4 in. x 6.5 in. Rectangle Watercolor Journal, Hardbound with 80 pgs. 200 GSM, Cold Press Paper

I waited to write this review until I had used this journal for a while, to see how it held up.Mine seems to be sturdily bound, I have been using it all month and the binding is still tight and secure.I bought this to do a daily painting challenge and it is just what I wanted for the job. I like the size of it, it is big enough to be useful but small enough to be easily slipped into my bag and taken with me for field work. I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of the paper. It is much better than I expected it would be, durable and takes watercolor or watercolor pencils well. The logging truck was done with some Crayola watercolor pencils and the bandana was painted with my Windsor & Newton watercolors.

The paper is excellent quality. It is thick and quite smooth. However, it does have a light texture still which I love in it. I haven't experienced anything bleed through the paper and I've used a variety of markers as well as watercolor.I will say, I am a beginner at watercolors yet I haven't experienced any buckling or bleeding with this paper. The colors go on smooth and they're easy to control. I would assume being a beginner, I most likely use a lot more water than I should at some times and I tend to layer on a lot of color.I've bent and maneuvered this book quite a bit to test out the binding and for my own personal comfort and it held really well.Overall, this is a great quality watercolor sketchbook. It is quite small but that is what I personally bought it for. There are a good amount of pages, the binder holds up great, and the paper is a good quality. I am very pleased.

I am going to start with what I do like and then what I don't.Good things:Very strudy little book. Lays relatively flat even with the first few pages. Seems to be pretty good quality paper for the price. Prefect size for traveling!Bad/not so good things:There is only 1 thing I don't like but is a big issue for me...The rough side of the page (the side you want to paint on) is not faceing the front/upwards throughout the entire book. Every 4ish pages the smooth side faces the front and the next 4-5 pages the rough side faces the front. I find this super annoying because all my paintings won't be facing the same way and it is harder to paint when they are not the correct way and you have to use the back (the correct/rough side) of the paper. Not sure if this was a factory error or if this was intentional. If it was intentional I won't buy another as it is quite frustrating.

Have used this watercolor journal now for about a month. Have done 27 watercolor pieces in it from simple urban sketching exercises to pieces I worked on for an hour or so. Can paint on both sides of the paper with little warping/curling and no wrinkling. Love the small transportable size. Fits in your back pocket (though I don't recommend sitting on it), purse or bag. So far I've taken mine along (with a minimalist watercolor set) to Miami, Havana, Paris, Los Angeles and Atlanta. Have enjoyed using it on the plane and on location. The elastic band is a great addition. I bring along a small binder clip to use on the left side pages when working and to keep the book open while my art is drying. Number of pages is great for a long trip or a year's worth of work, and the last page is accordion-style for a panoramic piece. I've attached photos of a few pages from my book. Take one of these traveling, hiking, on the bus/train, in the car, wherever. You'll be ready to record your memories.I'm already looking at purchasing additional watercolor journals in other sizes.

Great watercolor travel book. It is a perfect size to take along on hikes or sit out in nature and paint. Paper is very high quality and has a lower tooth then other watercolor papers. I prefer a lower tooth on my watercolor paper. The outside is very soft and has a nice feel to it. The binding is good and the pages lay flat without forcing or bending them. I will definitely buy again.

I just got this book and am very pleased with how sturdy this paper is. The watercolors do not bead up when used on this paper. The book itself is a very good size if you wanted to take it on a trip because it is not very big. I havn't been using it for super long so I'm not sure how long it will hold up but it seems just fine.

I really LOVE this little book. The paper is nice and fairly durable. Although it can be used on both sides of each page, I definitely recommend using lighter washes only on the back side as the paint on the front side of the page did reactive a tiny bit as I painted on the back side. I use this as my daily art journal because its size allows me to finish paintings quickly, and encourages me to do more than one daily exercise. I've used my heat tool to dry paint on the pages and there was no abnormal warping or damage to the page. I've had no issues with the binding of the book so far, I'm honestly in love with this tiny thing and absolutely plan to buy this over and over again.

I ordered this and another travel watercolor journal for a trip. I just did not love this one, the pages were overly smooth (which may be a default since I don't see others having that issue?) I mean, like copier paper smooth. The watercolor just kind of slips off it, so even my little doodles look child-like. I must have gotten a bad one, as I can't see my issues listed in the reviews. So purchase at your own risk. I highly recommend the brown larger one (cannot recall the name but they are in the same search) as the paper is thick, absorbant and sturdy.BUT! this book will work for you as a sketch book for your purse or pocket, it is tiny and has a cover that will protect it well.