Sketchbooks for Urban Sketching

There are many different styles of sketchbooks available to artists. Which is right for you? It depends on your style of drawing and the media you like to work with. In urban sketching, artists also consider the ease and convenience of sketchbooks to carry with them, either in tight urban locations or for travel sketching. Here are some of my favorite kinds of sketchbooks. How will you know which to choose? Try them! Try them all! Over and over again until your style and preference comes clear. The best part of being an artist is that the things you find the most fun are the things you need to be doing--over and over again. 

Simple Black Hardbound Sketchbooks

Three examples of black hardbound sketchbooks.
Small Black Sketchbooks
The sketchbooks I use the most, the ones I ALWAYS have with me, are the simple black hardbound books. My most common size is 5x7, which fits inside the green leather journal cover. I also use a smaller pocket size, a square wire-bound, and a 9x12 black sketchbook on occasion. The 5x7 fits in all my bags and is easy to pull out on location. I draw with ink pens, markers, and pencils. Dry media only. 

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Two pages scanned from small black sketchbook with character drawings and writing.
Character Sketches with Writings

Hand-Made Sketchbooks and Journals

Watercolor painting of the Old South Church in Boston
Old South Church, Boston, USA. Watercolor on Hot Press WC paper.
Hand-made sketchbooks are a delight. I'm so lucky that I have friends who like to make books and often give me sketchbooks as gifts! The best part about hand made books are that you can make them with your own choice of high-quality watercolor paper. I like to use hot press WC paper. It is smooth enough to use with all drawing materials and is ideal for wet media.

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Three hand-made books with watercolor paper.
Hand-made Sketchbooks or Journals

Sketchbooks with Unique Papers

Unusual papers with textures or colors can be fun and a nice alternative to plain white. The two on the left have tinted pages with textured fibers. The one on the right has a wide variety of textures, colors, and qualities. I often buy sketchbooks when I travel because the papers may be different than what I can usually find at home. Of course, that may mean a bit of experimentation is necessary. You never know how wet media, or even ink pens, will react to unknown paper types. This means I have to try them out. Try them all. Over and over again. What fun!

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Larger-Sized Sketchbooks for Urban Sketching

The best way to get started with urban sketching is to simply get out there and do it. Any sketchbook that you have on hand will work. Some artists like to work with larger sketchbooks, such as these 9x12 drawing pads. Some use as large as 11x14, but rarely much larger. Urban sketching is usually practiced in areas that are crowded with pedestrians or where you might not have a lot of time in one spot. 

Some urban sketchers use old found journals or even old ledger books. They have a lot of fun working on the unusual papers. Old white pages telephone books?

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