Sketchbook Tour and Review

With so many brands available it's hard to know which sketchbooks hold up to use or abuse. I prefer high quality sketchbook which is why I made my own for many years. I can recommend a couple brands and be assured I am not paid to endorsed or recommend any sketchbook company.
Learn more on my website: www.swensonsart.net

[@mgerb50]

Wow, Brenda! You set a high bar for beginners like me. Your sketches and watercolor when you add it are just beautiful. But also, your overall designs are elegant and really do tell stories with each page/sketch. Thanks for sharing this. I'm inspired to work harder. :)

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Michael, Thank you so the kind words☺️

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Inspiration is a good thing - but it’s best not to compare ourselves to others. We have to set our own bar for ourselves.

[@ivi122]

I agree! Her sketchbook paintings especially of village/buildings and nature are AMAZING, so so beautiful

[@Psychomary100]

This is how i would like to draw! I mean, i saw many sketchbooks and i can say i love many styles but you have a mix of all my fave styles. Some watercolors, some bw, some realistics, some cartoonish, etc... You give me much inspiration to be more creative. 👏

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Thank you so much 😀

[@holliexenahitchcock]

Yes! That’s how I feel!

[@a_m-wy]

So beautifully done wow ❤

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@ASMRA33]

Wow!!! Love your style ❤

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Thank you so much!!

[@GarlicBreadGirlie]

Wow… just wow 😮 Your art is gorgeous, unique and unforgettable. I really hope you have no intend of quitting art because you have a true gift. 🎁 🖌️🎨✍🏾🤩

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Thank you!

[@polgara28]

Gorgeous artwork! I especially love your Ojai sketches, that bookstore and hotel room were fabulous! Thank you for taking the time to share with us.

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Christine, You are so welcome!

[@BStarfireMcquinn]

I really loved this tour. I love that you make your own sketchers and that you do work some single side of page works. I'm going back to that practice in my sketchbooks this year. Spending more time per sketch and concentrating on drawing better. Thank you for your inspiring tour!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Yay, thank you! Sketchbook are a joy to create and share.

[@larysacherner312]

Absolutely beautiful 😍 Thanks a lot for sharing!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Larysa, My pleasure 😊

[@armanasa3956]

Brenda you’re amazing! I can’t stop watching your videos. I’ve started to do sketch journal from last two days hoping to have a better life overall and I inspire to be like you. Will come here in 2026 Jan to show you my improvement as I consider you my guru ! 🙏🏽

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

That is awesome! Enjoy the creative process and don’t compare yourself to others. Who we are is good enough❤️

[@deeanncross7674]

Thanks for the tour. Beautiful artwork. It was fun to see your layout ideas in the square format and how you add interest for your journaling. I have both of those sketchbooks and really like them.

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

DeeAnn, You are so welcome! Thanks for the kind words.

[@MagsArt]

Beautiful wonderful sketchbook 🤩🤯

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Thank you so much 😀

[@KarenK-r4f]

I love your bold use of color and also your use of white space 💙💜💚

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Thank you!

[@TRYHEART67]

Thank you for showing your work. I always love seeing your watercolors. So beautiful! 💕💕💕

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

My pleasure 😊

[@JoannMarie7612]

Beautiful! Thank you for sharing the brand as well. I have had a hard time with watercolor and I started with a sketchbook that was geared to dry mediums. Opps!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

That must of been frustrating! Gotta use good paper for watercolor.

[@bettyd.1843]

Oh Brenda! Your pages almost look like they are glowing!!! They are so lovely! I'd love to learn more about your new palette too!!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Betty…Oh thank you! The palette box is brass and called a Frazer Price. It comes in two sizes. Mine is small

[@TheJenZeman]

I love, love, LOVE your sketchbooks!!! I went through your Terracotta course as well, but sadly, I still haven't kick-started a real sketchbook habit. Watching this video made my heart sing! I'm inspired to get moving!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

You can do it! Sketching a wonderful gift we give ourselves. Happy sketching!

