I may get my $3.25 worth out of the terrible little sketchbook from discount chain Five Below after all. I have stubbornly refused to put it aside, and I continue to doodle in it as I sit on the couch with a cat and a spouse. It’s been more miss than hit, but I have managed to make a few drawings I am happy with. Pencil still comes out an uninspired gray on its cut-rate pages and ink is an unmitigated disaster as it bleeds, but the water soluble graphite pencils are not too bad. It does not qualify as a Sketchbook from Heaven, but I am determined to use it up. Waste not, want not.
As you can see I have felt the need to encrust the cover with stickers. I couldn’t stand the study hall attempt at Manga that was printed on the cover.
I won’t be buying another one of these HQ Fine Stroke Sketch Draw after this one is spent. I think I’ll chase down some nicer pads that can handle medias wet and dry and can take a nice rich black from my pencils. We shall see!
Waste not, want not… And pursuing ‘different’ applications seems to be working at least a little bit.
I’m about 20% in. Let’s see how the other 80% works out.