Sketch Book Reviews

[john smith0341]

There is a lot of books have been published and these books are easily available at every book stores.

[bigs]

Hi all,

was looking here in Oz and we don't have a supplier for the delicious red Canson Watercolour Sketchbook either. I wrote to Canson Australia and asked why....simple answer "we don't stock it". I then wrote back to say; and why not? And for that matter why is it not in the US market as there are people that I have seen practically screaming for a good quality heavy watercolour paper hardbound skecthbook - they may even kill for it .

I thought that I had been forgotten.........but today I received an email asking for the Greatart link so that the Aussie arm of the company could see what I was on about as they can't get the info???

If I hear of it becoming available here or in the States or anywhere where people can order and it will be sent overseas I shall let you all know.

Fingers crossed at this point that it isn't a "special order" just for that one outlet - or even if it is that the Company recognises that it will sell like little hotcakes in other places.

still keeping 'em crossed.

[vhere]

Originally Posted by CandAlArt

WOW I got my sample packet from Stillman & Birn today, beautiful stuff! AND Michael included a note apologizing for the delay in my request... (as if I would complain about a delay for a free sample) so he included a 5.5x8.5 Gamma sketchbook!!!!!!!

Some great paper company, eh? It is a gorgeous hardbound book with fab-oo heavy ivory paper. I am going to love it. Now I need a "theme" to honor such a nice book.

it's a lovely book - you are going to have fun with that


Hoplite if you look at my thread on S&B books you'll see I've thrown everything at them and they've behaved beautifully with all media. The Beta and Delta in particular are the most fantastic lovely heavy paper. Now available in hardback as well.

And that red covered Canson watercolour book is another I love and have thrown all sorts of media at!

[Yakfoot]

I have not been evaluating things for long. I have found that the ordinary Strathmore 400 series sketchbook w/ 60 lb. paper is hard to beat as a graphite pencil sketchbook for utilitarian purposes and it is the cheapest one I have found at about $5 online.

I have a Hand Book which has been a really big disappointment. It is a classy looking book but the paper is truly awful for pencil sketching, it is like trying to sketch on sandpaper. When you feel the paper with your finger it doesn't seem bad but once the pencil touches the paper it is just scratch scratch scratch. It seems to me like fingernails on the blackboard. I have found that it seems to take watercolor pencils ok. Another thing really do not like about the Hand Book is that it has two very different paper surfaces and one of them has a really rough texture besides both of them having a lot of scratchy tooth. Each leaf has one page that is rough and the other as sort of smooth. If you want to do a 2 page spread often you have to contend with different papers. This one is going to be strictly light watercolor applied with a brush. I can't stand touching it with a pencil.

I have just gotten a Mirage wire bound from Dick Blick. They are made in Canada and are a basic, no frills book with 75 lb. paper, and pretty inexpensive. The paper is smooth and nice for pencil (3B goes on smooth as butter). The paper is somewhat stiff and seems to have good sizing. I compared it with some 80 lb. drawing paper and it was very hard to detect any difference except the Mirage seemed to be better quality. It seems to do ok with watercolor pencil. The cover is just black,rough, stiff cardboard which seems pretty robust, and no writing or anything on the covers. I think I am going to decorate the cover with a night scene using pastels.

I also have a Cachet made by Daler Rowney with 70 lb. paper. It is so so for pencil but ok I guess. The paper is no where near as good as the 75 lb. Mirage. The DR will take very light watercolor or wc pencil but you have to be careful.

[DrDebby]

Welcome Yakfoot to Art Journal forum. Thank you for your reviews.

[JamieWG]

Here's a review I did of the new Stillman and Birn Zeta paper. You'll be seeing their sketchbooks with the Zeta paper shortly! http://hudsonvalleysketches.blogspot...-stillman.html

[DrDebby]

Thanks Jamie, for the review and pushing S&B to greater heights.

