{"id":40370,"date":"2023-04-04T08:02:53","date_gmt":"2023-04-04T12:02:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/?p=40370"},"modified":"2023-04-04T08:02:53","modified_gmt":"2023-04-04T12:02:53","slug":"a-sketchbook-not-from-heaven","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2023\/04\/04\/a-sketchbook-not-from-heaven\/","title":{"rendered":"A Sketchbook Not from Heaven"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"40333\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2023\/03\/28\/arrivederci-sketchbook\/img_0908\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/IMG_0908.jpg?fit=500%2C733&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"500,733\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"IMG_0908\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/IMG_0908.jpg?fit=500%2C733&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-40333\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/IMG_0908.jpg?resize=205%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"205\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/IMG_0908.jpg?resize=205%2C300&amp;ssl=1 205w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/IMG_0908.jpg?w=500&amp;ssl=1 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/>The sketchbook made for the shelves of Philadelphia based discount chain <em>Five Below<\/em> is coming in below my expectations. I&#8217;ve had a lot of luck with the cheap, juvenile sketchbooks that I have received as gifts from Target, but they have not carried them in years. I think the <em>Out of This World<\/em> sketchpad I finished up last week was <em>The Last of the Mohicans.<\/em> I was hoping that the <em>HQ Fine Stroke Sketch Draw<\/em> was going to be a replacement being that the size and price were right, but it&#8217;s not to be.<\/p>\n<p>It feels like drawing on wax paper. My graphite doesn\u2019t bite into the paper. Even the softest leads come out an uninspired gray on its pages. It&#8217;s probably copier paper that has been repurposed as a sketch pad.\u00a0 It feels weird and a lot of my comfort with a particular paper has to do with the tactile sensation. I think that\u2019s why I never really took to drawing on an iPad or similar device. There are people who have made a career of drawing digitally, but a plastic stylus on glass or plastic just doesn&#8217;t feel right to me.<\/p>\n<p>So it looks like I have a scratch pad that I will keep near my landline telephone. Yes, I still have a landline telephone, and I do write down numbers!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The sketchbook made for the shelves of Philadelphia based discount chain Five Below is coming in below my expectations. I&#8217;ve had a lot of luck with the cheap, juvenile sketchbooks that I have received as gifts from Target, but they &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2023\/04\/04\/a-sketchbook-not-from-heaven\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4953,49],"tags":[158,5597,3661,5,3663,25,5482,5457,480],"class_list":["post-40370","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-doodle-tuesday","category-it-came-from-the-sketchbook","tag-analog","tag-five-below","tag-illustration","tag-joe-williams","tag-sketch","tag-sketchbook","tag-sketchbook-from-heaven","tag-sketchbook-from-hell","tag-usa"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1ed1x-av8","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":40850,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2023\/07\/12\/done-with-another-discount-sketchbook\/","url_meta":{"origin":40370,"position":0},"title":"Done With Another Discount Sketchbook","author":"Joe","date":"July 12, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I finished off the HQ Fine Stroke Sketch Draw that I picked up from Philadelphia based discounter Five Below. The price was right, and I liked the pad's size of 5.5 inches by 8.5 inches as well as the wire binding being placed along one of the short ends, but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;It Came From the Sketchbook&quot;","block_context":{"text":"It Came From the Sketchbook","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/it-came-from-the-sketchbook\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Nora-the-cave-woman.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Nora-the-cave-woman.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Nora-the-cave-woman.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":37574,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2022\/05\/17\/heaven-on-5-a-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":40370,"position":1},"title":"Heaven on $5 a day?","author":"Joe","date":"May 17, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Ever since my wife picked up a cheap, wire-bound, scratch pad from a Target store for me as a Christmas gift, I now take cheap sketchbooks seriously. Throughout the years I may have bought every name brand of artist drawing pads available in art supply stores, but nothing has brought\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Illustration&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Illustration","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/illustration\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/18x12-pad-cheap.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/18x12-pad-cheap.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/18x12-pad-cheap.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39340,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2022\/10\/20\/not-a-bad-little-sketchbook\/","url_meta":{"origin":40370,"position":2},"title":"Not a Bad Little Sketchbook","author":"Joe","date":"October 20, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I finished off another inexpensive sketchbook purchased from Target. I've had luck with the cheap little sketchbooks they carry so when we see something new on the shelves, we snag it. The paper was all right for dry media but wrinkled with anything wet which I expected. It wasn't a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;It Came From the Sketchbook&quot;","block_context":{"text":"It Came From the Sketchbook","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/it-came-from-the-sketchbook\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/UCREATE-SKETCHBOOK.jpg?fit=500%2C674&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":40404,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2023\/04\/11\/second-thoughts-on-a-cheap-sketchbook\/","url_meta":{"origin":40370,"position":3},"title":"Second Thoughts on a Cheap Sketchbook&#8230;","author":"Joe","date":"April 11, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"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\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Doodle Tuesday&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Doodle Tuesday","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/it-came-from-the-sketchbook\/doodle-tuesday\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Teenage-Werewolf-at-the-Reunion.jpg?fit=640%2C578&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Teenage-Werewolf-at-the-Reunion.jpg?fit=640%2C578&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Teenage-Werewolf-at-the-Reunion.jpg?fit=640%2C578&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":40314,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2023\/03\/28\/arrivederci-sketchbook\/","url_meta":{"origin":40370,"position":4},"title":"Arrivederci Sketchbook","author":"Joe","date":"March 28, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Out of This World Sketch Pad October 17, 2022 - March 26, 2023 I have put to rest what is probably the last of the novelty sketchpads distributed by the Horizon Group USA to Target stores. At least it was the last that I had, and I haven't been able\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Doodle Tuesday&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Doodle Tuesday","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/it-came-from-the-sketchbook\/doodle-tuesday\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/I-eat-a-lot-of-Oranges.jpg?fit=640%2C424&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/I-eat-a-lot-of-Oranges.jpg?fit=640%2C424&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/I-eat-a-lot-of-Oranges.jpg?fit=640%2C424&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39545,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2022\/11\/22\/mesmerized-by-a-cheap-sketchbook\/","url_meta":{"origin":40370,"position":5},"title":"Mesmerized by a Cheap Sketchbook","author":"Joe","date":"November 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"My love affair with a three-dollar sketchbook meant for the juvenile market continues as I find myself doodling in it regularly. I keep it within reach in case inspiration strikes and I have to jot down a note or scribble a drawing. Fortunately inspiration has been visiting me regularly, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Doodle Tuesday&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Doodle Tuesday","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/it-came-from-the-sketchbook\/doodle-tuesday\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Big-Bad-Wolf.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Big-Bad-Wolf.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Big-Bad-Wolf.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40370","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40370"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40370\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40370"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}