The little black book every artist should own. The Art Spectrum Black Hard Cover Journal A5 holds 60 sheets of 110gsm acid free, FSC cartridge paper with a white toothed surface, made for all dry techniques, inside a classic black hard cover.

It is the sketchbook we hand to anyone who says they cannot draw. Small, plain, unfussy, and begging to be filled with bad first attempts that turn into good ones.

What Is in the A5 Black Journal

A5 is the sketchbook size that actually leaves the house. We carry ours to cafes, on the tram and to galleries, and the black hard cover gives you something firm to lean on when there is no table in sight.

The white toothed cartridge paper has just enough grip for graphite, coloured pencil, fineliner and charcoal pencils. It is designed for dry techniques, so keep the heavy water for a watercolour book.

Why We Keep One in Every Bag

• Pocket friendly. A5 goes everywhere you do.
• Toothy white paper. Grips pencil and pen for crisp, readable lines.
• Hard cover. A built in drawing board for sketching on the go.
• Plain pages. No lines to fight, just space to think and draw.

How We Use It

Date every page and write a few words beside your sketches: where you were, what you noticed, what you would try next time. A journal with notes is twice as useful when you flick back through it.

Pair it with a fineliner, a 2B pencil and a couple of markers for a kit that fits in a pencil case.

Questions About the Art Spectrum Black Hard Cover Journal A5