A sketchbook is one of the most personal tools an artist owns. The right one disappears into your practice — you stop thinking about it and just draw. The wrong one fights you at every turn. Here's how to find yours, with picks from what we carry at CzipLee.
1. Size — Match It to How You Work
The most common mistake is buying too large. A big sketchbook feels ambitious but often ends up unused because it's not portable enough to carry daily. Start with A5 or A6 if you want something you'll actually use.
- A6 / Passport size — fits in a pocket, ideal for travel sketching and quick studies
- A5 — the sweet spot for most people. Portable but with enough space to work comfortably
- A4 / A3 — for studio work, larger compositions, or when you need room to spread out
2. Paper Weight — Know What You're Drawing With
Paper weight determines how the surface handles your medium. Thin paper (under 100gsm) will buckle with wet media and bleed through with markers. For watercolour, go 200gsm or above — 300gsm is the standard for serious work.
- 80–100gsm — pencil, ballpoint, fine liner. Not suitable for wet media.
- 120–160gsm — light washes, brush pen, gouache in thin layers
- 170gsm+ — watercolour, heavy ink, mixed media
- 300gsm — dedicated watercolour blocks and pads; stays flat when wet
3. Binding — Hardcover, Wirebound, or Block
- Hardcover — protects the book and gives you a firm surface to draw on without a table. Best for travel and daily carry.
- Wirebound — pages lie completely flat, easy to tear out. Good for studio use and sharing work.
- Block (glued edges) — sheets stay flat while wet because they're bound on all four sides. The standard format for watercolour paper. Peel off each sheet when dry.
4. Our In-Stock Picks
Clairefontaine — Our Core Sketchbook Brand
Clairefontaine is the French paper brand we trust most for consistent quality across all formats. Smooth, well-made, and fountain-pen friendly.
- Clairefontaine Sketchbook Wirebound — 24x30cm, 100 sheets — large-format wirebound with smooth French paper. Ideal for studio sketching. Pages lie completely flat.
- Clairefontaine Flying Spirit — 15.5x15.5cm, Kraft — compact square format with a warm kraft cover. Great for travel and everyday sketching.
- Clairefontaine Learning Pad No.3 — Watercolour, 300g — 300gsm watercolour paper in a convenient pad. Great for practising wet media techniques.
- Clairefontaine Learning Pad No.4 — Watercolour, A4, 300g — same quality in A4 format.
Watercolour Blocks & Pads
- Arches Watercolour Block — 300gsm, 14x20", 20 sheets — the gold standard in watercolour paper. French-made, 100% cotton, Cold Press. The block format keeps sheets flat while you work.
- Arches Watercolour Block-R — 300gsm, 12x16", 20 sheets — same quality in a slightly smaller format.
- Syamal Watercolour Pad — A2, 200g, 30 sheets — a large-format, affordable option for practice and loose work. Good value for the size.
- Syamal Watercolour Pad — A2, 300g, 30 sheets — step up to 300gsm for more serious watercolour work at a generous size.
- Bockingford Watercolour Pad — 300g, Cold Press, 14x10" — a reliable, affordable Cold Press pad. Great for practice and everyday painting.
Sketchbooks for Mixed Media & Illustration
- Ousidian 9K Hardcover Sketchbook — 170gsm, 32 pages — thick, smooth paper in a sturdy hardcover. Handles light watercolour washes, brush pen, and ink well.
- Arto Hardcover Sketchbook A3 — 140g, 80 sheets, Black Paper — for artists working with white ink, gel pens, or metallic markers on dark paper.
- Traveler's Notebook Passport Refill 015 — Watercolour Paper — watercolour-ready paper in the classic passport format for Traveler's Notebook users.
Quick Reference
| Use case | Size | Weight | Our pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily carry / travel | A5 or smaller | 120gsm+ | Clairefontaine Flying Spirit |
| Watercolour practice | A4–A5 | 300gsm | Clairefontaine Learning Pad No.3 or No.4 |
| Serious watercolour | 12x16" or 14x20" | 300gsm | Arches Watercolour Block |
| Large practice sheets | A2 | 200–300gsm | Syamal Watercolour Pad |
| Studio sketching | A4–A3 | Any | Clairefontaine Wirebound |
| Mixed media / ink | A5 | 170gsm+ | Ousidian 9K Hardcover |
| Dark paper illustration | A3 | 140gsm | Arto Black Paper Hardcover |
Visit Us In-Store
Come and feel the paper before you commit — we have most of these open for you to try at Bangsar Village II. Or browse our full sketchbook and paper range online.
Also worth reading: our Notebook Paper Guide for fountain pen writers, and our Watercolour Beginner's Guide if you're just starting out with paint.