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

Bought this thinking it would be good for my alcohol markers (Copic, Promarkers) but unfortunately it bleeds thru very heavily. The paper itself has a heavier tooth and is not ideal for my application with ballpoint. I will be going back to Crescent RENDR sketchbooks.

First I will say that I don’t think I bought this on Amazon. I think I bought it locally. Having said that, I’ve had it for many years and I NEVER really liked it for watercolor. It doesn’t show off paint color very well, and now that I’ve had it for over 5 years, I think it’s well-passed it’s expiration. That’s right. Because of the gelatin in watercolor papers, they do expire after a while. The sizing (coating) breaks down, and what you are left with is paper that sucks in the paint and dulls it. This is 100% cellulose- wood pulp that has been treated. Not cotton. And now that I think about it, it likes to hang on to graphite marks too, no matter how lightly I hold the pencil. Difficult to erase. Overall I would not recommend this product unless it’s all that was available if you needed a journal- type watercolor set-up. Whatever you get, try to use it up so that you are not stuck with useless paper later. Watercolor paper is pricey, but use it or lose it!

For Professional Artists who love working with all sorts of mediums: I LOVE this book. I draw with Strathmore graphite pencils, mechanical pencils, watercolor pencils and colored pencils. The pages have great textures for all of them. There’s too different types of teeth, one for each side. They erase very well and don’t smear too much. When using watercolor, try not to overdo the water amount and it won’t get too crinkly. Plus, when one dries, you can try compacting the book on the floor with other books to help flatten the work out. I also recommend a perforating tool (which you can buy on amazon) if you want to have a hardbound where you can safely remove pages. I recommend the Excel perforation tools. Just be sure to bend the page back and forth gently before tearing. This isn’t a “lie-flat” book, but it’ll eventually lay flatter the more you use it. So for me, personally, it handles all my mediums and I can just have fun with it. It’s solid, beautifully made and everything you’d expect from this well-known company. I love the large size I got. I was like a kid in a candy store when I pulled it out of the box and opened its thick white pages.

Great for wet mediums.

Great price for practice. But not for professional use. The paper cannot absorb enough water and colors can’t spread smooth on the top. One good for wet on wet technique but if you only paint one layer of color, it’s ok.

This is a great quality journal and I am looking forward to using it in my art journalling. The paper quality is brilliant and holds up to a variety of different paints and pencils with no rippling effect.

jétait tellement contente de trouver un cahier a dessin a couverture rigide de cette grandeur a ce prix. Je Laime beaucou, beau rendu sauf que les page gondole un peu avec leau...je vais essayer de repasser les pages arrière pour voir si je ne peu pas les remettre droite... cest un peu dommage, si non je vais lutiliser que pour le dessin et non pour laquarelle.

They dont mention that its 34 pages.. Not 64

Gift was loved.

Best book for prefect art