{"id":45033,"date":"2025-05-05T05:53:16","date_gmt":"2025-05-05T09:53:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/?p=45033"},"modified":"2025-05-05T05:54:15","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T09:54:15","slug":"heavenly-sketchbooks-are-what-you-make-of-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2025\/05\/05\/heavenly-sketchbooks-are-what-you-make-of-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Heavenly Sketchbooks are what you make of them"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"I finished up a 7-inch by 10-inch Canson XL Mixed Media Sketchbook<\/em> which I turned to once I got tired of chasing down cheap sketchbooks. I have had a lot of luck with small sketchbooks, but it seems that my luck has been running out. Sometimes they were great, but lately they have been terrible. It was better to go with something I could count on. Such is the case with this Canson which worked out pretty well.<\/p>\n

Unless I get one as a gift, I won’t be chasing down cheap sketchbooks any more. I’m sticking with the name brands because they are more consistent in quality and fairly predictable in the way it treats various media. Yes, they are more expensive than the cheap sketchbooks, but not by much particularly if I catch a sale. It’s worth the money.<\/p>\n

I had good luck with this Canson sketchbook. It may be that I committed to a lot of drawings with ink. I finished many of them. I have a lot of stuff that I will be looking back to as far as reference. It represents a big chunk of my Teenage Beast<\/em> story so I will be keeping this close at hand rather than relegating it to a closet or some dusty storage bin.<\/p>\n

