April 23, 2024 to December 31, 2024
Strathmore 200 Mixed Media pad encrusted with stickers which is a weird habit I have picked up.
I put another small sketchbook to rest just before the start of the new year. This one was a Strathmore 200 Mixed Media pad which measures 5.5 inches by 8.5 inches and has 60 thick pages suitable for wet and dry media. It’s better than the cheap sketchbooks I’ve been fruitlessly pursuing and is readily available at art supply shops and more typical stores like Target.
In preparing this article, I wondered what the “200” stood for. I should know since I worked in art supply stores for about ten years and the Strathmore brand has long been a staple in art supplies. A little research on the internet turned up this information:
- 100 Series: Designed for ages 5 and up, suitable for young artists.
- 200 Series: Good quality, economical price, suitable for beginners.
- 300 Series: Better quality, affordable, and good for practicing techniques and final artwork by beginning or student artists.
- 400 Series: Best quality, suitable for advanced artists with a variety of textures and a harder surface that can handle a wider range of media and techniques.
- 400 Series Recycled: Best quality recycled paper containing post-consumer fiber, supporting environmental solutions without compromising paper performance.
- 500 Series: Premium quality, professional grade fine art papers, made with 100% cotton fiber for archival quality and durability.
I figured as much. I don’t think I’ve ever seen 100 series paper, but I used to buy the 500 series Bristol board for freelance jobs in various newspapers. That’s back when newspapers existed; they hired freelance illustrators and something in the 500 series was a lot cheaper than it is now.
As far as sketchbooks are concerned, this wasn’t necessarily a Sketchbook from Heaven, but it did live up to my expectations. It is a predictably decent paper. It worked well with ink wash and my various fountain pens I have recently acquired.
Learned something new. I never knew there were ‘different’ qualities available.
Sketch books for me (not a professional illustrator) are fun visual diaries. I have bought a bunch at FIVE BELOW after reading your thoughts. And they suit me well. But, I loved your descriptions of the different levels of these Strathmore books. I appreciate all that you and Tina share! Nancy-PCA class of 1978, ceramics and Frog waitress 1979- 1983!
There is a wide range of paper qualities and are priced accordingly. For instance, the art supply store I worked at in the late ‘80s carried small sheets of goatskin parchment. I don’t remember the size, but I do remember that they went for the princely price of $65 a sheet back then.
If Five Below works for you, go for it! I’ve always had better luck with discount art supplies over things like the Moleskin journals or the hard bound sketchbooks.
Tina was PCA class of 84, and I was the last chopper out of Saigon — the last class that graduated from THE Philadelphia College of Art in 1985. After that it was The Philadelphia Colleges of Art and then the University of the Arts, and you know how that worked out.
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