Top 5 compared
The best sketchbooks
Somewhere to doodle on the bus, practice for art class or keep up a sketch a day.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra. How this works
The top 5 at a glance
A sketchbook is a bound book or pad of plain drawing paper, made to be drawn in rather than written in. The kinds differ mostly in the paper, which is sold by weight in gsm: lighter sketch paper suits pencil, colored pencil and charcoal, while heavier mixed-media paper copes with markers, ink and light watercolor washes. Bindings vary too, from spirals that fold right back and tear-out pads to hardcovers that open flat.
Paper weights here are in gsm as each maker gives them; the pound figures beside them don’t line up from one maker to the next, so compare gsm with gsm. Melissa & Doug’s pads are made for children from three, with heavyweight bond paper that takes crayon, marker, chalk and paint.
What matters
- A small book to carry, or 9 x 12 in for class.
- A binding that lies flat, and stiff covers to lean on.
- Acid-free paper, for drawings worth keeping.
#1Fuxi Sketch Book (9 × 12 in, 100 sheets)
$10–$20
A hundred sheets of bright white 100gsm drawing paper with a light tooth that holds graphite, colored pencil and charcoal and stands up to plenty of erasing. It’s bound at the top, so the coil stays clear of a drawing hand, and rigid covers front and back turn it into a drawing board on the go.
What owners say: Graphite, colored pencils and watercolor markers all sit well on it, owners say, and the textured surface holds shading without spoiling the line; the size suits daily practice, though a few find the pages thin for heavier media.
Heads up: Fuxi makes it for dry media and says it isn’t for watercolor, alcohol markers or acrylics, so keep wet work for a mixed-media book.
A closer look: With the coil along the top, left- and right-handed artists alike can draw without a wrist resting on wire. Sheets tear out cleanly along the perforations for handing in classwork or pinning up a finished piece, and the stiff back means a lap or a park bench will do for a desk.
- Spiral along the top edge
- Takes plenty of erasing
- Perforated sheets tear cleanly
- Rigid front and back covers
- Acid-free paper
Best for: Dry media and art-class homework
- Size
- 9 × 12 in
- Paper
- 100gsm (68 lb)
- Sheets
- 100
#2Melissa & Doug Drawing Paper Pad 3-Pack (9 × 12 in, 50 sheets each)
$10–$20
Three tear-off pads of heavyweight bond paper, 50 sheets each, made for children from three: crayons, markers, chalk, poster paint and even watercolor all go on it, and a finished page tears out cleanly for the fridge door. Melissa & Doug has been making children’s toys and art supplies for more than 35 years.
What owners say: Three pads in one pack is what owners like most, and they hand them to children who draw, color and stamp their way through them.
A closer look: Keep one pad in the car and one by the kitchen table, and the third stays fresh for a rainy day. Poster paint and watercolor are fine on it, but let a wet page dry flat before the next drawing lands on top of it; crayons and markers need no such care.
- Takes poster paint and watercolor
- Pages tear out cleanly
- FSC-certified paper
- Ages 3 and up
Best for: Children’s drawing and painting
- Size
- 9 × 12 in
- Paper
- Heavyweight bond
- Sheets
- 150 (3 pads of 50)
#3MOFUNY Mixed Media Sketchbook (9 × 12 in, 60 sheets)
$10–$20
Heavier 160gsm mixed-media paper for marker, ink, pastel and watercolor washes, and even acrylic and gouache, without warping the way thin sketch paper does. The spiral turns a full 360 degrees, and hard cardboard covers protect the work inside.
What owners say: Owners like how smooth and substantial the paper feels and use it for pencils, pastels, markers and watercolor, some for painting too; a few still get marker bleed-through.
A closer look: For heavier watercolor, tape the edges of the sheet to the back cover before painting and peel the tape off once it’s dry for a crisp white border. Sixty sheets go faster than a practice pad’s hundred, so this is the book for finished pieces rather than warm-up doodles.
- Spiral turns 360°
- Takes acrylic and gouache
- Hard cardboard covers
- Acid-free mixed-media paper
Best for: Paint, ink and markers
- Size
- 9 × 12 in
- Paper
- 160gsm (98 lb)
- Sheets
- 60
#4String & Space Artist’s Sketchbook, A5 (200gsm, 40 sheets)
Under $10
Thick 200gsm paper takes charcoal, colored pencil, oil pastel and watercolor, so one small book covers most of what an art class asks for. The wire binding folds right back, and the hard covers make drawing on a knee in a café or on a train easy.
What owners say: Owners rate the binding as sturdy and the heavy pages as a match for most art supplies, and they use it for art classes and mixed media; a little bleed-through turns up for some.
A closer look: The stiff covers give a firm surface when there’s no table, handy when out sketching. Forty sheets fill up quickly, so it suits a trip, a short course or a series of studies, with a bigger book at home for longer projects.
- Wire binding folds right back
- Firm surface without a table
- Takes charcoal and oil pastel
- Hard covers
Best for: Mixed media on the go
- Size
- 5.8 × 8.5 in (A5)
- Paper
- 200gsm (120 lb)
- Sheets
- 40
#5Moleskine Art Plus Sketchbook, Large (5 × 8.25 in, 104 pages)
$20–$30
A hardcover that goes everywhere, with an elastic band to keep it shut, an expandable pocket in the back and 165gsm acid-free ivory paper for dry media and light washes; it opens flat to 180 degrees. The name comes from the notebooks Bruce Chatwin wrote about in The Songlines; an Italian firm revived them as Moleskine in 1997.
What owners say: Ink, markers and colored pencils all work on the smooth, heavy paper, owners find, and the elastic strap keeps it shut in a bag; fine liners show through for some and not for others.
A closer look: Date the first page and it doubles as a travel journal, with the back pocket holding tickets and receipts from the day. The ivory paper suits pencil, ink and a light wash; for heavier painting, a mixed-media book makes the better partner.
- Opens flat to 180°
- Elastic closure and ribbon
- Expandable back pocket
- Acid-free ivory paper
- Hardcover
Best for: Travel journals and daily sketches
- Size
- 5 × 8.25 in
- Paper
- 165gsm (111 lb)
- Sheets
- 52 (104 pages)
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Fuxi 9 × 12 | #2Melissa & Doug 3-pack | #3MOFUNY Mixed Media | #4String & Space A5 | #5Moleskine Large |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for kids | Best premium | |||
| Picked Rating | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 |
| Price | $10–$20 | $10–$20 | $10–$20 | Under $10 | $20–$30 |
| Size | 9 × 12 in | 9 × 12 in | 9 × 12 in | 5.8 × 8.5 in (A5) | 5 × 8.25 in |
| Paper | 100gsm (68 lb) | Heavyweight bond | 160gsm (98 lb) | 200gsm (120 lb) | 165gsm (111 lb) |
| Sheets | 100 | 150 (3 pads of 50) | 60 | 40 | 52 (104 pages) |
| Best for | Dry media and art-class homework | Children’s drawing and painting | Paint, ink and markers | Mixed media on the go | Travel journals and daily sketches |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
Photos are illustrative, some computer-generated. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra. How we pick · How this works.
