Etchr Signature Watercolour Cold Pressed Sketchbook
Etchr Signature Watercolour Cold Pressed Sketchbook
In this review we take a look at the Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook. I have been a huge fan of Etchr since they first began selling products for artists. The first product from the Etchr range that I tested and reviewed was their Slate Mini Satchel and then after that was my absolute favourite art product of all time, the Etchr Field Case. I have added links to all the previous Etchr products I have reviewed, including the Etchr Half Pan Watercolour Set, the Watercolour Brushes complete with the Etchr roll along with the regular Etchr Watercolour Sketchbooks
However, in this review we will be focusing on the Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook. The Signature Sketchbook comes in cold pressed and hot pressed pages, for those of you new to watercolour or art in general, hot pressed is a much smoother surface and cold pressed offers more texture. Many colored pencil artists will use a hot pressed watercolour paper to work on, whereas the cold pressed surface allows for creating more texture and dry brush technique for watercolours.
Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook Characteristics
The Etchr Signature range is their top of the line Sketchbooks, you can buy them in cold or hot pressed, when you purchase one, it arrives in a white cardboard box to protect it. On the front of the box there is of course the Etchr Lama logo, a logo that has become so well known amongst artists the world over.
In the format of small easy to read icons, you get to see briefly the features of the Etchr Signature Sketchbook, starting with the B5 sizing of the book in portrait format. The paper is 100% cotton and although fantastic for watercolour painting, the sketchbook is sold as mixed media. As well as the paper being 100% cotton, it is also 300 GSM, acid free and Vegan friendly.
Finally, the most beautiful characteristic of the Etchr Signature Sketchbook is the deckled edging, whilst this feature does not add any practical value to the artwork you create, it adds a nature look and feel to the sketchbook, a feel of authenticity, instilling a sense of class and prestige to your work. Etchr have from the very beginning have always taken a strong stance on vegan friendly materials used in their products, always advocating for animal rights.
On removing the sketchbook from the white cardboard protection, you get your first glimpse of the beautifully crafted Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook. It looks like a tan leather cover, at first glance, however we know Etchr’s stance on animal friendly products and so, leather, it is not.
There is an elastic band helping to keep the watercolour sketchbook closed, on so many sketchbooks I have used over the years, this elastic feature always ends up stretching and not being strong or tight enough to keep the book closed; although I have not had the sketchbook terribly long, the elastic band feels thicker and stronger than most, but time will tell on this particular feature.
The deckled edging gives the Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook that look and feel of quality, authenticity and craftsmanship. Of course, as I have mentioned, this feature of the sketchbook does not enhance your art in any way, shape or form, but nevertheless, it is a feature I love. There is also a bookmark ribbon attached to the spine which is standard.
At the back of the Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook, there is a pocket crafted onto the back cover, allowing the artist to retain keepsakes, collect leaves or dried flowers, used for study items, or other such items. A pocket on the back cover is a pretty common feature on notebooks and sketchbooks, an incredibly practical and usable feature.
The binding in the Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook allows for the artists to lay the sketchbook completely flat on a surface. This of course provides the artist with a larger painting area and without having to constantly apply weight or pressure to the corners keeping it flat.
Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook Performance
Without doubt, the most important and vital element of the Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook is the super high quality paper, sourced from the popular Fabriano Artistico. The amalgamation of two amazing companies, Fabriano and Etchr can only procure one outcome, an outcome of sheer perfection and quality.
To help portray certain aspects of the Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook, I have also completed a YouTube Video review along with a speed painting and drawing videos, here you will get a better understanding of the performance I am explaining. One such element is the quality and weight of the paper, I know this will sound incredibly ridiculous, but you can hear the weight of the paper as I turn each page, feel the cold pressed texture as my hand glides over the surface.
Although this is a watercolour sketchbook, Etchr market is as a mixed media sketchbook and so I wanted to help demonstrate this via artwork from different mediums. I created three pieces of art, a coloured pencil piece, an all graphite piece and finally a watercolour sketch. On top of this I completed a few real time tests which demonstrate the level of water the paper can absorb, wet on wet technique as well as lifting pigment from the paper.
Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook Colored Pencil Butterfly Art
Given that this particular Etchr Sketchbook is the cold pressed version, I knew the texture of the paper was going to be a huge help to me. I have always wanted to fill a sketchbook, from cover to cover, drawing and painting British Butterflies, so I thought why not get started. It’s important to note the relevance of paper with a 100% cotton content, which is the case for the Etchr Signature Sketchbook. It is the cotton content that provides that strength, its wonderful absorbency level, the amount of water the paper can hold without tearing, allowing the artist to work, this is all due to the Cotton content.
