the sketchbook. You can also use watercolors and paint your art with your favorite colors. Each paper is cold-pressed and of good quality.
- Elastic enclosure: the elastic enclosure helps keep your artwork secure and serves as a page holder. When the sketchbook is not in use, close it with the elastic band attached to the sketchbook.
- Design: the sketchbook has round corners that make it look great. It has a paper pocket at the end that helps to store important papers and sheets in the sketchbook. The ribbon string bookmark helps to reach out the unfinished work with ease.
- Durable cover: the cover of the sketchbook is strong and long-lasting. It has a hardbound leather cover that makes the sketchbook look solid.
Pros And Cons Of Using Moleskine Notepads, Sketchbooks, And Journals
Pros
- Softcover makes the sketchbook lightweight and portable.
- Most Moleskine sketchbooks and notepads have elastic closure to keep the notes and art safe.
- It also has a bookmark that helps to find the left drawings.
- Paper is smooth and can withstand repeated erasing and artwork.
- Available in various sizes, right from the pocket size to XL size.
- The ivory color paper helps bring out the contrast in your sketches.
Cons
- The plain cover does not attract people who like some drawings and pictures on the outside.
- It is suitable for day to day work rather than artwork.
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