A Guide To Artgecko Sketchbooks

Dive into our diverse portfolio of products tailored to everyone's needs. Navigating the labyrinth of stationery shopping, whether in-store or online, can sometimes leave you in a quandary. The perfect sketch pad or sketchbook often remains in your cart, never quite making it to your creative workspace. This guide aims to streamline your shopping experience, helping you zero in on the right paper type, sketchbook, or sketch pad. We endeavour to transform your stationery shopping into an enjoyable and efficient process.

Flagship Sketchbooks

Our flagship range starts with the perennial customer favourite - the Classy Gecko. This product line is an artist's delight, catering to various creative ideas and mediums. Featuring high-quality 150gsm cartridge paper, these sketchbooks can accommodate a myriad of techniques - from sketching, drawing, mixed media practices, charcoal work, to light watercolour washes. The Classy Geckos are sold in two binding styles: case-bound for a professional journal aesthetic, and twin-wire sketchbooks that lay flat for ease of use. Both styles come with a soft touch, wipe-clean black hardcover, and a textured green protective sheet, courtesy of the Artgecko brand, gracing the front of the paper pages. This collection suits artists of all stripes, offering a range of sizes from A6 to A2, both in portrait and landscape orientation.

The Flashy Gecko range is for those who love a touch of colour in their sketchbooks. This series retains the Classy cartridge paper, perfect for accommodating pencils, pens, and other sketching media. The smooth covers come in an array of vibrant colours: raspberry, yellow, mint, and lilac, all in an A4 twin-wire format.

The Krafty Gecko line, brimming with Classy papers, is ideal for all mediums, even allowing for a light watercolour wash. The Krafty's covers are smooth, robust Kraft hardbacks, extending the realm of creativity beyond just the paper. Feel free to personalise the cover with your unique doodle art! These come in sizes A5 to A3 and a 300mm square, in twin wire, both portrait and landscape. The Krafty Gecko is the quintessential sketchbook for professional artists, amateurs, and student artists alike.

The Swanky Gecko series is designed for those who prefer to keep their sketchbooks neat and compact. These come wrapped in flexible, vegan-friendly faux leather with 124 pages of Classy cartridge paper to store all your charcoal, pen, and pencil sketches. These are perfect for on-the-go sketching and come in convenient A5 and A4 sizes. With the Swanky Gecko sketch journals, you carry class wherever you go.

Eco Gecko is our green warrior, looking similar to Classy but boasting a 100% recycled all-media paper composition. This eco-friendly variant accommodates a plethora of drawing techniques and even withstands light watercolour washes. Available in twin wire A4 and A3, portrait - this is the sketchbook for the environmentally conscious artist.

The Freestyle range is designed with the paint marker art enthusiast in mind. With super smooth pages, courtesy of our Bristol Board and marker paper hybrid, you can layer paint markers with ease, avoiding page puckering and bleed-through. This range is perfect for artists wanting more from their sketchbooks. Sketchbooks are available in twin wire A4 and A5, portrait format.

Splashy Gecko sketchbooks are filled with 300gsm watercolour paper, perfect for pencil sketching, watercolour painting, and many drawing techniques. These are available in twin wire, portrait, and landscape in A3 and A4.

Catering to fans of tonal drawing, Shady Gecko offers sheets of 200gsm toned card suitable for pencil sketching, drawing pens, and even painting. This range includes tones like Jet Black, Desert Sand, Ash Grey, and Storm Grey. They come in twin wire A4, A3, and a 300mm square, both portrait, and landscape.

The Stashy Gecko range features two books which are versatile enough for sketching or even as unique photo album displays. Sized 300mm squared with 170gsm Kraft and 200gsm Jet Black card, these are skip-bound twin wire books with a ribbon to keep your memories secure.

Sketch Pads

For those preferring a sketch pad over a sketchbook, our PRO Range has all our paper varieties to offer. Great for drawings on the go and individual drawing paper requirements, the PRO Range includes an All Media Pad, Watercolour Pad, Toned Pad, Marker Pad, and Bristol Board Pad. Exclusive paper types like the Acrylic Pad and the Pro Tracing Pad are also available in this range. All PRO sketch pads are A3 and A4 with a smooth matte laminate cover, featuring artwork from our #artgeckogallery.

The Sketch Tiles in this sketch pad range are Instagram-friendly art pads in a 148mm x 148mm square, filled with Toned Jet Black card and Watercolour paper. We also have an A6 Watercolour Postcard pad!

Creative ideas

With an Artgecko Sketchbook, every art project is set to come to life, and your artistic techniques can only flourish. With our wide range of sketch pads, books, and drawing paper catering to amateurs, artists, students, or hobbyists, there's something for everyone. It's time to check out those items from your basket! Find Artgecko Sketchbooks in stock on our online store, and also at several other retailers. Don't hesitate to empty that basket at the checkout!

FAQS

Is A4 or A5 sketchbooks better?

The choice between A4 and A5 sketchbooks largely depends on your specific needs, preferences, and the nature of your artistic work.

A4 sketchbooks are generally better for large, detailed works. They offer more space for your creativity to unfold and can be particularly beneficial if you're working on complex compositions or practising techniques where having more surface area can be advantageous. They're also excellent for displaying your artwork as they're closer to standard frame sizes. However, they're bulkier than A5 sketchbooks, which might be a concern if you're looking for portability.

On the other hand, A5 sketchbooks are compact and easier to carry around, making them a perfect choice for artists who like to sketch on the go or who enjoy plein-air drawing. Their smaller size can make them less intimidating for beginners, and they can also be a great choice for creating a visual diary or a daily sketch practice. However, they offer less space, which might be limiting for larger, more complex pieces.

What sketchbooks do artists use?

Artists utilise a broad selection of sketchbooks, each tailored to their distinct style, medium, and specific requirements. Here's a look at two options from the Artgecko collection that artists might choose:

The Classy Gecko sketchbook range is a favourite among artists seeking versatile, high-quality paper. Featuring sturdy 150gsm cartridge paper, these sketchbooks are suitable for sketches, drawings, charcoal, and light watercolour washes. They come in a professional journal style with a tactile, soft touch, wipe-clean black hardcover. It's a versatile choice for artists who use a variety of media.

For those with a taste for vibrant aesthetics, the Flashy Gecko sketchbooks might be the perfect fit. These boast the same high-quality Classy cartridge paper but add a dash of colour to the artist's toolkit with smooth covers available in shades of raspberry, yellow, mint, and lilac. This range allows artists to express their creativity both inside and on the cover of their sketchbooks.