[@suzannetaylor1556]

I am new to your channel. As I was watching you turn the pages of your incredible sketch books I couldn’t help but notice your hands. I assumed you are older artist which I love seeing. I am older as well and am inspired again to know that age does not limit creativity. Beautiful artwork!!!!!!!!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Suzanne, I inherited them from my great grandmother hands. Painting on location for 20+ years hasn't been good for them either. Happy sketching!

[@ivi122]

I’m in awe of your skills and talent. I have never seen any other sketchbooks that I love more than yours and one other you tuber artist. You’re my favorite one bec all of your paintings look so pretty and I love your style! I hope to one day soon be as good as you! Pls do more tutorials of your sketchbooks!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Wow, thank you!

[@ivi122]

@@brendaswensonwatercolors you’re very welcome. Keep it up bec your art work is truly beautiful! Can you please do a video on water/paint ratio? I can never get it right! A tutorial would be amazing

[@beverleering8469]

What a beautiful sketchbook Brenda.. Thank you for sharing with us.. I love all of your art!!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Thank you very much!

[@PerryArtist]

Extremely talented and a delight to watch. Gorgeous work!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Thank you!

[@neromo]

WoW!! I have nothing but compliments to describe your work. Thanks for sharing. I never used to care about the paper quality when I was younger, I would just draw in any type of sketchbook I could get my hands on. But now, I find having the right type of paper helps me get in the right head space when I'm sketching. I look forward to possibly trying out one of the one's you've mentioned. But first I'll have to finish filling up the 2 sketchbooks I'm currently working on.

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Thank you for the kind words. Good paper can make a huge difference especially when working with watercolor. Poor quality paper is frustrating and distracting from the creative process. Happy sketching!

[@vwood2]

Thank you Brenda! It’s always exciting when you post a new video - there’s treasure ahead! I especially love / envy your washes; there’s so much texture and colour sensitivity in them. Your rocks by the brook, and the hotel interior are just wonderful! I’ve used Strathmore watercolour journals for 20 years, and have learned how to get the best from them. I know there are no magic art supplies, but seeing those rocks make me think I should try 100% cotton books 😊

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Vicki, I love the excitement and joy in your words. Sketching a wonderful gift we give ourselves. Happy sketching!

[@vwood2]

Thank you Brenda! You as well! 🎨

[@kirstymartin6898]

What brand of watercolour paper do you prefer in your self-made sketchbooks?

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Kirsty, Here’s a link to my blog with instructions and list of paper. brendaswenson.blogspot.com/2012/05/perfect-sketchbookcontinued.html?m=1

[@melissapogue7928]

You are a amazing artist ❤

[@missylulu]

Thank you for sharing. Love your sketchbooks. For a little over a year now, I've been using the Landscape & Portrait Hahnemuhle watercolour books; they're 120 lbs, 100% cotton cold press, 30 pages. They're good quality and can take it like a 140 lbs watercolor paper could.

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Glad you like them!

[@ivodassen87]

Thank you a lot for sharing

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Ivo, My pleasure

[@martinakuroneko5962]

Amazing sketchbooks! I'm glad I've found you today : ))) Warm greetings from Poland.

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Martina, Thank you very much🌼 Sunny greetings from California!

[@saraalbirawi]

I love your work thank you for sharing ❤

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Sara, You are so welcome!

[@mebythesea5]

How I wish there was closed captioning. Thank you though,Brenda for a lovely sketchbook tour!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

The video posted before I was done. I now have "closed captions".

[@Bearwithme560]

@@brendaswensonwatercolors Thank you, though you do have a lovely, soothing voice.

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

What a nice thing to say🥰

[@Nathalieroy2624]

Wow, so gorgeous. Thanks for sharing. Had a great time watching.

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Glad you enjoy a peek inside my sketchbook.

[@Sunny-pr1qw]

looking forward to seeing you at Sketcher Fest in Edmonds in July!! loved this tour :)

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Sunny, Can't wait! Gonna be fun at Sketcher Fest!

