Review on Stillman & Birn Alpha Series Softcover Sketchbook, 5.5" x 8.5", 150gsm (Heavyweight), White Paper, Medium Grain Surface - Enhanced for SEO by Amber Perez

My last sketchbook was a 500 series mixed media hardcover of the same format. I decided to try this album because I wanted something lighter but still thick enough paper for watercolor and mixed media. The paperback took a little getting used to, especially the first few pages for left-handers, as the sketchbook cover doesn't offer any real support or stability. A compromise between paperback and hardcover. But once I got used to it, it turned out that it wasn't bad at all. I've read about three quarters of the book now, I've used a variety of pencils, pens and ink, watercolors, watercolor pencils and watercolor crayons, collage and mixed media with acrylic gel media. The paper is thinner than real watercolor paper but handles wet environments well. I was able to wash and blot my watercolors even without paper pellets. There's often slight warping, but it doesn't feather and the pages dry relatively evenly. Flat enough to easily draw on the opposite side of each page. It's also pretty easy to keep the book open and flat while you're drawing. I use staples to keep the pages absolutely flat when trying to photograph the pages, but don't worry about it when I'm sketching. withstand less than two months of carrying time in the backpack and pull a lot. I then added a series of photos of the interior - starting with pencil sketches and simply flipping through the book, photographing several consecutive spreads. So the little boy's watercolor is on the back of the screaming girl's pencil sketch and so on and so forth. So you can see how the paper handles work on both sides. The only oddity I've come across is that my watercolors bleed onto the surface of the page from time to time. I assume it has to do with the paper size? Sometimes it almost seems like a resistance. But if you rub it a little, the problem will go away. I've also found that I have to wait a little longer for some ink to dry, including my de Atramentis black document ink. It stays wet and can smudge longer than I'm used to with other papers (like the Strathmore 500 series). If you found my review helpful, please click the helpful button below. Your likes really help me to keep making crazy photos and reviews.