Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I've been using this watercolor sketchbook now for over a year and I definitely have to say I dislike it (and "dislike" is putting it mildly.) This is obscenely expensive, as well, considering how mediocre its paper is. If you've used professional quality watercolor paper, you'll understand more of why the Moleskine's paper is just a nightmare to work on. I also purchased this because of all the rave reviews. To be fair, I'm guessing a lot of the people who had nice things to say about this sketchbook probably don't use it the same way I do. I'm a layerer. I like building layers to create depth. And while you hypothetically can layer in this, be prepared to put up a fight doing it (and if you've only ever layered in a Moleskine, I implore you to purchase a small block of Arches Aquarelle watercolor paper and layer on THAT and see what a massive difference there is between the two.) As others have mentioned, the primarily-cellulose content of this paper and its strange sizing ultimately seems to prevent the pigments from your paints from soaking in. A lot of the time, they seem to just sit there at the surface, and even after thorough drying, the moment you touch a wet paintbrush to the un-absorbed pigment, it reactivates and then you have a mess on your hands. This is like a 1-layer then done kind of paper. So yes, it's likely great for quick studies, but if you want to put something more "finished" in it, then it's going to be frustrating. The Strathmore 400 series Watercolor Art Journal is a slight step up from the Moleskine. The paper is thicker so it doesn't buckle and warp so much. But it still absorbs paint oddly because it's 100% wood pulp paper. I'm on the search now for a good watercolor sketchbook that uses 100% cotton artist-grade watercolor paper. I have "The Perfect Sketchbook" which was a kickstarter campaign, but they only produced limited qualities and they likely won't make them again because the ROI just wasn't there. But that sketchbook uses Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper, and it's a dream to work on if you like to layer. I think until someone manufactures a watercolor sketchbook with the above listed requirements, I may hand-bind my own with my preferred paper.