Art Collection

I ordered this sketchbook because my entire life I had heard people saying that this was the one to get if you wanted to have a good time but the reason I hesitated was because of the price. However over time I’ve learned that spending the money is worth the quality for a good sketchbook and so I bit the bullet and got this and boy am I happy about it. The pros: ink looks amazing in this sketchbook, it draws on clean and looks amazing in the off white paper. The size of the sketchbook is also perfect for me (I put a highlighter next to it for comparison). The cover also is very easy to decorate for anyone wanting to do exactly that and also very sturdy so I don’t feel as if it’s going to break. The paper can also handle POSCA pens very well, more so than other papers I’ve tried. And markers look BEAUTIFUL on this paper, they don’t come out patchy and the colors stay vibrant. (On the drawing I show I used 3 different alcohol markers brands and they all look vibrant). Now cons: there will be INTENSE bleeding (as you can see you can practically redraw the picture you colored again). I forgot to put a mat in between the pages at one point and it bled not just through one paper but 2! Also I have no even attempted to use watercolor on this paper since I am experienced with water colors and can tell that this paper will get either absolute destroyed by the water or it won’t hold the paint at all making it very hard to control. Overall, this is my favorite sketchbook I have found for it being just a sketchbook meaning no intense pieces on this which is something I like but do be aware of that! I highly recommend this to anyone that is looking for a sketchbook though if you’re a watercolor artist maybe try something else

The heavyweight pages are definitely durable enough for pencil, and pen and ink work. I've used Diamine Black Onyx and Noodler's Heart of Darkness Black on these pages with zero bleed-thru. The paper has a smooth finish, similar to plate finish Strathmore 500, and has enough tooth for pencil, yet not so much that it will distort or feather an ink line. Alcohol based markers and Sharpie markers will definitely bleed through these pages, as they do on most papers. The pale cream color of the pages gives a nice classic look to any artwork done on them. Highly detailed cross-hatching and very fine gradients of shading are possible on these papers, and because of their thickness, you'll be able to use both sides of each page. I have cut a piece of 90 lb. index card stock that fits the book page size, and I use it as a shield to prevent graphite transfer to other drawings or to blank pages when working. I simply place it between the page I'm working on, and the page beneath it. Overall, an excellent sketchbook which handles fountain pen in, india ink, and all degrees of graphite very nicely, including a Pentel Brush Pen. I'm definitely ordering more. I have not applied any color media to these pages, such as watercolor, acrylic, or tempera, so I can't really say how they'll hold up under these.

I love moleskin. Specifically for their sketchbooks out of all sketchbooks I've tried moleskins pretty good for personal on the go works and the multimedia usage on this is amazing! The papers are thick enough to hold and resist bleeding. It's worth the money and is very easy to use~ The quality texture of the pages are nice and smooth! I wouldn't recommend it for watercolor though but for acrylic paint is so on and so forth yes! Apply thinly-

First: If you experience paper turning white when erasing, you need a better eraser. I use Staedtler Mars plastic erasers and Sanford design or Prismacolor kneaded erasers. From my experience, the kneaded erasers work best. I am an illustrator, so sketching is a daily need for me. I always battled with sketchbooks because they felt as sturdy as napkins and just as useless when it comes to archiving. Even the heavy grade more expensive ones felt either TOO thick and textured for graphite and ink or just flimsy and overpriced. I had to use bristol board notebooks for a long time (which was expensive) because I just could not find the right balance. All I have to say it - holy cow, this is THE BEST sketchbook I have ever owned. The paper is thick, poster like (very close to thin bristol board actually) and a very soft beige color. It is, thank God, untextured - very smooth yet holds on to ink perfectly. The thickness allows you to use soft traces of watercolor and diluted ink without a lot of bending. (If you want to go heavier with liquids I suggest you purchase the Moleskine Watercolor Notebook. The pages are just large enough to give you good room yet small enough so the book is portable. The book bends far enough past the first 2 pages so you can actually draw across the pages. I use my book front to back not leaving one sheet uncovered and can draw horizontal landscapes thanks to the ability to use 2 pages at once. There is a small pocket on the back to store small sheets of paper and random things you might find while wandering the streets looking for inspiration. The hard cover is very thick and sturdy plus it has so many pages for this low low price. You can't beat it. My only regret is not having owned one sooner! I will never go back to other brands. Now if only they made larger sizes... :) Edit: January 2014 - Yes, the Folio series was released after this review was written, providing larger format sketchbooks. HOWEVER the paper quality is NOT the same. The pages are much thinner, and the color is different. More of a light, minty color as the classic sketchbooks are a warm beige.

There is no doubt that moleskines are all around GREAT sketchbooks. The pages in this one are nice and thick and they have an off white color that many people really like. Dry mediums fare very well in these, but wet mediums in my experience will buckle the page. that however is quickly fixed by just leaving the book closed for a bit! Buckled pages give a sketchbook personality, in my opinion. Now my warning for those who are new to art (and please hear me out): DON'T BUY THIS. My reason being that the nice quality & price of this book might intimidate you. If you buy this chances are that you will feel PRESSURED to make every page a masterpiece, and this just makes filling out the sketchbook MUCH HARDER THAN IT SHOULD BE. I am not speaking for everyone, but I know this was a problem for me, and I know many fellow artists who had this problem; using moleskines only served to slow us down. Sketchbooks are supposed to be a free space, you're not supposed to feel pressure/stress when drawing. You are free to buy this book and try it out, but if you're experiencing what I described here, please close the book and put it away for the time being. Stick to cheaper sketchbooks: you won't feel that pressure holding you back and you'll be free to fill many pages, and improve at a quicker pace as a result. There is also the bonus of not feeling the guilt that comes with buying an expensive $16-18 sketchbook only to not use it.

this is my second sketchbook from moleskine and i can definitely say these are worth the money. these sketchbooks are sturdy and the paper is faniomal. i truely cannot express how much i love these sketchbooks, they are genuinely the best ones i have ever used before. my previous one lasted me a year and its still in great condition unlike my others from a different brand. i love the size, its perfect for my bag and general use. its not to big and not to small. it takes markers like a champ as well, unlike the brand i used to use. i will say that alcohol markers do slightly bleed through but i very rarely use them so its not an issue. i mainly use crayola super tips and tombow markers. if you have the extra money then i would highly recommend this sketchbook!

This was a gift for my artistic granddaughter. I had it shipped directly to her home so I didn’t see it but she seemed to love it and was thankful to her granny for the gift.

I love the quality of this sketchbook. I mostly use ink and colored pencils. The heavy ink usage doesn’t bleed into the other side of the page. The paper feels thick and feels like it can handle multimedia with no problem. I like that it comes with a ribbon as a book mark, and that it comes in different sizes. My size is perfect for bringing with me in my bag and to be able to get creative on the spot. It was worth the money.