Pentalic 4" x 6" Pocket Sketchbook Traveler Journal, 160 Pages, Black

Be aware of the size. I was specifically looking for this compact size. It is small. If that’s what you are looking for, get this. It is made with decent quality, the paper is on the thin side. That allows for the high page count. The color of the cover and elastic is vibrant and consistent. The binding is stiff. Very stiff. That will help it last through a lot of use. Good product.

I absolutely adore this sketchbook! I have bought many in this line of varying sizes and am never disappointed. i have gone through many different brands of sketchbooks in search of the perfect one. And although there are many great brands out there that cater to specific media, most of those just don't fit my needs. My purposes for a general everyday sketchbook are: it has to be versatile, it has to be durable, and it has to be portable. And this sketchbook goes above and beyond my requirements. Versatile...my media of choice is pen work, specifically ballpoint pen. But this book can also take ink pens like Micron and Faber-Castell, as well as pencil and blending stumps. But my need ends there. This is definitely a DRY MEDIA sketchbook. LIGHT washes or highlights are ok but this is NOT a book that can support paint very well (watercolor or acrylic). Even heavy ink use is not something I would recommend. Durable...because the cover is flexible and has a more paperback book feel to it I'm not afraid of banging it around in my purse. The cover feels and looks like foam, and I've never had any problems with the pages falling out (and I've owned MANY of these). The bungie closure is tight enough to keep all the pages closed as it travels. This is a must, especially with a purse as chaotic as mine. Portable...the book is light and very easy to carry around in my purse or a backpack. You can draw with it in your hands without the need of a table or desk. It's discreet and even this larger 6x8 size is slim enough to pull out anywhere (there are smaller sizes, which are great as well). Some other notes about the sketchbook are the paper color is a nice bright white. I tend not to like the yellow/brown look of "natural" white paper so the bright (almost blue) white of the pages definitely appeals to me. There is a good amount of pages in it, ample space to express myself. And the pages do not bleed through to the other side, even with some watercolor washes. Ink pens and ballpoints do not bleed, feather, or show through, which means I can fill the pages cover to cover, front and back, with all of my life's sketches. It's also important to note that this book does NOT lay flat. It is more like a paperback book in that regard. In conclusion, This is an amazing sketchbook for actual sketching or journaling. It can take pens and pencils well, though not paint or heavy amounts of ink. It is durable, versatile, and highly portable, and is the closest to perfect that I have ever found. Great general-purpose sketchbook!!

Love this little note book that is 4x3 inches and fits perfectly into my pocket for my notes, sketches and other interesting ideas. It's about 1/2 inch thick and fits well in both my jacket and pants pocket. Great little journal, I really like the idea that it fits in my pocket. I have been searching for the perfect journal for years now having used all sorts of them I think I will like these the best. Since I really don't like lined paper and these are unlined and blank it will be the best thing for me to use. They are not really that expensive either in the traditional sense of the word. I have the smallest one and the biggest one also. They both fit in my pocket but the biggest one gives more room for larger sketches and a lot more writing. I love the fact these come in multiple colors that way I can color coordinate my journals as I have always wanted to do. I have tried all kinds of journals and this is by far my favorite. The paper is heavier than in other Journals and accepts pen, colored pencil, pencil, permanent marker (Needs a piece of cardboard behind the page as this type of marker will bleed through, accepts drafting pens with no bleed through, these are just great little journals for whatever need you have. I have moleskin journals and love them however they are so expensive and have way less pages to them then the Pentalic Art traveler books do. I absolutely recommend them. Please if you found this review helpful in making your decisions, please press the “Yes” button below.

TL;DR middle of the road paper, adequate for many tasks, ideal for few. Inexpensive, recycled. Would recommend for casual use, students. For pencils or other solid media a more textured paper would be desirable. For ink work or markers, denser and smoother pages would be ideal. And for paints (watercolor or gouache), thicker and heavier weight pages, and something that is sized and has some cotton content would be best. That said, I have used graphite (hard and soft), charcoal, drawing ink, gel ink, fountain pen ink, ink washes, water color washes, and gouache in this book, and it is basically OK in all cases. And since it's recycled paper, and the book is inexpensive, I'd have to say it's better than expected. The best use in my opinion is light ink sketching. The pages are thick enough to take heavy inking on both sides without trouble. I will say that using a sharp nib isn't great, the recycled paper is pretty soft (not as in an extra fine fountain pen or a super fine roller ball, but a steel nib such as a crow quill or G nib). Watercolor and ink washes do cause the pages to buckle some but I have used it that way and it's not too bad if the washes aren't to heavy. Multiple washes do not work well at all. Personally I don't mind a weathered feel in my sketchbooks... in fact I rather think that adds to their aesthetic in a Wabi-Sabi sort of way; I want it to look worked in. The only other complaint is that it doesn't lay flat at all, you can force it and use spring clips to hold it open. So it's fine as an economical sketch book but I'll be in the market for a different book when I use this one up. I will however use it until the last page, as it's not a bad sketchbook.

I think I finally found an every day carry sketch book that I’ll actually use. It’s a good price considering I didn’t want to spend a ton on something meant to practice in. This reminds me of the old Picadilly ones i had used in the past that were discontinued. Like the Picadilly, it has the book band, tassel, and inner pocket (which I love). But this one is even better because the paper is bright white instead of parchment color and the cover is soft which makes it a lot lighter for travel. I also love all of the color options. The size is perfect too, it can easily fit into a purse or small backpack. The paper is very smooth, there is no noticeable “tooth” to it like the budget ones typically found in the big name art supply stores. It’s a similar texture to working with bristol except the pages are thinner and lighter. This is perfect for drawing with mechanical pencil which is something i always enjoyed working with. I love how the graphite glides quickly across the page. Definitely will be buying another.

A handy little sketchbook. Plenty of pages for lots of doodles and notes, but still compact enough to fit in my purse or pocket. I like having the small pocket in the back, so I can tuck loose paper inside. The elastic strap keeps it tidy and compact.

Perfect size! Received quickly!

It's the most adorable super itsy bitsy teensy weensy fits in woman's jeans back pockets size.. yes that small. But plenty of decent quality paper in it still! The cover is a nice soft cover and I do love this little sketchbook quite a bit. I do wish it could open to lay flat or even close, as it's hard to do much sketching inside its small little pages without opening fully-wide. But for the price and convenience of its portability and decent both quality and quantity of sheets its been super nice to have for my business especially as I can draw out ideas and write out random things that come to mind basically anywhere due to its size. Love it! Definitely want to get the larger one now too. Just wish it was a harder cover, tighter band/closure strap, and opened flat or just wider. And a navy blue color would just be icing on the cake ;)

Paper quality is perfect, it can hold paint and watercolours perfectly, and it is very smooth to draw with fountain pen or liner on it. The binding is sturdy. Overall a great little sketchbook perfect to keep in the pocket and draw everywhere.

This is my favourite travel sketchbook. I bring it everywhere, and it even fits inside some of my pencil bags along with a selection of pens/pencils. It handles ink very well; no bleed through to the next page ever.

Perfect for taking notes on the go

Me encantó y, el papel es de calidad y resistente. La utilizo para hacer sketches con plumones, colores, pluma fuente y a veces he pintado un poco con acuarela. No he tenido problemas. El tamaño ayuda a llevarla en el bolsillo, es práctica y la pasta es de piel, suave.

I got one of this for my niece and another one for myself. They are the perfect little book to keep notes and make sketches while waiting at the airport or on a train. Lovely paper for pencil or markers, as the pages are thick enough.