November 1, 2021Ijiserure

All My Sketchbooks:

Hello Everybody! How are you all doing today?

Welcome to my new post!

I have created art for as long as I can remember. But it hasn’t been a decade since I’ve started to use a true sketchbook. I have no clue why didn’t I start earlier. But I do remember my childhood using lined notebooks. Did it ever occur to me to use blank paper instead? Yes, I have. So I got myself a laboratory notebook, it’s a regular school notebook, but it has no lines on its pages. It worked, but deep inside I knew that this wasn’t what I needed. 

Most of my old drawings were drawn on regular copy paper. It is quite difficult to store them all as I have a ton of them. Is worse when it comes to coloring. The only medium I can use is colored pencils. As any type of wet medium could destroy the paper. And markers are not the exception. I can already see through the paper with the India ink markers I used to use for the line-art.

Work in Progress

  • Leuchtturm Sketchbook
  • Moleskine Watercolor Journal
  • Strathmore Watercolor 400 Series
  • Strathmore Watercolor Travel Journal
  • Leda Art Supply Sketchbook
  • Stillman & Birn Zeta Series
  • Strathmore Mixed Media 500 Series
  • Canson XL Watercolor Sketchbook

It wasn’t until Christmas of 2011 that I decided to buy my first sketchbook. For some reason, I don’t remember buying one before ever in my life. And this was the first time that I bought something online. The sketchbook wasn’t that great, but anything was better than copy paper. I still can’t believe that it has never occurred to me to get one from the local art supply store. I don’t know what was I thinking back then. I had money, I had allowances. So it wasn’t because I was broke. I didn’t know any better.

Now almost a decade later, I have moved past my old sketchbook and now exploring every option I have. I never knew that there were so many brands, styles, and types of sketchbooks. And don’t get me started on the paper’s weight and smoothness of the sheet. So far I have two favorite brands. But that never stops me from trying something new. The problem is that I can’t stop buying more. Now I have more journals than one person can handle. So now my goal is to fill up a sketchbook as fast as possible. And if I am good enough, I’ll try to fill them up with masterpieces. It is hard but doable. But it is a little stressful too.

Complete Journals

  • Canson XL Watercolor Journal
  • Leda Art Supply Sketchbook
  • Canson XL Mix Media
  • Fabriano Sketchbook

Right now I have different sketchbooks for various purposes. Completed and unfinished sketchbooks, Creative books, Scrapbooks, and Art Journals. I also have a ton of new sketchbooks and journals, and some are a work in progress. I don’t want to count the ones that I’ve abandoned, or left them back at my parent’s house. If I did, the list would be up to 50 or 60 journals. I have a lot. But I’ll try my hardest to make sure they were all worth it. 

So far, I’ve wasted one sketchbook and abandoned 5. The one I wasted was a Strathmore Visual Journal. I used it as a swatch journal. I would test out some watercolors on the page to see how they looked before using them. The idea was great but the choice of sketchbook was wrong because that was a very good sketchbook. The problem was that I didn’t know what to do with it. The journals I abandoned are all from the same brand. I knew why I bought it, but I hate the fact that I did it. This brand or those types of journals suck. I will never buy from Arteza again. For a watercolor journal, it fails to do its job.

Unfinished Sketchbooks

  • Canson XL Mix Media Sketchbook Large
  • Canson XL Mix Media Sketchbook Large
  • Canson XL Mix Media Sketchbook Medium
  • Canson XL Watercolor Sketchbook Medium
  • Watson & Guptill Sketchbook

If I ever have the temptation to buy another sketchbook or journal. I’ll have to be the Strathmore Visual Mixed Media and the Watercolor. I want to use it as it was intended to. And I would buy another Smash Book before they are 100% discontinued. They are hard to find these days. And there is one style that I regret not buying when I could. So If I find it I will not give it a second thought and get it.

New Sketchbooks

  • Canson XL Mix Media Sketchbook Large
  • Canson XL Mix Media Sketchbook Large
  • Grumbacher Watercolor Sketchbook
  • Canson Montval Watercolor Sketchbook
  • Strathmore Toned Gray Sketchbook
  • Leuchtturm Sketchbook
  • HandBook Journal Watercolor
  • Stillman & Birn Beta Journal
  • Stillman & Birn Beta Sketchbook
  • Canson XL Mix Media Sketchbook
  • Grumbacher Mix Media Pad

Not going to lie, back at my parent’s house I have a huge sketchbook I bought a few years ago. Now I have no clue what the hell am I going to do with it. Would I be able to bring it with me to the States? The sketchbook is big and heavy. It is the “The Very Big Sketchbook”. What was I thinking when I decided to buy that? I still think the sketchbook is neat. But it will suit me for the time of art style I am working on. Crossing my fingers that it can handle against watercolor and mixed media. That is why I use heavy papers for those mediums.

Random Journals

  • Dylusions Creative Journal Large
  • Lay Flat Create Journal
  • K&Company Smash Book
  • Dylusions Creative Journal Medium
  • Dylusions Creative Journal Small
  • K&Company Smash Book Mini

There are some pads that I didn’t include, like Bristol, Vellum, and Calligraphy pads. Like I said before, I bought almost everything. But at the same time, it feels like I have nothing. Especially when I find out about a new art brand I’ve never heard of. And it’s better if I don’t know about it. It will kill me inside if I don’t have it. So what I have is more than enough. All I have to do now is work my way into completing as many sketchbooks as I can. Without burning myself out that is. Don’t worry, I have enough ideas to fill up to nine (9) journals. 

Watercolor Papers

  • Arches Watercolor Hot Press
  • Fabriano Artistico Watercolor Cold Press
  • Strathmore 500 Series Watercolor Hot Press
  • Strathmore 500 Series Watercolor Cold Press
  • Canson PleinAir Watercolor Artboard

And there you have it, another regular art post. There is so much to do with so little time. There is always something new to do. And my list keeps piling up. At least I wrote this ahead of time in advance. So October is over. Let me go prepare for the Holidays now. There are a lot of things to prepare before December gets here. Not going to lie, I am excited, I only dread the fact of how much money I’ll have to spend. As long as I get the Christmas I’ve been wanting for a long time, it will all be worth it.

So please wish me good luck and I hope you have a nice day!

Do not forget to give me a visit at The Senspirational ArtRoom. All I need is your support and you can do so by going to my Patreon page. Or go to see my older drawings at DeviantArt. There are also many other sites that I am currently active in. Never forget to add me on Facebook, Twitch, Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest. Well, I’ll leave now. Be nice to others and have a nice day!

See you all later and take care,

from Ijiserure.