Which sketchbook do I choose? Part 2: size + quantity, plus my mini art kit.

Hello Pen Powells,

I am in the thick of deadlines right now. And when I say thick, I want you to think of me as Snow White surrounded by thorns the size of shark fins attached to tendrils as thick as Serena Williams’ thighs.

There is no Prince Charming coming to rescue me (that I know of).

But I wanted to take a little time out to write part two of my sketchbook series — Part one is here.

In my last Agony ART column I attempted to alleviate your artistic woes by answering which sketchbook paper will best meet your needs. But without meaning to, I opened a can of worms — because as soon as I answered that question, another immediately took its place:

What SIZE sketchbook should you buy?

At first glance this question looks innocuous, even simple to answer. I could flippantly suggest some letter and number combinations—A4! A6! I could even chuck a couple of geometric nouns at you—Square! Rectangular!—and call it a day.

I could do that. But I’m not going to, because I want to be a respected agony ART columnist, and so I must give you an honest answer: that is not the question you should be asking.

This innocuous question is actually a smoke-screen for a bigger one hiding inside it and it’s this hidden question that, I think, is the real one:

How many sketchbooks do you need on the go at once?

Answer THIS, and the first question answers itself.

If you’re planning a casual jaunt round a museum (or a serious one, depending on the vibe of the museum) anything bigger than A5 can start to weigh you down. You’ll start off thinking the A4 sketchbook with marbled endpapers is a great idea and looks mega impressive — but after six hours on your shoulder in an “I love books” tote bag, it’s a choice you will regret.

This is why I recommend having several sketchbooks on the go.

Here’s how I do it.