Stillman & BirnAlpha Series Wirebound Sketchbook, 6" x 8", 150 gsm (Heavyweight), White Paper, Medium Grain Surface

A great sketchbook, I have purchased sketchbooks from this brand many times and this is by far my favorite. It is textured but not too much, but it’s not the best for things like water color. My favorite to use on it is colored pencils and pretty much any dry materials. It’s a little pricey but I’ll definitely be buying it again in the future.

It's just what I was hoping for, the paper isn't too thick but not thin either. A great casual sketchbook, and a perfect size to travel with, definitely recommend.

art class

There are some random black specks on some pages that look like accidents.

Stillman & Birn Alpha has become my favorite sketchbook. I mostly use pen and watercolor. The paper is not as thick as what most consider "watercolor paper" but the paint doesn't bleed through even with a significant amount of water. I've been able to use both sides of the paper with no problem. It handles fountain pens nicely. I also like the crinkle / warping that used pages get when you use water. I've bought multiple sizes / styles of Alpha but I think this is my favorite because of the hard cover and the fact the it can flip all the way around giving you a very easy to use surface anywhere. My only wishes were that it came with an elastic closure and that the 7.5 x 7.5 came in ring bound like this. But all in all it's pretty perfect.

I love all of the Stillman and Birn sketchbooks, but this is my favorite. The paper in the Alpha Series has a very slight texture - smooth enough for sketching in pencil or ink and just enough texture for watercolor. I also like the size 7 x 10 and prefer the wirebound so that I can flip the front cover over to the back of the sketchbook and have a nice solid surface to sketch on while holding the book..... i.e. if I'm sketching outdoors and don't have a table or anything to put the sketchbook on. I also have the same sketchbook in the 9 x 12 size when I want to work larger.... but the 7 x 10 is my daily sketchbook of choice....

This is a great sketchbook! It holds up to heavy ink use and watercolor washes without much if any bleed through. With light washes the paper doesn't curl and warp. The paper feels robust and workable.

very good

I've used several of the alpha series in different formats, including this one, and they're superb. The pages curl some when wet, but flatten out again quite nicely. The very white paper also holds up well to erasure and resists show through to the other side quite well too. I used to use Bateman sketchbooks, but no longer -- these are far superior. My use is mostly with pen and watercolour and also with watercolour pencil, but not with markers.

Excellent experience using Alfa sketchbook. The paper is perfect for watercolour painting.

Lovely surface for pencil, pen and wash. Will buy again

The book advertised is portrait and the book I received is landscape.