When choosing a sketchbook for painting, an artist should keep several things in mind, like finish, sizing, binding, and firmness of the cover. With these factors in mind, we researched top-performing painting sketchbooks from brands beloved by everyday and professional artists.
Our top pick was the Canson XL Mix Media Paper Pad because it’s compatible with a variety of media, like acrylics, watercolor, pencil—whether they’re wet or dry. Plus, the heavyweight pages and fine texture surface are ideal for blending.
Here, the best sketchbooks for painting.
- Our Picks
- What to Look For
- Why Trust The Spruce
One of the few mixed media pads that actually works for both dry and wet media, this sketchpad is good for acrylics, watercolor, ink, pencil, pastel, and more. The pages are micro-perforated for easy separating, and the spiral binding and covers are both durable. A popular sketchbook with a cult following, it comes with heavyweight pages and a fine texture surface for easy blending and layering.
Best Overall
Canson XL Mixed Media Paper Pad
Acid-free
Paint won’t seep through
Available in multiple sizes
Some wished pages were thicker
Marker ink may seep through
The sketchbook is a decent size for a variety of sketches and paintings, and the binding can be opened to remove pages when desired, then replaced. The binding also allows each page to lie flat for optimal sketching or painting. It generally works well for an art journal or beginner art classes.
Dimensions: 7 x 10 inches | Sheet Count: 60 | Paper Finish: Fine textured
Rawan Ita-Diaz, fine artist and co-founder of The Art Spread, prefers this sketchpad when she uses acrylic paints. “The paper is as textured as canvas and thick enough to support acrylic paint without warping,” she says. It’s also excellent for oil painting, and is heavyweight, acid-free, and made in the USA. Available in several sizes, this sketchpad is ideal because although it mimics canvas, it’s much lighter and takes up far less space than a larger canvas.
Best for Acrylic
Strathmore 300 Series Canvas Pad
Flip-over cover allows easy in-pad work
Nice for small portfolio use
Great for art class projects
Only ten sheets per pad
Dimensions: 9 x 12 inches| Sheet Count: 10 | Paper Finish: Textured
Best Budget
Strathmore 300 Series Mixed Media Pad
Works for watercolor, acrylic, gouache, and more
Available in several sizes
Made in the USA
Thick pages with a smooth surface
Perforations may lead to page tearing
Marker ink may bleed through pages
Ideal for practicing paint techniques prior to work on a canvas, this sketchbook is also acid-free and made in the USA. The medium weight paper provided and the sizes available both ensure the sketchbook is easy to use and transport when desired. A superb go-to for nearly every type of medium, beginners and pros alike will appreciate its great value.
Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 inches | Sheet Count: 40 | Paper Finish: Vellum
Offering an excellent surface for oil paints, this sketchbook has a unique texture that allows paint to remain on the surface for optimal color impact and quick drying. You won’t need to prepare this pad with gesso or otherwise, as it’s sold conveniently ready to use. And while it’s designed for oil painting purposes, it can also be used for acrylics and watercolor.
Best for Oil
Arches Oil Painting Pad
Conveniently transportable
Strong oil barrier
Easy to frame
Deckled edges give a rustic, handmade look
Some felt it was too absorbent
The pad’s fold-over cover allows pages to be easily removed for framing or other display, and the deckled edges give a homemade, rugged look to the paper. Available in various sizes, this pad has excellent portability. Great for practicing oil painting techniques or stashing away 12 small masterpieces for safe-keeping, this pad is also 100 percent cotton and acid-free.
Dimensions: 12 x 16 inches | Sheet Count: 12 | Paper Finish: Cold-pressed, cotton
“This French-made sketchpad is of the highest quality, with outstanding absorbency and a light grain texture, superb for watercolor,” says Ita-Diaz. Also, since the cover is glued on only one edge, you’ll be able to easily remove pages for display as you wish.
Best for Watercolor
Arches Cold-Pressed Watercolor Pad
Made of 100 percent pure cotton
Available in several sizes
Great for easy blending
High quality and ideal for watercolor work
Some reported the paper buckles when wet
Uniquely treated with natural gelatin, these sketchbooks are optimally resilient. Considered a professional grade paper, this pad is adequate for small and medium projects of various types.
Dimensions: 9 x 12 inches | Sheet Count: 12 | Paper Finish: Cold-pressed watercolor
What to Look for in Sketchbooks for Painting
Paper Finish
For mediums like watercolor and acrylic, there are two major options of press finish. “A cold press is a rougher, textured type finish while a hot press is a smoother finish,” Rawan Ita-Diaz, fine artist and co-founder of The Art Spread, explains. “My favorite is the cold press finish because it shows off the natural texture of the fibers and creates a page that feels like velvet.”
Our top overall pick is the Canson XL Mixed Media Paper Pad, a true mixed media paper that works with both acrylics and watercolor as well as a range of other media, both dry and wet. If you’re seeking a more economical option, the Strathmore 300 Series Media Pad is remarkably affordable and accessible, comes available in three sizes, and offers paper suitable for a mixture of both wet and dry media.
For oil painting, the paper must be properly prepared, meaning it needs to either be coated with gesso, or primed (aka sealed) to prevent oil from being absorbed into the paper.
Sizing Options
Ita-Diaz advises to keep in mind the standard framing sizes when choosing the paper, plus where the artwork will be placed on the paper. “Choosing standard frame-sized paper allows the artwork to be displayed in a more economic and accessible frame,” she says.
Binding and Cover Style
Choose from spiral-bound sketchbooks that allow the artist to lay them perfectly flat while working, and perfect bound options where your sketchbook resembles a typical reading book. Cover firmness is a preference, too. While hardbound sketchbooks are sturdier and more protective, soft sketchbook covers are lightweight and travel more easily.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This roundup was created by KJ Callihan, a writer for The Spruce. Callihan has also written numerous shopping, gift, and activity guides for sites like AAA Northeast magazine, CNET, Oh My Veggies and more.
