It's Hip To Choose A Square Sketchbook! Reasons To Ditch A Rectangular Format

That moment when you finish a sketchbook brings a mix of emotions. Delight, relief, excitement, inspiration… and then a little dread. Questions start racing through your mind:

"What will go in my next sketchbook?"
"Which media should I choose?"
And most importantly… "what size and format should I pick?"

After a quick online search, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Conflicting advice, endless sketchbook brands, and format debates make choosing your next book, way harder than it needs to be. That’s why we’ve put together this guide! Created to explore why thinking outside the rectangle and going for square as your next sketchbook, could be the creative refresh you didn’t know you needed.

What’s So Great About a Square Sketchbook?

In a world dominated by rectangles, square sketchbooks are often overlooked. Formats like A4 and A3 are familiar choices, especially for anyone who studied art in school. It’s natural to stick with what you know. However, familiarity doesn’t always equal creativity. Traditional rectangular formats can unintentionally guide how you compose your work, which sometimes limits experimentation. A square sketchbook changes that dynamic entirely.

A Square Format Encourages a New Perspective

Square sketchbook pages, typically around 300×300mm (like in the Artgecko range), offer a completely different compositional experience compared to A4 or A3 rectangles. When opened into a double page spread, the book transforms into a wide landscape workspace, whilst still maintaining generous vertical space.

But why does this matter?

Unfamiliar proportions spark creativity. Without relying on habitual horizontal or vertical layouts, your brain is encouraged to rethink composition, balance, and focal points. That gentle creative disruption often leads to more intentional design choices.

Why Squares Are Surprisingly Perfect for Landscapes

It may sound counterintuitive, but square sketchbooks are fantastic for landscape drawing. Across a double page spread, you gain the length needed for panoramic scenes, plus additional vertical height, in comparison to many rectangular formats. This creates room for detail, layered skies, and foreground interest. It is worth remembering that the central binding introduces a gap. However, many artists embrace this as part of the sketchbook’s character, using it creatively rather than seeing it as a limitation.

Less Intimidation, More Creative Freedom

Scaling up from A4 to A3 can feel overwhelming. A large blank rectangle sometimes brings creative paralysis instead of inspiration. A 300×300mm square sketchbook offers a balanced middle ground. It provides generous working space without the intimidation factor. The symmetrical format feels contained yet open, encouraging experimentation without pressure. That built in balance also naturally supports symmetry, pattern work, and centred compositions.

Easy Rotation for Comfortable Drawing

Because all sides are equal, a square sketchbook can be rotated freely. You can position the binding wherever it feels most comfortable - side, top, or bottom and spin the page as you work. This flexibility makes sketching more ergonomic and intuitive, especially during longer sessions.

Create and Share With Ease

For artists who love sharing their work online, square sketchbooks offer a practical bonus. Many social platforms, including Instagram, favour square image formats. That means less cropping, cleaner framing, and faster posting. This means that your artwork translates naturally from page to screen.

Built for Experimentation

The balanced geometry of square pages makes them ideal for creative exploration. Artists often use them for:

• grid based studies
• pattern development
  
• mixed media experiments
• collections of small sketches

The square format encourages a space for experimentation without feeling restrictive.

Sketching on the Go

Square sketchbooks are surprisingly travel friendly. Their compact proportions fit neatly into bags whilst remaining comfortable to hold. Whether you’re commuting, traveling, or sketching outdoors, the format strikes a great balance between portability and workspace.

Square Sketchbook Recommendations from the Team

At Artgecko, we design a variety of square sketchbooks to suit different creative needs:

Classy Gecko Square Sketchbook
40 sheets of 150gsm all media cartridge paper, twin-wire binding, 300x300mm format, and a soft touch matte cover - ideal for pencil work, ink, and light watercolour washes.

Krafty Gecko Square Sketchbook
The same interior paper to the Classy Gecko, but with a kraft hardback cover can be personalised and creatively decorated.

Shady Gecko Square Sketchbook
300×300mm format with 200gsm jet-black card - perfect for inks, paint, and high-contrast media.

Stashy Gecko Square Range
Available in kraft and black card versions, these 300x300mm format, skip bound, ribbon closure books are excellent for scrapbooking, memory keeping, or mixed media projects.

PRO Gecko Sketch Tiles
Compact 148x148mm square sketch pads designed for portability. Options include watercolour paper or black card - ideal for on the go creativity and collage work.

The Bottom Line

A square sketchbook isn’t just a stylistic choice, it’s a tool that helps shift mindset and creativity. It breaks routine, encourages fresh composition, reduces intimidation, and aligns beautifully with modern sharing formats. If you’re ready to shake up your workflow, going square might be exactly what your creativity needs.

Now, let's queue Huey Lewis & The News, and open up that square sketchbook!