Lightwish Watercolour Sketchbook is an affordable, refillable journal that comes with 20 sheets of 300gsm/140lb cold pressed cotton paper. The sheets measure 9.25×6.3 inches and fit perfectly in the binder, which has a faux suede cover.
I bought this sketchbook before the summer, and had painted 6 sheets (both sides) so far, and felt that it was enough to do a review. By the time I write this review, I see that a newer version with an engraved faux leather cover is now available. So this really comes down to whether the paper is good, and the quality of the binder. Let’s take a look!
Lightwish Watercolour Sketchbook Review: The Binder
The 20 sheets of paper come wrapped in plastic, which is nice. I know they are going for that faux suede look, but personally, the binder looks rather cheap. I think the newer design with the engraved faux leather looks better but some people complain the 20 sheets barely fit in that new binder. For this version, the sheets fit perfectly without bulging or feeling like the papers will burst out of the binder.
Paper Quality
The 20 sheets boast 100% cotton, 140lb cold pressed paper and they do feel thick and weighty. The grain is of a medium texture, but not overly so. I painted on both sides without issues. They can take in some seriously heavy washes. When I do reviews I borderline abuse the paper with layers of heavy washes and this paper really took them well. If you have read my Bee Paper watercolour paper, I would definitely put Lightwish’s paper above that. I do not think the Bee paper was as thick as this one even though both are supposedly 300gsm/140lb.
In many ways, I am glad you can find 100% cotton paper on Amazon at such an affordable price these days. For comparison, I had paid double for an Etchr sketchbook (similar size), so if you are on a budget you have this as a cheaper option. Again, I am not particularly fond of the look of the binder but at this price it doesn’t matter.
If there is one thing (besides the binder appearance) Lightwish could improve on, it would be the size of the paper. Personally, I find the paper too narrow if you use it in portrait orientation. This is borderline nitpicky so let me stop right there. 😛
Overall Lightwish Watercolour Sketchbook Review:
If you are just starting out and want a handy sketchbook to keep your artwork, Lightwish Watercolour Sketchbook is a good choice. You get 100% cotton, 140lb paper, and the sheets are refillable so if you are intimidated by the thought of a painting not turning out well, you can always remove or reorder the pages.
Since I purchased this sketchbook, several new versions from Lightwish had come out. I am probably going to buy another one on the next Prime day (October 2024).
If you have purchased and used this sketchbook, do share your opinions below. Until next time, happy painting!