[@JElias-qu2vy]

Gorgeous and creative sketchbooks! ***I know this video was put out a few months ago, but I am wondering what you use to label your sketchbook covers and spines? Is it a Posca or some other permanent paint/marker? Especially on my leather/vinyl sketchbooks, I cannot get any writing to stay on!?*** Any info would be amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your sketchbooks and your wisdom!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Thanks! I use a white: Sharpie or Posca. Black: Sharpie or Pitt Faber-Castell

[@JElias-qu2vy]

@brendaswensonwatercolors Thank you so very much for responding!! I have both sharpies and poscas, so I'm gonna do some sketchbook labeling now! Thank you again!

[@akaMonkeyBusiness]

So exquisite - Truly inspiring!!! You go girl!!!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@ullabonderup]

Beautiful beautiful paintings!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Thank you so much 😀

[@holliexenahitchcock]

Hi Brenda I really love your style! I am new to urban sketching and notice that sometimes you don’t seem to use pen in your compositions and I was wondering how you decide when to outline in ink and when not to. Thank you!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

I like working in a diversity of ways and different drawing tools. I’ll use pencil when I know I have enough time to paint. If time is short I start with pen. Why? Because A well drawn line can stand alone as art.

[@holliexenahitchcock]

@@brendaswensonwatercolors thank you for the clarity and that amazing perspective! Wish I could take a class with you, but I’m literally on the other side of the country: the coast of Maine😂

[@YogaconOlga]

I loved your style! Soooo beautiful journal

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Thank you so much!

[@antoniobezerra2659]

Love your process. You take a photo and then draw?

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

I normally draw from life. If I need a backup photo I use them.

[@milenamarcocci6320]

Amazing artist ❤❤❤❤bravissima

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Thank you so much!!

[@marienguessan8520]

Your work is amazing

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Thank you so much 😀

[@andreicilly]

Incredible artist!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

You’re very kind.

[@jacklynwilliam3862]

Ver inspiring Brenda! I love Etchr's Perfect sketchbook too! What kind of pen did you experiment with, Fooda?

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

A fountain pen with a Fude nib

[@MPFConservation]

Kate Powell here -- What is a fooda pen? That is how the transcript showed it -- but I think it made a mistake? Do you mean a fude pen? I recently began doing a lot of sketching with a Sailor fude pen and love it. I also love Hanemuhle's watercolor books... They became my go-to books when I found them, so much so that I am now forcing myself to occasionally go back and grab a moleskin as I have a few sitting around that I bought before I found them. The old Moleskin paper was nice, but there is something about the newer moleskins I am not fond of.

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Kate, Transcripts aren't reliable who word is another language. Sailor dude is a good start!

[@stevesidare2493]

I can't seem to find Etcher w/c travel journals with 140# paper. Where should I look? (Amazon only shows multi media versions)

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Steve, I recommend visiting the Etchr website. etchrlab.com/collections/sketchbooks

[@momohua84]

Lovely ❤

[@lindachapman9137]

So great! I love this!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Linda, Thank you!

[@HeyLauraVan]

Thank you for sharing as always, Brenda! I’m in the LA area and interested in joining Urban Sketchers outings but have given up FB, which seems to be the only place such meetups are organized. Would you happen to know of another way to hear about outings - such as a mailing list?

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

I'd go to the Urban Sketchers Los Angeles page and ask to be put on the email list. I know it possible to be notified off of Facebook,

[@HeyLauraVan]

Thank you! @@brendaswensonwatercolors

[@pragativasisht4432]

Ummm... why aren't you writing - and illustrating - a book 😱 This is just stunning

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Pragati, Thank you! My sketchbooks are wonderful place to share my joy with life and creativity.

[@sherryrogers2104]

what kind of palette is that? Do you do online courses?

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Frazer Price palette

[@sherryrogers426]

I didn’t mention that your work is absolutely amazing​@@brendaswensonwatercolors

[@madebylora]

Beautiful!!!

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

Thank you!!

[@lenchenlenchen7414]

Sehr schön. Hab ein Abo dagelassen.

[@brendaswensonwatercolors]

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