Despite what we may think, for someone who works in a creative space, no piece of tech will replace a quality notebook for quick notes or sketches of ideas and projects when you’re on the go.

The problem is, like many other product landscapes, the options that are available when it comes to a good pen or good notebook are almost endless and can cause headaches and confusion trying to find the best one for your type of work.

With that in mind, we wanted to build a guide to best notebooks for graphic designers, artists and illustrators. Let’s dive in!

 

The Best Notebooks for Graphic Designers in 2022

When we started to look around and gather information for our list, we realized that there are a lot of options out there and we needed some help. For our recommendations for the best notebooks in 2022, we actually reached out to our Facebook group for suggestions and what our readers use.

Click on any of the links below to get more information on a certain product, or if you’re feeling a bit adventurous, keep reading for more information.

1. Moleskine Classic 
2. Field Notes 
3. Moleskine Smart Notebook (Creative Cloud Connected)
4. Leuchtturm Master Classic
5. Moleskine Livescribe Notebook 
6. Evernote Sketchbook with Smart Stickers 
7. MOO Hardcover Notebook
8. Rhodia

 

The Best Notebooks Compared

 

What To Look For When Buying Notebooks

If you’ve ever stopped by your local office supply store and strolled down either the notebook or pen aisles, the number of choices available to you is staggering. It is no wonder that many creatives will go through notebook after notebook until they find the best one for them.

But what should you look for in each? Let’s take a look.

A good notebook should be made of better quality materials than the notebooks that you had in college. You’re a professional now, you should own something with substance.

Let’s take a look at what you should consider when buying a notebook.

Size

This factor will be different for everyone. A lot of the decision in regards to the size of the notebook you’re using comes from what you’re using it for. If you are typically going to do more writing in your notebook, you may be ok with a book-size notebook. On the other hand, if you are primarily going to be sketching and drawing, a larger notebook could be more accommodating.

Paper

The paper that you use in your notebook of choice will typically be influenced by three major areas. These include:

• Media

Specifically speaking, what type of writing or drawing utensil do you plan on using most often with your notebook. If sketching is the primary focus of your notebook, finding one with sketching paper will likely work best for you. Many notebook manufacturers will make notebooks that work well with many types of media including markers, ink, fountain pens or even watercolor.

• Weight

If you’ve never gone paper shopping, it can be eye-opening to learn that paper is offered in different weights. The higher the weight of the paper will be relative to the thickness of the paper. A thicker paper can resist getting wet without rippling or buckling. Some weight is better suited for using with certain pens so that the ink doesn’t smudge or even bleed through.

• Finish

When it comes to the finish of the paper, the term refers to the texture of the paper, For many illustrators, having a paper with good texture can add a sense of realism to what they are drawing, giving it a feel of being real and coming right off the page for some.

Cover

For many creatives who may use a notebook for sketching, the cover can become a makeshift hard surface to draw on. Choosing a notebook with a flimsy cover may not be the best choice. Coincidentally, for writers, having a book-type can be more beneficial so you don’t have to flip back and forth continuously.

Price

It always boils down to this. You may have found the perfect notebook for your needs. It does everything you need it to short of making a good cup of coffee. Then you see the price and almost fall over. A good, high-quality notebook shouldn’t cost more than your rent but at the same time, shouldn’t cost so little that you can find it at the dollar store either. Finding a good middle ground is your best option here.

 

The Best Notebooks for Designers in 2022

To some, a pen and notebook go together like peanut butter and jelly or ketchup and french fries. Essentially made for one another. The best pen and notebook feel like an extension of your hand and the perfect writing surface for all of your ideas.

We wanted to shine a light on those that even in their simplicity, can make a world of difference for someone who works in a creative field. It could be a great gift idea too, especially a personalised notebook!

So if you’re ready, let’s read ahead a bit.

 

1. Moleskine Classic

As it was also featured in our best gear article, seeing multiple offerings from Moleskine is no surprise at all. People can get obsessive over owning a notebook from Moleskine and it all started with the Classic. A straightforward notebook with a practical design, it is available in different styles including colored notebooks, memo books and even “smart” versions (see our 3rd item).

The variety and quality offered by the company that started little more than twenty years ago as well as the convenient size of many of their notebooks, designed to be easy to take with you or throw into a bag will keep these at the top of many lists for the best notebook available for a long time. 

