The Problem With Sketchbooks..

[n0ireclipse]

is that they blur my lines. All the sketchbooks I've ever owned have completely ruined my pictures in a matter of days because once I close them the pencil is immediately smeared until the picture is hardly recognizable.

So..Have this same problem? Are there any sketchbooks that only do a minimum of this? Or, any advice for not making such a mess?

[jason_maranto]

try using a harder lead, or a marker like "pigma" for sketching -- also spray fixative is sometimes useful in this capacity.

Now that I think about it are you using spiral bound sketchbooks? perfect bound books will do less damage.

Best,
Jason.

[n0ireclipse]

Hmm..You know...When I reflect, the spiral bound do smear much more, don't they?

Pigma? Never heard of that..I believe I'll look into it.

[sweetoblivion314]

workable fixative.

[Coinpurse]

like SO314 said,
go purchase a Workable Fixative at a local art's and crafts store. Ever go to a place called "Michaels?" they carry them. Also you can order them online @ www.dickblick.com

I have a pretty good one that works well by Grumbacher. Dunno if theres a Fixative meant primarily for sketchbooks, but Matte works fine just as long as you have some paper clips to hold down the pages (neat trick I learned from MC).

[pitabread]

Maybe I'm weird, but I actually like how my sketches get a bit smudged in my sketchbook. Gives the whole thing a more organic "used" feel. Of course, I'd never use it for sketches that I actually wanted to keep smudge free.

[Dizon]

I don't mind mine getting smeared all the time. There all just sketches to me anyway. I treat it more like notes in a notebook. It's a different matter when it comes to bigger and more finished drawings.

[Darasen]

I have noticed that the spiral bound ones tend to smudge more. I have a top bound spiral sketch book that smudged some pencil outdoor sketches I did. Typically I sketch in pen though.

[Costau D]

Yeah i noticed the spiral problem as well. That's wy i use pencil only on Moleskine, and other hard bounds. And pen and black colored pencil on spirals.

[Wasker]

I use fixative these days, thank god I noticed this rather early and only 20 or 30 pages were smeared. I use a quick drying fixative that smells very little to fixate the daily sketches and /or studies. You can buy it from most hobby shops

[archipelago]

putting a piece of paper in there when you close it helps abit... ofcourse filling the whole sketchbook with loose paper seems a bit pointless, but I usually have 2 or 3 in there at a time, seeing as when you draw on the opposite side of a page is when it smudges the most, when you get further along in the sketchbook there will be less pressure on the page that you dont want to get smudged, its then safe to remove the loose piece of paper and place it on your new sketches.... if you get me...

[Costau D]

Which makes me question. How is it D'Vincis sketches were preserved so well? Well a lot of them anyway.

[Wasker]

Lugh: I dunno, maybe some sort of wax or keeping them seperated.

[sweetoblivion314]

well alot of da Vinci's sketches are in Pen which wont smudge like pencil. The rest are in Silver point or chalk, graphite wasnt used as a drawing medium beck then. Also you have to remember that the main reason that the pages smudge is cause the page on top of it is rubbing against the page below. This happens more in spiral bounds because the pages have alot of wiggle room. Think about how many times you sketchbook is jumbling around in your backpack or tossed around your room. As far as i know Da Vinci didnt bind his sketches in a book (correct me if im wrong). He would have placed them one on top of each other or tossed them some where in the room. As long as some thing didnt rub the chalk it would have been perfectly fine.

[Katfayheirti]

Try using a hard-bound sketchbook, and as many people have suggested, spraying your sketches with fixative (or if you're cheap like me you can just use hair spray :3 )
You could also try sketching in pen. If You're a little too timid to start out with a hardcore drafting pen or don't want to deal with the hassle of dip pens you could always try ballpoint pen. It behaves somewhat like pencil (well, for a pen anyway)

[crescend0]

use hairspray, works just as good as fixative, cheaper, easier to get hold of, and makes your sketchbooks smell like girl

[0shade0]

use hairspray, works just as good as fixative, cheaper, easier to get hold of, and makes your sketchbooks smell like girl
haha! so true! love how my sketchbook smells :)
the only prob with hairspray is that it tends to weaken after a while.
it just doesn't last as long as fixative.(maybe not all hairspray :) )
but you can't beat that price. :p

[Neondevil]

I've been using spiral bounds for a long time now and I've never really had a smudging problem at all. I usually use anywhere from a 2b to 4h.

[n0ireclipse]

xD wow, thanks for all the tips you guys~ It should help a lot!!