Admittedly, I bought this sketchbook because the cover was red and I am on a red kick this year. Last year it was moonglow and the year before that it was turquoise. What can I say? #colormood
You can find this sketchbook listed HERE on Amazon.
As a side note, I have used Moleskine planners and sketchbooks in the past. The quality is decent, usable for my purposes but nothing to write home about. I know they have changed their watercolor paper several times in the past but I am not so familiar with their products to have noticed this.
For starters, I just want to clarify that this Moleskine sketchbook is NOT a watercolor sketchbook. It is from their ART Collection product line and has smooth ivory colored paper. The packaging describes it as follows, "Made using pigmented pulp, this rich sketch-grade paper stands up to eraser use and provides a great base for a wide variety of media. Ideal for Moleskine Drawing Pencils and Moleskine Pens (I didn't know they made pens?), as well as pastels, charcoal, fountain pens, and markers."
104 pages, 111 lb./165 gsm acid-free paper, 5" x 8.25" with expandable inner pocket.
First Impressions:

Performance:

Final Thoughts:
Overall, I would say that I have thoroughly enjoyed the use of this sketchbook, however, that is directly related to the purpose I had in mind. I bought this knowing the quality of the paper with the intention of using it as a "no pressure zone" to create. Due to the fact that it is not watercolor paper, it liberates me of having any self-imposed expectations or responsibility to "make something good". I am free to experiment, splash around, and work more roughly than I usually do. It encourages me to sketch more often because it has been designated as a safe area where I can simply play. There is a shift that happens mentally when we pull out the good paper and suddenly feel obliged to make something we are proud of but I truly believe that creativity needs more space to flourish and that this is just a trick of the mind. At the end of the day, it is just paper and we shouldn't let a thing like paper become an obstacle that stands in the way of artistic expression. This is something I have been working on overcoming and it is still a work in progress.
While I am happy with this sketchbook as a creative outlet I would say that it does not replace an actual watercolor paper sketchbook. I am still on the hunt for a sketchbook that does all the things I want it to do and I have several new sketchbooks in my collection that I am itching to test out now that this one is complete. Hope that you found this review helpful. Sometimes you just have to buy things because they are RED! ❤️
Thanks so much for reading and if you would like to get a page by page look at this sketchbook, please see the video below.
I used one of these earlier this year (the pocket size), and I enjoyed playing around with it. Now that I have practiced and learned a bit more, this would not be my first choice for watercolor, but I might try it for colored pencil only. I often experience the intimidation of sitting down with “good” paper and feeling obligated to create something perfect!
Yes! I agree! It’s really not meant for watercolor but helps with that intimidation factor. Thank you so much for reading and leaving a comment!