Moleskine Art Plus Sketchbook Review

There are a lot of websites and blogs that are dedicated to Moleskine sketchbooks. What is all the fuss about this brand? What makes it so popular among artists?

Initially, these sketchbooks were made by a Parisian artisan, but in 1986, his family operation was disbanded. It was relaunched by a publisher from Milan and acquired a world-famous reputation.

A new collection of sketchbooks from the Moleskine Art Plus is developed specifically for artists and their creative process. WoWPencils will give a brief review what improvements you can expect.

Affordable Formats and Sizes

When we talk about Moleskine, we think about a small black notebook with an oilcloth soft cover that resembles leather. These notebooks are iconic and recognizable due to rounded corners, an elastic band that holds the cover and a ribbon bookmark.

Moleskine has recently unveiled its Art Plus collection. These sketchbooks have some elements that are not associated with traditional Moleskine books. Their cover is cardstock. The books are available in a few sizes – pocket, large and square size (A3, A4, A5, A6). They have no elastic ribbon and only a slit pocket in their back cover. The books come in the black, red and blue.

The paper cover makes them very thin and lightweight. The pages are perforated, which make it very easy to tear a page out and frame it. The paper is stitch-bound, which allows users to lie the book open flat.

Paper Quality and Its Features

This sketchbook is a perfect place to store your sketches, thoughts and notes. The paper is acid-free. All the pages are bound together in a stylish-looking book which features only blank paper (not ruled).

The weight of the paper is 120 gsm (80 lb.). In comparison with other collections from this brand, the Art Plus books contain the lightest paper of cream/ivory shade. It is ideal for tempera colors.

The paper surface is smooth and works great with a number of media with no feathering or leaking. It is ideal for pastels, pencils, markers, charcoal and fountain pens. It is also compatible with liquid. If you use a watercolor paint, it will not leak through the paper.

Water-proof ink may bleed slightly through the page and leave a little ghosting, which can be barely seen. On the whole, the paper is suitable for drawing with dry, wet media, and ink without washing it.

This book has the best two-sided usage. It guarantees color resistance and stability.

Where Can It Be Used?

The sketchbooks come with a choice of vertical and horizontal styles. You can buy a small reporter-style pad, a large storyboard or music notebook, or a Japanese album with concertina pages.

They all include enough space to draw, sketch or to compose music. They can be used to keep your diary or journal. Due to the thick paper and bleed-through resistance, these books can be used with any dry media and ink. They are suitable for on the go drawings.

Pros & Cons

The Art Plus sketchbooks have several updates in comparison with ordinary notebooks from this brand. Here are a few pros and cons of a new collection.

Price Range

The traditional Moleskine sketchbooks are not quite cheap. The price for the Art Plus line was even slightly increased. Its regular users think that the improvements in the new collection are minor, and they don’t justify the price increase.

Overall Impression

Most artists like this brand for reliable and top-quality products. The Moleskine Art Plus sketchbooks are not an exception and include several advantages over the normal notebooks. With an array of functions and sizes, they can be used for a number of purposes. Its paper is thick enough to withstand any media, including watercolors. It gives you a solid canvas to bring your bravest art ideas to life.

With the recent rebranding of “Art Plus” into “Art Collection,” the brand offers artists new and improved products which are worth your attention.

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