Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

First, let me get the negative out of the way because I ultimately really like this sketchbook and want to finish up on a positive note. Within a month and a half, the back envelope of the sketchbook split open. It's not as though I used it often or overfilled it, but it split open along the bottom regardless. Also, within two months of relatively light use, the elastic broke. In comparison to my previous sketchbook, which endured a lot more near daily abuse for over a year and still has an elastic closure that's happily keeping everything secure, it was rather disappointing. And then there's a final quibble (though I didn't take off for it)--the ginormous embossed logo on the front. Most sketchbooks I've owned will have an unobtrusive logo on the back or lower right of the front cover, but this one just begs to be covered over with a sticker or something. That out of the way, let's move on to the positive. First up is the binding. It's fabulous. Tightly sewn and opens flat regardless of which page you have it open to. Then there's the paper. It's ultra-smooth, off-white (closer to eggshell than cream) and heavier than I expected. It's excellent for dry media--graphite, pastel, charcoal, etc.--and I've even had success with some of my wet media experiments such as light watercolour washes, acrylic ink washes, and gesso mixed media collage. Although this isn't a watercolour or mixed media sketchbook by any stretch of the imagination, the paper is rather versatile. Even when erasing, the paper didn't degrade or start throwing burrs either. The paper is acid-free, but it doesn't mention whether it's lignon-free/ph neutral/archival. (I'm going to err on the side of caution and say no.) The size is a little larger than I'm used to for a travel sketchbook, coming in at ~7"x10", but it's not inconveniently large--in fact, I enjoy the slightly larger format because it allows for expressing broader ideas. Overall, if I were asked to get this sketchbook again, I'd reluctantly say yes. I'd get it again even if that giant logo haunted my dreams, I needed to hold it closed with a bulldog binder clip, and had to duct tape the bottom of the back envelope because despite its pitfalls, the paper is just *that* good. Just bear in mind that it's incredibly smooth and if you're looking for paper with a bit of tooth, you'll need to look elsewhere. Disclosure: Sample provided for review.