Customer Reviews

Moleskine Watercolor Notebook Large

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a former art teacher I highly recommend this notebook to anyone who takes the tools seriously. I got this notebook recently as a gift and don't know why in the world I've not run across this til now. I gave the paper a good workout and scrubbing with watercolor pencils, and it held up very well and warpage from water was minimal (is not a problem though because the hard cover irons it out). I like that there is a lot of paper and the paper has just enough tooth to hold water and color well, but will also allow for detail. I think this notebook would also work great for those who are into charcoal, pastels, and ink wash techniques because it is a nice weighted slightly textured paper. Also very much appreciated is the portability: anyone who is serious about art will probably at some point want a handy book to record visions. This is important to practice in real life in real time, and this notebook seems one of the best tools to get better at art.
I have also done quite a bit of professional framing and can attest that the hard cover is essential if you may want at some point to frame your art as the cover keeps the papers flat and from creasing. One thing I want to request from Moleskine though: although I like the portable size, I would also like to see a few more even larger sizes; maybe 8 by 10 and 10 by 12. I am going to stick with this size or larger Moleskine notebook and large rolls of watercolor paper from now on. It's economical, good quality, time tested and I like it a lot.

Okay, I admit it, I've tried a million other notebooks and journals telling myself "why pay more for the name". I guess I have wasted more dollars looking for the right journal and should have paid more attention to the reviews that I thought were based solely on "Moleskine snobbery".

The paper is perfect and stands up to washes better than most notebook journal/sketchpad papers. The fact there is 75 wonderful pages is even better! The size is perfect, and the binding is flexible to keep the opposite page from folding over on you while you are working. The book lays flat without sacrificing the binding. I love the perforated sheets, they don't tear when you don't want them to, but if you want to remove a page (maybe a page you really messed up and want removed immediately without messing up your whole book) its a cinch!

Of course the bookmark is nifty to get you where you are going fast, and the elastic closure means you can stuff it in your bag without worrying you will end up with dog eared pages or rips, plus it keeps things from falling out. Who can live without the pocket?! Perfect for keeping ticket stubs or "souvenirs" or snapshots to add to your book or refer to while painting or sketching.

The paper is smooth enough to keep detail in your work but textured enough to give depth and contrast and stand up to your watercolor!

This is "THE ONE" to buy!

This notebook is the perfect size and the paper is great for quick sketches on the go. I stash it in my purse along with a waterproof uniball .5 mm pen and whenever I have a moment I sketch and then add the watercolor later. I love this book so much I've given them as gifts to other artists and I've ordered many for myself. Can't say enough good things about them

The great thing about all the Moleskine products is that they give you space to air your creativity, but they're small enough that they're not overwhelming like a bigger sketchbook can be. I've been using their watercolor book to study watercolor paints and it's completely perfect--high quality paper that is the perfect texture for watercolor and that doesn't warp much, even when you use tons of water (as I do). The landscape design gives you a lot of freedom to paint without the spine getting in the way, and the elastic band keeps everything flat and tidy.
The paper surface is even perfect for dry media, like graphite and charcoal, since it has a slight tooth to it but still lets you erase cleanly. Go ahead, buy it. You won't regret it.

If you want thick, white paper, perfect for ink, markers or any other medium, this is definitely the choice. I like this type more than the sketchbook version because the paper is white, not yellowish--and it's also in landscape format.

I am a professional artist and always have a sketchbook with me wherever I go. The moleskin watercolor sketchbook is the best I have found in 20 odd years of on the spot painting. Perfect size, the paper takes a good deal of abuse, lays flat, allows easy pick-up techniques, layers and layers of washes and loves saturated color areas. There is no bleed through so each and every page can be used. I only wish I had discovered it sooner!

This is a great book for journaling...I use watercolor pencils with mine and even some acrylics and it holds up great. I'll definitely buy another in the future.

The buff toned pages are smooth and heavy enough to take light water media without warping. I have not yet worked through the list of media types for which I want to experiment. However, I have tried two brands of colored pencils, several brands of colored pens and markers, two ink types and my lastest acquisition, Neocolor II Watersoluable Caran d'Ache. I will be taking a selection of these crayons with a Micron 01 black pen on a trip next week. With these tools, I can make quick drawings and lay in lush color very quickly. A tiny amount of water and one brush (1/4 " watercolor) brings the color alive and blends. I am using just a damp brush except for wipe out effects. I am quite happy with the results and my book is beautiful.

Suellene P.

I'm on my fifth watercolour moleskine. While the format was hard to get used to - it's a little tricky to hold when it's so long opened out - I totally fell in love with it. the paper is smooth enough not to completely destroy your fineliner pens (though I do go through quite a few) but is great for both light and heavy watercolour washes. I fill them completely and never go anywhere without my moley. Some versions have tear-out pages, but you never know whether you'll get one of those or not, since they don't say on the outside. The last few I bought didn't, and that's ok.
[...]

I own 15 Moleskine journals, mostly sketchbooks before, but wanted to give this watercolor book a try. At first I was reluctant because of the landscape format, but after a few pages I grew to appreciate the layout and now I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm a lefty who crooks his wrist to avoid smudging and I rarely run into smears as long as I give the page a couple of minutes to dry. This journal is the perfect size for illustrated journalists who like to throw their pens, watercolors and books into their daypack and go out and find things to document in life. The pages are heavy and durable enough to withstand several layers of watercolor. The paper dries quickly, so you can go back and add more watercolor as often as you like. There is only minimal page warp, but the elastic band is usually enough to aid in flattening the pages back to shape. This is hardly an issue though. I use watercolor and pen when I journal and the paper stands up to some grueling tests. Only once have I had a page come loose. My Moleskines have been dropped from Nepalese buses, fallen out of rickshaws in India and doused with rain in Indonesia. They're still intact, only occasionally scuffed up, and haven't lost any of their character. I love these books and can't imagine using anything else. Once a Moleskine enthusiast, always a Moleskine enthusiast!