Strathmore 566-5 500 Series Hardbound Mixed Media Art Journal, 5.5 x 8.5, White, 32 Count

I like it very much. Very good qualities

I got several of these journals at a ridiculously discounted price on Amazon - the bargain of the century. And I’m enjoying them because I got them for such a tiny price. If I’d paid regular price I’d have been disappointed, however. The booklet isn’t that sturdy - it’s soft cover so as you use it the binding shifts. Which means it doesn’t close nicely after a couple of uses. If you’re painting on both sides of the paper you’re painting on the back side of the paper half the time; and with this quality of paper (Not cotton rag) both sides are not equal. There’s a front side for painting and a back side for not painting. You can definitely tell the difference between the two and how the paper performs with the pigment. There’s a nice cold press side (good side) and a kind of weird almost fabric textured back side (not great). For the bargain basement price I paid for these journals I hit the lottery. At regular price there are much better watercolor journals out there for a few bucks more (moleskine, for example). I wouldn’t purchase these strathmore at regular price.

I guess cause this is bound to a back spine (like a book) it makes the paper bend - and when trying to draw that can get annoying.

I love these journals. I have a big hardbound journal as well as this for smaller projects. It takes water and paint like a charm too with hardly any warping of the page, and I can use both sides of these pages also. Some people might not be a fan of the texture of the paper though, sometimes it can be a little weird. But all in all, one of the best papers Ive tried.

Love this sketchbook! Great find for acrylic painting!

My daughter loves this. Perfect for drawing, painting.. with the hard cover can even use as a diary

Great for watercolor! I usually dont like using hardback sketchbooks because I find them difficult to draw in since the binding isnt very flexible, but this book is great for just splashing down color after color and not having to worry about the colors bleeding through onto the other page(s). Its lovely and I recommend it!

Amazing product! The paper is perfect for both acrylic and gouache paints. It doesnt tear or have any issues when a bit if water is added. The journal cover can be painted. Its the perfect journal for painting. The binding is tight but you can stretch it gently then tape down the pages and it lays perfectly.

Two stars for the cover, three down for the rest. I tried two of these notebooks and I had to return them both. In a nutshell, they do not work as you will expect: the notebook is hard to lay flat (impossible to work with, I would say), the paper is inconsistent in terms of grain and your can see how the orientation of the press was not considered whilst cutting it. Really low quality in my two copies. Avoid.

High quality paper, thick and truly suitable for all manner of media including watercolor, tempera and other sloppy stuff.