Strathmore 566-8 500 Series Hardbound Mixed Media Art Journal, 8.5x11 32 Sheets

I got this sketchbook in hopes to use it for watercolor practice since it’s 100% cotton, but it’s awful! The paper dries so quickly and after two layers of watercolor or trying to blend things out, the paper will start to pill. It warps horribly too. I thought ok maybe I’ll use it for alcohol markers but it’s not good for that either. It will also start to tear up the paper and using the markers in this sketchbook just feels weird. Like my markers are about to dry up. So far the only thing that works in the sketchbook is colored pencils. Doesn’t seem to be good for wet media but I haven’t tried everything. I just don’t think this is worth the money. There are better options for whatever media you’re interested in.

I bought this book for colored pencil sketches. Its ok - but I still like my Stillman & Birn books better for some reason. I think it might be the weight and tooth of the substrate.

My daughter likes it a lot, the ink and watercolor won’t go through the page. Good quality

The pages were way thicker and stiffer than I anticipated, they feel more like card stock than regular paper. So to lay the book flat, just fold the page down near the spine. It will sit wherever you fold it, as long as youre using the pages chronologically from beginning to end.

Pages are textured and thick. I will definitely buy another one when I fill up my current one. Pages will warp slightly when I use watercolor, but not a big deal.

Love Love Love...nothing better than this paper....fab service came so quickly my head is still spinning...

I like a lot of Strathmores products, but this isnt one of them. It is billed as sketch, and for pencil and ballpoint pen it seems fine. Anything else and it is pretty horrible. Even quickly writing with a brush pen or fountain pen spells trouble on this paper. Its beautifully bound and looks great, but if you want to do anything besides simply pencil, I would look elsewhere. Cansons Universal Sketch for instance can hold up to much (much much much) more than this paper can. Handling it, it seems very nice, but once you start using it, the paper doesnt seem like its the 60# its billed as.

Probably my favorite that Ive used so far since its prompted me to buy it nearly 3x. Can handle many wet washes too (I think I pretreated some pages though - by wetting it, then letting it dry flattened).

I bought this book for colored pencil sketches. Its ok - but I still like my Stillman & Birn books better for some reason. I think it might be the weight and tooth of the substrate.

Great quality and good for sketchbook practice, however delivery is slow.