Etchr Sketchbook: Portrait

Cotton paper is the best surface for watercolour and is also great for mixed media. 100% cotton paper is capable of taking multiple heavy washes, stands up well to damaging techniques like dry brushing, and it helps keep the pigment looking vibrant over the passage of time. The surface provides the perfect level of brush resistance while allowing the pigment to flow beautifully across the page. Those that "upgrade" to 100% cotton paper often credit it as having had a greater impact on their art than the quality of paint that they use.

Cold press paper has a slightly textured finished, or more "tooth". It is often a go to for watercolour artists as the textured finish can provide a little more water control. It is also great for those looking to accentuate the effect of pigment granulation.

Hot press paper has a slightly smoother finish which is great for adding detail, particularly for those using pens or pencils with wet-media. When a hot press paper is made with 100% cotton, it handles washes well and provides for a beautiful, crisp finish.

We offer a two-year limited warranty, beginning at the time of purchase on all Etchr products sold. We warrant our products to be free from manufacturing defects in materials, workmanship, and failure or breakage of parts/full products that render them non-functional.

We offer a 30-day money back guarantee from the original date of purchase. The customer is responsible for return shipping costs. All Etchr products are covered by a 24 month manufacturing warranty.

Our Sketchbook range was developed in collaboration with Singaporean artist Erwin Lian. As a professional artist and teacher, Erwin understood the benefits of using 100% cotton paper with wet-media, but was frustrated with the lack of sketchbook options on the market. Erwin took to crowdfunding, to make his “Perfect Sketchbook” a reality.

Erwin’s book used heavy weight 100% cotton acid-free paper that featured stunning hand-torn deckled edge paper and was finished with lay-flat binding for ease of use. Today, Erwin works in collaboration with Etchr - Erwin focuses on design and innovation, and the Etchr team makes the Sketchbook range available to artists worldwide.

What sizes are the sketchbooks?

B5 (17.6cm x 25 cm or 6.9 × 9.84in)
A5 (14.5 x 21.2cm or 5.7 x 8.35in)
A6 (11 x 15.5cm or 4.3 x 6.10in)

What are the paper specifications?

These sketchbooks use acid-free, 100% cotton artist-grade paper. The paper tone is traditional white. Paper thickness is 230gsm (~110lbs) for cold press or 220gsm (~100lbs) for hot press.

Why is acid-free paper important?

The best paper is acid-free and has a high amount of cotton. Using acid-free paper helps to prevent the "yellowing" that can happen in paper over the years, meaning your art will stand the test of time.

Can you paint on both sides of the paper?

Yes you can. Each book has 52 page (or 26 sheets) and each page can be painted on thanks to the quality of the paper.