 

2. Field Notes

One look at these vintage-styled notebooks ad you may think that someone found a collection of their granddad’s old notebooks laying around. Measuring 3.5 x 5 inches, the small notebooks come with 48 pages and are perfect for a quick sketch or jotting down notes on the go with its saddle binding.

Available in three styles, Aaron Draplin’s, Field Notes design harkens back to pocket ledgers, agricultural memo books and for the on-the-go designer, is a must-have item.

 

 

3. Moleskine Smart Notebook, Creative Cloud connected

These days, just about everything we use is connected and now, that even includes the notebook you use on a daily basis. With the Smart Notebook from Moleskine, anything you write can be transferred to your Creative Cloud account by taking a picture of your work with the Moleskine, which is an app connected to the Creative Cloud, and will sync the image as a JPG or SVG which then allows you to edit it in Illustrator or Photoshop.

Technology can be amazing and with this notebook, it can also help you be super productive during your day.

 

 

4. Leuchtturm Master Classic

At a whopping 233 numbered pages, the Leuchtturm Master Classic notebook definitely gives buyers their money worth. While for many, having a smaller, thinner notebook may be the way to go, this is for those who feel otherwise.

Deliberately designed to last you quite some time, the paper comes in four different options – ruled, plain, squared or dotted. Which one you choose is a matter of preference but get ready to have this one for quite some time.

 

 

5. Livescribe Notebook

Another entry from Moleskine, the Livescribe Notebook will or should be familiar to anyone who uses a Livescribe pen. Designed aesthetically like any other Moleskine notebook, the pages feature three controls for the Livescribe+ features at the bottom of each page.

These controls work with an app and once they are sync will make any notes appear in digital form on the app. This can be really handy for someone who may temporarily misplace their notebook on a busy day.

 

 

6. Evernote Sketchbook with Smart Stickers

While this is technically a Moleskine notebook, it is also different. Many people, creatives, bloggers and more use Evernote on their phone to keep track of notes, web pages, and other things. With the Evernote Sketchbook with Smart Stickers, write or sketch whatever you want on the page and then use one of the included Smart Stickers to tag the page.

Take a picture through the Evernote app and it will appear right inside your Evernote account. If you use Evernote and you want more flexibility with the files you’re saving, this is right up your alley.

 

7. MOO Hardcover Notebook

This is a premium notebook that remains flat while writing. The MOO Hardcover notebook mixes good materials with a practical design that helps with your work. You can use this notebook for taking notes, writing the next bestseller, or for drawing and designing purposes. This is the perfect companion for travelers, designers, writers, or as a gift.

It has the brightest white Swedish Kristall paper with 6mm lined spacing. The writing surface of this notebook will not turn yellow with age. The pages are thick enough that the ink from the pen will not bleed and you will not see the impression on the reverse side.

This book is made from durable cloth, the tough cover stands up to backpacks and bags. It has a thick, quality. You can have this book as a trusted companion to pen your thoughts and your work of art. You may use the ribbon as a bookmarker to help you to reach the page where you were currently working on. 

8. Rhodia

There are various notebooks that come from Rhodia. These notebooks come in various sizes and textures that will perfectly fit your creative needs. There are normal spiral notebooks, notepads to quickly scribble down or jot down your ideas, and notebooks that use a premium paper to make sure that it fits the needs of fountain pen users. 

The paper in these notebooks is mostly half cream colors. The paper of this notebook is also ink resistant, so thw the ink dries on top of the page and the paper does not absorb it. Neither the ink bleeds nor does it have feathering issues. 

The best part about Rhodia notebooks is that you get notebooks in various colors and sizes with different page styles, such as plain, ruled, and dotted. Rhodia notebooks come with half-white and leather hardcovers that keep their standard apart.

The Best Notebooks Compared

 

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Choosing the Best Notebook for Your Needs

Finding the best pen and notebook can take time and effort. Going through different notebooks to find a kind of paper that works best and a pen that feels like an extension of your hand is difficult, which is why you may see people with dozens of notebooks and cups full of pens. 

We hope that our list of the Best Notebooks for Creatives in 2022 helped to give you some ideas so you can avoid that fate but if you have a favorite notebook that isn’t on our list, let us know in the comments below.