{"id":46109,"date":"2025-10-14T06:42:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T10:42:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/?p=46109"},"modified":"2025-10-14T06:42:14","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T10:42:14","slug":"pengear-sketchbooks-not-all-are-winners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2025\/10\/14\/pengear-sketchbooks-not-all-are-winners\/","title":{"rendered":"Pen+Gear Sketchbooks: Not All Are Winners"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been working on notions of what the final scenes of my Teenage Beast<\/em> story will be like, sketching ideas in my Pen+Gear Sketch Diary<\/em>. As I have written before, that sketchbook is a gem as far as price and quality. The paper handles ink nicely, soaking it up without bleeding, much like the pricier mixed-media pads from Canson, Fabriano<\/em>, or Strathmore<\/em>. I drew the variation of the Teenage Beast\u2019s<\/em> final demonic form above, and the lines came out clean and bold. It has become my go-to for detailed work.<\/p>\n

\"\"Then Tina spotted another Pen+Gear<\/em> sketchbook at Walmart, marked down to about $2.50. It\u2019s smaller, 6×9 inches, with wire binding and thick black plastic covers, looking a lot like the Ticonderoga UCreate<\/em><\/a>. I was excited to try it, thinking that Tina had worked her magic again, and I had scored a budget-friendly alternative.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Not so fast. This sketchbook\u2019s paper is a letdown. I sketched the dragon above in pencil and inked it with my Sailor fountain pens, but the ink bled and feathered. It looks okay in this scan, but the edges of the lines are a bit fuzzy. The paper\u2019s thin, too\u2014ghosts of previous sketches show through. The cover claims that the paper is acid-free which is a hallmark of better sketchbooks, but this paper looks, feels and behaves like a dollar store scratch pad.<\/p>\n

I’m also wondering if the country of manufacture has something to do with it. My guess is that big box retailers are sourcing inventory from whomever has the best price. Both the Pen+Gear Sketch Diary<\/em> and the Ticonderoga UCreate<\/em> were manufactured in India, and I was delighted with the performance as well as the price. This newly acquired Pen+Gear<\/em> sketchbook was manufactured in Vietnam. Digging a bit deeper, it turns out country of origin can matter for these budget pads\u2014Vietnam often produces surprisingly fountain-pen-friendly paper (thanks to local school traditions emphasizing cursive with inks), but cheaper batches like this one can skimp on quality, leading to more bleed. India tends to deliver consistent, reliable stock for sketching, though it might feather slightly with wet media in lower-end runs. Either way, always check the label!<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not a total disaster. I\u2019ll use it for rough sketches, like figuring out character poses or jotting story notes. But for serious inking? I\u2019ll stick with the Pen+Gear Sketch Diary<\/em> manufactured in India as well as the more expensive, name brand sketchbooks from the art supply stores.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

I\u2019ve been working on notions of what the final scenes of my Teenage Beast story will be like, sketching ideas in my Pen+Gear Sketch Diary. As I have written before, that sketchbook is a gem as far as price and … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":46110,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_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}},"categories":[4953,7,49,16],"tags":[6080,1715,6083,6081,6078,6076,6079,6077,2809,6021,6072,6082,6074,6073,5937,6075,232,6009],"class_list":["post-46109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-doodle-tuesday","category-illustration","category-it-came-from-the-sketchbook","category-sketch","tag-acid-free","tag-art-supplies","tag-budget-sketchbooks","tag-dragon-sketch","tag-feathering","tag-fountain-pens","tag-india","tag-ink-bleed","tag-mixed-media","tag-paper-quality","tag-pengear","tag-rough-sketches","tag-sketch-diary","tag-sketchbooks","tag-teenage-beast","tag-ticonderoga-ucreate","tag-vietnam","tag-walmart"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/detail-Underlit-from-the-Pit.jpg?fit=900%2C481&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1ed1x-bZH","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":45995,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2025\/09\/30\/dixon-ticonderoga-ucreate-a-decent-little-sketchbook\/","url_meta":{"origin":46109,"position":0},"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":45103,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2025\/05\/13\/tiptoe-through-the-sketchbooks\/","url_meta":{"origin":46109,"position":1},"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":45915,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2025\/09\/18\/the-cheapskate-strikes-back\/","url_meta":{"origin":46109,"position":2},"title":"The Cheapskate Strikes Back!","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"September 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I was in an art supply store recently to pick up some gift items for a friend, and I thought I would pick up a smallish, mixed media, sketchbook for myself. I was thinking a 7-inch by 10-inch sketchbook would suit me well. It fits in my bag nicely and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Curious Clutter"","block_context":{"text":"Curious Clutter","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/curious-clutter\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/PenGear-sketchbook-insert.jpg?fit=640%2C529&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/PenGear-sketchbook-insert.jpg?fit=640%2C529&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/PenGear-sketchbook-insert.jpg?fit=640%2C529&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":45923,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2025\/09\/23\/the-frugal-review-the-pengear-sketch-diary\/","url_meta":{"origin":46109,"position":3},"title":"The Frugal Review \u2022 The Pen+Gear Sketch Diary","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"September 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"When my wife and co-host of this fabulous site, Tina, calls about a cheap sketchbook she\u2019s found at a big box store, I\u2019ve learned not to question her. I just say, \u201cBuy it!\u201d She\u2019s got a knack for spotting art supplies that work better than their price suggests. Case in\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\/Walmart-Sketchbook-1st-drawing-det.jpg?fit=800%2C357&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Walmart-Sketchbook-1st-drawing-det.jpg?fit=800%2C357&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Walmart-Sketchbook-1st-drawing-det.jpg?fit=800%2C357&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Walmart-Sketchbook-1st-drawing-det.jpg?fit=800%2C357&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":44872,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2025\/04\/08\/the-teenage-beast-continues\/","url_meta":{"origin":46109,"position":4},"title":"The Teenage Beast Continues","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"April 8, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"My punk rock monster, The Teenage Beast, continues to haunt my sketchbooks as I piece together a story through doodles and develop an approach to the illustrations. I'm still figuring out where the story is going and what materials will serve me best.","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\/04\/Teenage-Beast-Transformation.jpg?fit=900%2C676&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Teenage-Beast-Transformation.jpg?fit=900%2C676&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Teenage-Beast-Transformation.jpg?fit=900%2C676&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Teenage-Beast-Transformation.jpg?fit=900%2C676&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":46763,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2025\/12\/31\/the-last-of-2025\/","url_meta":{"origin":46109,"position":5},"title":"The Last of 2025","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"December 31, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I figured I would wind up the year with another drawing of the Teenage Beast. I've been a little lax lately with the drawing as I've allowed myself to become sidetracked by my other obsession which is computers. Once I claw my way out of this particular digital rabbit hole,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Illustration"","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\/2025\/12\/last-of-2025-det.jpg?fit=640%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/last-of-2025-det.jpg?fit=640%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/last-of-2025-det.jpg?fit=640%2C300&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46109","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=46109"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46109\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}