The same Euro Sketchbook format that has become a staple of art schools and studios — distinctive black hardback cover with lacquered finish and rounded corners, wide 7/8" wire-o binding that opens completely flat and expands to accommodate material stuck onto pages — but with 50 sheets of 135gsm black cartridge paper throughout. A sketchbook built entirely around the creative possibilities of working light on dark.
Black paper fundamentally changes the relationship between the artist and the page. White paper starts from light and works towards dark — the artist adds pigment to darken areas and the white of the paper serves as the lightest possible value. Black paper inverts this entirely. The ground itself is the darkest possible value, and the artist works upwards from there — adding light. Highlights become marks rather than absences. Whites and pale colours have a brilliance and impact that they simply cannot achieve on white paper. Mid-tones take on a luminous quality against the dark ground. The result is a quality of light in finished work that white paper cannot replicate.
The 135gsm acid-free black cartridge has a smooth surface with a subtle tooth that grips pastel, chalk, and paint pen confidently. It is well suited to oil and soft pastels, white and coloured chalk, paint pens, gel pens — particularly white and metallic — coloured pencils, and gouache. It is also widely used for mounting photographs, pressed plants, and other objects where the black ground provides a clean, dramatic backdrop. The wide wire-o binding expands to accommodate photographs and other material stuck onto pages without distorting the spine, making it a practical choice for mixed media journals and resource books as well as drawing.
Available in A5, A4, and A3 portrait.
Paper weight: 135gsm Sheets: 50 Paper colour: Black Binding: Wide 7/8" wire-o, opens flat Cover: Black poplin hardback, lacquered finish, rounded corners Paper: Acid-free Made in: UK
What media work best on black paper? Oil and soft pastels, chalk, white and coloured pencils, paint pens, white and metallic gel pens, gouache, and acrylic. The smooth surface with subtle tooth grips pastel and chalk confidently. Standard graphite and pencil are generally not visible on black paper — light or brightly coloured media are needed to show up against the dark ground.
Why work on black paper? Black paper inverts the conventional relationship between artist and surface — the ground is the darkest value rather than the lightest, so the artist works by adding light rather than dark. Highlights become active marks, whites and pale colours have exceptional brilliance, and the overall quality of light in finished work is unlike anything achievable on white paper.
Can it be used as a photo album or scrapbook? Yes — the black ground makes an excellent backdrop for mounting photographs, pressed flowers, postcards, tickets, and other material. The wide wire-o binding expands to accommodate items stuck onto pages without distorting the spine.
Can pages be removed and reinserted? Yes — pages can be slid off the wire and reinserted without damage, allowing the book to be reorganised or pages removed for display.
Is it the same quality as the white paper Euro Sketchbooks? The cover construction and binding are identical. The paper is 135gsm rather than the 160gsm used in the standard white Euro Sketchbooks — the nature of black cartridge paper means the weight is slightly different, but the acid-free quality and smooth surface make it an equally well-made product in its own right.