The first piece of artwork was the Small Tortoiseshell, British Butterfly; completed using Faber Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils. I wanted to use a slightly harder cored pencil, using the texture of the paper to help illustrate the speckled nature of the butterflies’ markings on its wings. All the usual coloured pencil techniques worked perfectly, using the putty eraser on light layers, using the electric eraser on more heavily applied layers, with zero damage to the paper. The overall strength and endurance of the Etchr Signature Watercolour Paper is remarkable.
Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook Botanical Art
Next, I wanted to test the paper in its intended form, creating a simple watercolour sketch, nothing too elaborate, art I could create testing and demonstrating various watercolour techniques. At first, I roughly sketched out some lemons hanging from the a tree. I then applied copious amounts of water to the areas I wanted to work on, allowing for wet in wet technique.
What I loved about the Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook paper was that whilst the paper took high levels of water without buckling, the paper kept the surface moist with plenty of time to implement certain techniques. Some cheaper or lower quality papers, soak up the water fast, creating panic and haste in the artist to fulfil trusted techniques. With the Etchr paper and its high quality, time is afforded to manipulate and arrange the pigments into your masterpiece.
I was pleasantly surprised with the ease at which I completed this watercolour sketch, whilst it is true art supplies and accessories are only simple aids and that, it is the artist who creates the art; I certainly think quality supplies and materials go a long way to helping the artist. I would also like to emphasise that quality does not always equate to expensive, this is not a prerequisite of a quality product.
After completing the watercolour demonstration and the coloured pencil demonstration, I was going to leave matters at that, I thought I had done enough in the way of showcasing Etchr’s product, however the feature “Mixed Media” continually played on my mind and I wanted to do more. It was at this point I wanted to see how the paper reacted to graphite, how the graphite moved or lifted and how the paper held on the medium.
Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook Graphite Art
I sketched out this drawing of the common peacock butterfly, recognised for the spots that look like eyes. Whilst a strikingly beautiful British Butterfly, there appears to be very little detail from a distance, but on closer inspection the beautiful detail becomes clear.
Again, the texture of the cold pressed paper allowed the graphite to gently skip and dance across the paper, kissing the peaks and avoiding the valleys of the paper tooth. This helped me create the illusion of detail, when in actual fact, it was the Etchr paper tooth that provided all the work.
I moved the graphite using paper stumps and short hair brushes of which provided effortless blending and moving. Lifting the graphite with both a putty eraser and electric eraser produced results identical to that of my coloured pencil demonstration. The overall experience was a pleasure and inspiring, which I know can sound a tab pretentious, nevertheless, when a sketchbook of this quality lays open in your hand allowing you to be the artist you want to be, calling you to paint or draw more, I would say happily refer to this as inspiring.
Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook Pricing
Obviously the Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook is Etchrs crème de la crème sketchbook, which is making quite a statement given the high quality of Etchrs other products. This is obviously going to be reflected in the cost, but as I mention in the YouTube video review of this product, it is important to ask yourself what is the purpose you wish to use this sketchbook for before buying?
Etchr sell the Signature Watercolour Sketchbook in Blue or Tan Orange and only in B5 Portrait format. You can select between Hot and Cold Pressed and if you were to ask my opinion in relation to the paper textures, I would definitely recommend the Cold Pressed for landscape art and certain botanicals. I would use the Hot Pressed format for Botanical, Urban Sketching and Portraiture.
Here in the UK the Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook, B5 Portraiture Hot Pressed will cost approximately £68 and the Cold Pressed the same price
I know in this day and age especially, finances are incredibly tight, with people struggling to feed and keep their families warm, so make the decision to buy such a luxury item, such as the Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook with thought. What I can say without doubt, you will absolutely love and treasure this product, the Etchr Signature Sketchbook will stay with you all through your artistic journey, a record of time for all to view.
Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook Conclusion
I know that perhaps this is too extensive a review for a simple watercolour sketchbook, which I completely understand anyone who feels this way. However, after using the sketchbook and demonstrating it using various mediums, I completely fell in love with it and deemed that such a product deserved honest and attention to detail in my analysis.
Throughout all three art demonstrations, I sincerely enjoyed the drawing or painting process, whilst it is I, the artist, who created the artwork, I wholeheartedly believe that the materials aided the process, lending a hand and guiding my vision onto the exceptional paper within the binding of this spectacular sketchbook.
The Etchr Signature Watercolour Sketchbook is an expensive item and I would perhaps go as far as to say it is a luxurious item, but if you decide to purchase one, I can hand on heart tell you that it will be among one of your most treasured art supplies. I have of course provided a YouTube video review of this product where you can see real time testing and demonstrating. I have also provided three short speed drawing and painting videos of the artwork come to life, which you are more than welcome to watch the process appear in front of your eyes, simply click the relevant links provided and you will be taken automatically to the video or article of your choice. If speed drawing videos are not your thing, I have also provided still images of the artwork, taken throughout the drawing and painting process, again, to view the art still images of the Graphite Butterfly, Coloured Pencil Butterfly or Botanical Watercolour painting, simply click the links.