Below is a gallery of some of the better drawings from this sketchbook. Click on the icons to view a larger image and scroll through the gallery.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Coming <\/a>
Coming through! <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Detail <\/a>
Detail \u2022 Coming Through! <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Swipe <\/a>
Swipe — AUUUUGGGHH! <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Detail <\/a>
Detail \u2022 Swipe — AUUUUGGGHH! <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Zoinks!\" <\/a>
Zoinks! <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Gurgle!\" <\/a>
Gurgle! <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Limp <\/a>
Limp Locks <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Teenage <\/a>
Teenage Beast is having a grand time as lost souls burn in torment. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"A <\/a>
A pass at the death of the punk rock girl <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Another <\/a>
Another pass at the death of the punk rock girl <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Brian <\/a>
Brian Bubonic <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Detail <\/a>
Detail \u2022 Brian Bubonic <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Teenage <\/a>
Teenage Beast Valentine <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Teenage <\/a>
Teenage Beast and Punk Rock Girl <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Detail: <\/a>
Detail: Teenage Beast and Punk Rock Girl <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Chase <\/a>
Chase through the woods <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Cornered\" <\/a>
Cornered <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Detail: <\/a>
Detail: Cornered <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Teenage <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Pen <\/a>
The End? <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Teenage <\/a>
Teenage Beast logo sketch <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Teenage <\/a>
Teenage Beast logo sketch <\/div> <\/div>
\"Teenage <\/a>
Teenage Beast logo sketch <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"A <\/a>
A different angle of the Goo Goo Muck and his late date <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Unused <\/a>
Unused Cosmic Maaaaaannnnn anniversary drawing that I inked in to try out my Sailor fountain pen <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Cosmic <\/a>
Cosmic Maaaaaannnnn sketch I ended up using. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"The <\/a>
The last Issue of Duckwork. Drawn in the sketchbook and finalized digitally in Affinity Photo <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"The <\/a>
The two-headed Pink Zeppelin in water soluble graphite <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Cult <\/a>
Cult of the Cat People <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I finished up a 7-inch by 10-inch Canson XL Mixed Media Sketchbook which I turned to once I got tired of chasing down cheap sketchbooks. I have had a lot of luck with small sketchbooks, but it seems that my … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":45034,"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":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[49],"tags":[17,8,76,3661,5,25,480],"class_list":["post-45033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-it-came-from-the-sketchbook","tag-cartoon","tag-cartoons","tag-horror","tag-illustration","tag-joe-williams","tag-sketchbook","tag-usa"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/canson-4_3_24-5_3_25.jpg?fit=640%2C794&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1ed1x-bIl","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":45103,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2025\/05\/13\/tiptoe-through-the-sketchbooks\/","url_meta":{"origin":45033,"position":0},"title":"Tiptoe through the Sketchbooks","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"May 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Having finished up the Canson XL Mixed Media Sketchbook, I am working here and there in a few different sketchbooks. The subject is still The Teenage Beast. As far as discount sketchbooks, the Ucreate sketchbook from Ticonderoga is a pretty decent pad of paper. I like how it takes inks.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Doodle Tuesday"","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\/2025\/05\/detail-Coming-Through-Part-Two.jpg?fit=640%2C427&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/detail-Coming-Through-Part-Two.jpg?fit=640%2C427&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/detail-Coming-Through-Part-Two.jpg?fit=640%2C427&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":36118,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2021\/06\/15\/a-pretty-good-little-sketchbook\/","url_meta":{"origin":45033,"position":1},"title":"A Pretty Good Little Sketchbook","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"June 15, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Tina snagged this 5.5 inch by 8.5 inch Canson XL Mixed Media sketchbook from a big box store to hopefully replace my beloved Sketchbook from Heaven. It wasn't quite the replacement for that cheap but inexplicably magical doodle pad, but it wasn't half bad. The Canson XL has a nice,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Doodle Tuesday"","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\/2021\/06\/Emerging-from-the-thicket.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Emerging-from-the-thicket.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Emerging-from-the-thicket.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":45995,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2025\/09\/30\/dixon-ticonderoga-ucreate-a-decent-little-sketchbook\/","url_meta":{"origin":45033,"position":2},"title":"Dixon Ticonderoga UCreate — a Decent Little Sketchbook!","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"September 30, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I've used UCreate sketchbooks manufactured by Dixon Ticonderoga a couple of times before in recent years, and I have just finished off my third. They are affordably priced and are readily available at Target and Walmart. The quality of the paper is consistent, and, best of all, they take ink\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Doodle Tuesday"","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\/2025\/09\/Punky-Larry-Hughes-e1759166265768.jpg?fit=640%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Punky-Larry-Hughes-e1759166265768.jpg?fit=640%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Punky-Larry-Hughes-e1759166265768.jpg?fit=640%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":22417,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2017\/06\/26\/sketchbook-dragon\/","url_meta":{"origin":45033,"position":3},"title":"Sketchbook Dragon","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"June 26, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I decided to set aside my toothy Canson XL Mixed Media sketchbook for a smaller, inexplicably smoother Canson XL Mixed Media sketchbook to sketch the toothy beast above. The newer sketchbook was purchased at a local Walmart strangely enough and is the same brand and make as a 7-inch by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "It Came From the Sketchbook"","block_context":{"text":"It Came From the Sketchbook","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/it-came-from-the-sketchbook\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sketchbook Dragon","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/c1.staticflickr.com\/5\/4253\/35125850110_bb9b4f1aeb_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/c1.staticflickr.com\/5\/4253\/35125850110_bb9b4f1aeb_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/c1.staticflickr.com\/5\/4253\/35125850110_bb9b4f1aeb_z.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":43116,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2024\/04\/09\/tuesday-doodle-stubborn-strathmore-sketchbook\/","url_meta":{"origin":45033,"position":4},"title":"Tuesday Doodle \u2022 Stubborn Strathmore Sketchbook","author":"Joe","date":"April 9, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I finally killed off a small Strathmore sketchbook that was lying around the house. It was picked up years ago while it was most likely on sale. The price was probably too good to resist. I honestly don't remember. It had some notes scratched in it along with arithmetic, but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Doodle Tuesday"","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\/2024\/04\/unfortunate-strathmore-sketch.jpg?fit=800%2C1036&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/unfortunate-strathmore-sketch.jpg?fit=800%2C1036&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/unfortunate-strathmore-sketch.jpg?fit=800%2C1036&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/unfortunate-strathmore-sketch.jpg?fit=800%2C1036&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":41106,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2023\/08\/02\/the-little-sketchbooks\/","url_meta":{"origin":45033,"position":5},"title":"The Little Sketchbooks","author":"Joe","date":"August 2, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week I was going to gather my collection of little sketchbooks that I have been keeping since 2017. I have always kept sketchbooks, but my fascination for the small ones started when my wife snagged me the original Sketchbook from Heaven from a Target store as a gift for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "It Came From the Sketchbook"","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\/08\/001.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/001.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/001.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45033","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\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45033"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45033\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45034"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45033"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45033"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45033"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}