[CandAlArt]

I'd love to read more reviews on the Zeta paper! Sounds good for a lot of media. I have tried a little bit of smooth paper, like Bristol and cardstock, and always thought I "wasn't supposed to like" that, LOL. Like toothy bumpy watercolor paper was the "right" stuff. But I don't like wc paper for anything... another lol there. I enjoy many watersoluble pencils and pens with light waterbrush, also regular pencils, Tombows, pens, crayons. Anyone tried oil pastels on Zeta? I enjoyed trying that before. This is the first time I have heard of this smooth & heavy kind of paper available in a spiral (or any) sketchbook. Everything else was only tape bound and a pain to store. All opinions welcomed!!

[CandAlArt]

Googled for info & it seems the Zeta will not be available before summer. Aw, gee. Well it is something to look forward to.

[JamieWG]

Originally Posted by CandAlArt

Googled for info & it seems the Zeta will not be available before summer. Aw, gee. Well it is something to look forward to.

Candace, where did you see that information? Last I heard (which was about a week ago), they'd be ready around the very end of February.

Jamie

[vhere]

Originally Posted by CandAlArt

I'd love to read more reviews on the Zeta paper! Sounds good for a lot of media. I have tried a little bit of smooth paper, like Bristol and cardstock, and always thought I "wasn't supposed to like" that, LOL. Like toothy bumpy watercolor paper was the "right" stuff. But I don't like wc paper for anything...

I realised over the years that I prefer a smooth/ish paper. I want the textures to be ones I create, not a repetitive pattern forced on me by the paper. I do like smoother watercolour papers but also really like good quality paper like the S&Bs.

[CandAlArt]

Originally Posted by JamieWG

Candace, where did you see that information? Last I heard (which was about a week ago), they'd be ready around the very end of February.

Jamie

That's good news! Yes I googled "Zeta sketchbook never released" and the reply- I rechecked - was from someone in Berlin. Another poster said Jan. So yippee maybe soon in "a store near you" LOL!

Viv, I'm glad to hear you like smooth papers - I love your work. Now I don't feel "politically incorrect" on paper preferences.

[Hoplite]

A representative from S&B noted to me that the Zetas started shipping on the 26th, and should start appearing on the shelves within the next week (10 days at that point). So, Any Day Now.

[big foot]

I just got a hardbound Zeta a few days ago. It's terrific for mixed media, including watercolor. The smooth surface is wonderful for pen & ink drawing. I'm using soft pastels - with a light mist of spray sealer -, watercolors, Pitt pens and Modge Podge, and it takes all that AND lays open reliably. HIGHLY recommend it.

Certainly as with most mixed media paper and even watercolor paper, you can't hit Zeta with a tsunami or it understandably will protest (curl & buckle a bit). But it's declared itself as mixed media, not watercolor paper. So, light to medium washes work fine - and again, I only used a light mist of pastel sealer/spray too..Zeta can take on a good balance of different kinds of media.

You can check out a lot of other comments on Zeta at S&B's Facebook page. A lot of people post their work there too. It's worth liking S&B and/or checking back at the S&B FB page regularly. People post really lovely work:

https://www.facebook.com/Stillmanandbirn?ref=ts&fref=ts

Also, this is a very detailed review showing a mixture of work created on Zeta paper:

http://lifeimitatesdoodles.blogspot....eta-paper.html

Scroll down to the bottom of this review and there are several links to other reviews of Zeta as well, including Jamie WG's.

I am a die hard wire-bound book girl. And my next Zeta will likely be wire-bound. But there is something really nice about S&Bs hardbounds overall - that I noticed with this Zeta. I am repeating myself.. but this book really lays open without having to use the great jaws of a binder clip or weigh down the corners with a whatever's handy. :-) Just on its own. So you can truly use two side by side pages without worrying that the book will creep closed on you. That by itself is extraordinary and is true for all S&B hardbounds. Yay! Great mixed media paper that's bound to lay flat.

Abby

[DrDebby]

Abby, thanks for this great review.