I was turned onto illo's sketchbook by an Rodgon the Artist whom I follow. The illo Sketchbook is a must-have for any artist. It is a game changer for any artist looking to elevate their creative process. From its sleek and minimalist design to its impeccable paper quality, this sketchbook has quickly become an essential tool in my artistic journey.The paper is a joy to work on-smooth, heavyweight, and able to withstand a variety of mediums without any bleed-through. Whether I'm sketching with pencils, inking with pens, or experimenting with water colors, the results are always stunning on these pages.What sets the illo Sketchbook apart is its thoughtful features. The lay-flat design makes it easy to work across two pages without any interruption, while the sturdy hardcover ensures that my precious sketches are well protected. I also appreciate the little details that make a big difference, like the convenient elastic closure that keeps the sketchbook securely shut and the ribbon marker that helps me keep track of my progress.In conclusion, the illo sketchbook is a top-notch creative companion that inspires me to push the boundaries of my imagination. Whether you're a seasoned artist or just starting out, this sketchbook is sure to be a valuable addition to your toolkit.Lewis W.

I HATE HATE HATE spiral sketchbooks and personally can’t stand the thin paper of swarthmore sketchbooks and after a bad experience with them I decided to switch over to Illo. I can confidently say I’ll only be buying from them from now on. The pages sit completely flat, the bleed is non existent (unless you’re using alcohol markers), it’s durable and can slip right into your bag, and it’s perfect to put stickers on! My only complaint was that I wish the cover came in more colors. Amazing!

I’ve been drawing almost exclusively in sketchbooks for the better part of the last 8+ years, earlier this year i decided to try out this sketchbook and it has honestly been one of the best sketchbooks i’ve ever bought, the paper is extremely smooth without being slippery, the cover is durable with a nice thickness, the elastic holding it closed is extremely strong, i find it easy to travel with wether you’re taking it on a plane or just on a quick roadtrip, and the overall size of the sketchbook is extremely nice and i enjoy being able to draw on both sides of the same piece of paper without having marks, indents, and marker bleed, showing through. As for the materials you can use on it i find that pencils, colored pencils, ink, and paint/paint pens are extremely pleasing to uses on the paper but other materials also work extremely well. Overall an amazing sketchbook for any kind of artist i highly recommend!!!

Good quality, smooth paper. The paper is thick and holds different media very well.

I love these sketchbooks, I have bought so many of them. The texture of the paper is just so enjoyable to draw on, it's just the perfect thickness and smoothness. I love the way that pencils feel on the paper when I'm drawing, so it just elevates the drawing experience and makes it even more enjoyable. I use a variety of colored pencils, graphite pencils, and various types of pens in my sketchbooks. It's such a smooth, consistent surface to work on, and I like how it is able to handle such a variety of media. I do also use alcohol markers in these sketchbooks, because again the texture is so great with markers. It does soak through, but I don't consider that a flaw, as it's a sketchbook so it's expected that this might occur. Just mentioning it because they are quite enjoyable for use with markers as well, but because it's not the intended purpose expect the soaking through. I typically just use the other side of the paper in those cases for color swatching or something similar that doesn't matter if there is marker soak-through on it. Overall, I love these sketchbooks and will continue to purchase them!

Really cool product. I'll buy again when I fill my most recent illo purchase, for sure!I very carefully and maybe somewhat deceptively give this inspired entry to the world of modern sketchbooks a healthy and well-wishing 5/5 (I love it!) while fairly offering the one notable caveat that bear some mention for current buyers -- its paper isn't acid-free. This ends up being problematic for anyone like me who is looking to recommend this as a material option in classroom situations where adhering to acid-free products and best material practices is an industry-must. Given how thoughtfully and considerately built the rest of this product is, I was fairly surprised by this reveal and had to double-check the item description to make sure I hadn't missed any details.That said, it *is* thoughtfully and considerately built a product with a cool future. The favorable characteristics do outweigh the caveat mentioned above for personal use and serve as an excellent base form for any point down the road that the product finds itself becoming more archival. For example, it's a lay-flat sketchbook, which is great! And this is something that isn't mentioned in the item's description but serves to set this book aside from a great many others in the same price bracket that cut corners while ignoring smarter binding methods. With this feature, you're able to transition from a 1:1 square surface to a 1:2 landscape format (or 2:1 portrait!) with ease, which is just great. Also, the cover is sleek and durable and what you'd expect from books ~$10 more in cost. The book has a nice weight while remaining being clever and compact. It shares many of the features one might be familiar with through competitors like Moleskine, Hand.book, etc. It has elegant papering and a space for contact information on the first insert page. There's a sturdy folder folio in the back. It has a bright electric blue marker ribbon. The presentation is smart and exacting. The branding is clean, clear, and concise. It's all really something. At the very least in my case, the product even shipped with a friendly, handwritten note. It's hard to ignore the charm and care taken, truly.The short of it is that this is a great product from a wonderful startup in Detroit with a caring product team, and I see them and it doing very well over time. I fully intend to dive right in to have some fun committing some 'illos' to the page. If you aren't particularly concerned about the archival quality of your surfaces yourself, you are absolutely good to go here, as there isn't much in this price bracket that competes with how net-complete this product ends up being for the overall cost. If not for its acidic quality, this is solid enough to be a fully greenlit material requirement for my level 200 classes. Even with that part of it being known, it's still great for a wide variety of applications and should be scooped up by anyone even remotely curious about it. This is a company to keep your eye on...