Review: Khadi Papers Watercolour Sketchbook (210gsm) 

I have one of these sketchbooks but haven't got around to using it just yet! Yours is full of so many beautiful illustrations already

Thanks Teoh. I am very interested in this sketchbook. Too bad my pocketbook isn't.

Teoh, I love the level of detail you go into. These are things that are important to me, so I enjoy watching you pick up on it and pointing it out in your videos. I'm learning so much from you. Keep up the good work! :-)

The inconsistencies you are describing are because it is hand made paper made out of old recycled tee shirts. There is art and beauty in imperfection too and many pleasant surprises. The paper is made out of pure cotton called khadi ( in North Indian languages). You are helping the planet by using this paper. Good for you.

Hi Parka, The problem with Indian Handmade paper is that the Quality Control is not that great. Hence the there are inconsistencies in terms of thickness, texture etc. However sometimes these inconstancies can be a boon and will give surprises.

I am going to try the loose rough for mixed media painting, thank you! Very excited to use a cotton paper that is recycled and sustainable. It will be a big step up from my student paper and I find that some inconsistencies can add to the interest of a work.

I've got the khadi fat book and I'm binding some of it into a hard cover.I do like this paper very much

I like the inconsistency in this paper it highlights to the handmade nature of the product. I can understand the frustration when doing double page spread’s though. Great review as always

Great review! I loved the details that you shared from your experience. Thanks

Wow your 8x10 sketches are impressive. Spacious sweeping lines. I like it a lot.

hi teoh! always love your sketches! it's not super detailed but the energy and the vibes are always lovely

I also enjoy this sketchbook, thanks for your review. I would also add that for the cost (these books are quite expensive), I have a hard time forgiving the inconsistencies in sizing and paper weights. I also think if bound a little tighter, there would be less bleed through at the seam. It's a shame because I love painting on this paper, I just have a hard time with the expense vs. issues with it.

I love your sketches!

oh this review finally made me decide to buy it! I love how raw it looks and how unpredictable it is! surprises in every sheet! I'm so excited!

Review was very helpful. I like the apparent softness and flexibility of the book. Even with the paper sizing and texture flaws, its brightness and ability to handle water looks promising for field and travel sketching.

Your colours always pop 😍 love your sketchbooks. Hopefully one day you publish a book of sketches I can own

I went to the khadi mill a while back and it was so cool!

These sketchbooks are far too expensive to have all these inconsistencies and problems! What a shame about the paper shredding in the sky area of your beautiful sketch! Thank you for your always excellent reviews.

I have this sketchbook, but your pages look a lot whiter than mine. I was really excited about this, but almost all the pages in mine have imperfections (random darker spots, random bumps and dents). I hope they will be less noticeable once I paint over them. I hope I'll still fall in love with it once I have the time to create some art in it.

love your drawings!

wow your such a talented artist!! I aspire to be as good as you someday

Those are some really great paintings :D And thank you for the review. I think this sketchbook is really interesting. I think I`m going to test it myself.

Very helpful and detailed review. Thank you.

Thank you for all your videos and reviews. They are very useful, and you inspire me to get more sketching done again,. I love khadi paper. I have a couple of their sketchbooks, but not this hard bound one, and I totally agree with you about the inconsistency in paper weight and sizing, but then again, I think that's because they are handmade papers? And the deckled edges are so lovely.

I bought two of these, the rough and the smooth finish, and they are arriving today. I am really looking forward to trying them! I had seen your previous comment about this sketchbook in another one of your videos before and I decided to try them. Thank you for your review!

Wonderful work! !

I have a Khadi sketchbook also, and almost all the 'fronts' of the sheets are different (texture and sizing) from the 'backs'. Most of the double spreads are half front and half back, and I always had that uneven look. The whole book is uneven thicknesses and so forth, like you said. It took a while to get used to it, but now I like it.

Youuu daaaa bestrt

Great review! I have this sketchbook, too - and I LOVE it. The paper is great. I don't really do panorama across two pages, so for me differing sizing hasn't been an issue. Had a look through my unused pages, and I only have one page with those imperfections you pointed out. I guess it is something that can happen with handmade paper occasionally. - I love having a 100% cotton sketchbook that is specifically for water colour, because you can paint so many layers on it. I have the Strathmore 500 mixed media 100% cotton sketchbook, too - and while it handles watercolour reasonably well, it can't take anywhere near as many layers as the Khadi sketchbook. I'm in the UK - so shipping isn't too bad at all, and you can get packs of individual 150/210/320/640gsm paper, too, very cheaply. It's great. Used 320gsm with young kids recently, and it took a LOT of water and general brush abuse. [They aren't very gentle, and I like to give them material that allows them to express themselves].

Thank you for review! It is strange that different pages handles colors differently. What do you use to draw with waterproof ink? dip pen? Also, how long did it take you to draw/paint panoramas? Did you do it from photo or on location? Thank you

This review must have been a personal gift for me... Thanx so much!! Because of the shipping, it is actually cheaper for me to order from Jackson Art, (In the UK ), to ship to the USA. I am probably going to order all three sizes because of the shipping (the min shipping is $9. US and then some money is added to that as the weight goes up). I don't plan on doing this again for quite a while!! -Amazon ( as much as I love it), was much more expensive ( like 9-20$ per book). Your review was excellent and while there are inconsistencies in the paper, I think that's part of its charm. I easily buy sheets of Khadi at reasonable prices in NYC but hard cover books are a too rare find. Thanx again !!

hi teoh, i love your sketch/watercolour at 2:36, very nice indeed! ;)

Your painting are so beautiful!! I love the way you choose your colours. Am thinking about buying a Khadi sketchbook off amazon. How much did you get yours for, and any suggestions on where to get them?

should I get this sketchbook if I'm a beginner to watercolor? If not any good suggestions?

🙏🏻❤️

I got both smooth and the rough.. One doesn't seem to want to lay too flat.. Aah that's ok.. Im not gna draw across the pages anyway 😁.. Soo true about the different thickness of the paper😄

Hey you scan your stuff? I'm in Singapore and scratching my head about what kind of printer + scanner to buy. I'm gonna need something that takes photo paper. Any recommendations for an aspiring artist?

very interesting paper

thank you Teoh

Can that paper be used for laser printing?

I bought the individual khadi paper from amazon and it’s in the 20 or so inch cut and it’s bad paper. You barely touch it and it rubs off cloth bits. I did washes and the paper buckles horribly.

I have the larger sheets. Really inconsistent and difficult to work.. I'm considering re-sizing mine with gelatine to see if it stops the fibers breaking through.

Ty but where to buy? Company?

The sheets of Khandi paper I bought are very absorbent and will not allow for any lifting of pigment as the paint is absorbed quickly. The paper is also full of flecks and random scuffs and creases. Its a surface of sorts and ok for certain sorts of work but does not compare with high end rag papers. I've concerns about its archival quality. When they say neutral ph one has to wonder. Seems like they need some serious professional help working on quality, particularly the sizing. Good luck to them.

Khadi papers or arches

Im in india and I finally found a way to get these.. They're 1/7th of the price on the international site 😄.. I'll order few soon😁

I lost my book in a bar smfh