Tools Of The Trace

I’m not loyal to brands unless the product is outstanding.  As far as sketchbooks go, I don’t think you can do much better than a Canson Universal Recycled Sketchbook:

• a variety of formats (I prefer the 9″x12″, portrait format)
• smooth-ish surface appropriate for a variety of media
• 100, 65lb pages (thick enough sheets that my heavy sketching hand and mixed media applications don’t bleed through to the the other side)
• acid-free
• 100% recycled content (ecologically responsible, makes me feel good)
• coil bound so the book lies perfectly flat when opened
• micro-perforated along the margin for clean tear-outs

With a card stock cover and thick card backing board it’s not as pretty as a hardbound sketchbook is, but I’ve worked in books with a hard bound spine and I like using them less.

And because a picture is so nice to look at, here’s a recent page from the ol’ ArjoWiggins – a few musings that might eventually make their way into the third dimension…

Note: I generally use a 2B pencil for sketching – I’ve upped the contrast for easier viewing.

Do you have a tool in your arsenal that you love and endorse wholeheartedly?  Don’t be shy, it doesn’t have to be arts related!