The 9 Best small Watercolor journals (2023 reviews)

Not everyone likes to purchase journal for their daily usage, but the strathmore small watercolor journal would be an anomoly. These are heavy duty books that hold up exceptionally well to most media and even the elements. It is a great option if you're backpacking or need to travel light. It is a great size for packing in your purse and taking to the park.

The front cover is removable and there is a sturdy front and back cover in addition to what you see. The spiral binding is wonderful because it will lie flat, not flip around and allows for working on the entire page. It is great for water coloring. It is perfect for those who want to travel and paint.

Why We Like This:

Good for travel or trips outdoors
Perfect size for the go and really good paper for wet and dry media
Thick, luscious watercolor paper that can take lots of water without crumpling
Perfect for watercolor and ink sketches

Best For adding White highlights: Strathmore Watercolor Paper

Buy on Amazon

The strathmore watercolor paper's high-end materials makes sure that it ages well with use. The soft cover of this Strathmore Mixed Media series is as wonderful as it's hardcover series and it's signatures are as finely and securely sewn as the hard cover. The Toned sketch paper is 100% recycled and contains 30% post-consumer fiber. The paper is thick and very smooth for pen&ink and watercolor. The natural white color and traditional cold press surface allows for fine and even washes, as well as lifting and scraping applications.

The cover is soft to the touch which is just nice. There is no bleed through and only very minimal warping when using water. It is great for adding white highlights. This is definitely a well-rounded truly mixed-media sketchbook.

Why We Like This:

Excellent even for moderate watercolor use
Good for light washed and dry mediums
Easy to carry around for art work on the go

Best For tutorials: tumuarta small Watercolor Journal

Buy on Amazon

Tumuarta makes beautiful and great journal with classic and smartly choosen materials. It is for times when you have the urge to create when you’re not at home. This watercolor sketchbook is 5.5" x 5.5” and has 24 sheets. It looks and feels like it will be great for carrying around town to do watercolor pencil drawings or watercolors/goauche. The paper is fantastic for watercolor and pen. It's well-made, the pages lie perfectly flat, and the paper is thick.

The paper is lightly textured, cold-pressed, 140lb paper made with 25% cotton. It's very easy to lift color before it sinks into the paper. The books are nicely bound and the paper feels great.

Why We Like This:

Perfect size at 5x5 with hard cover
Sturdy and small size great for beginners
Small and easy to carry around

Best For new Watercolor Artists: Artnfly small Watercolor Journal

Buy on Amazon

We would, of course, be remiss if we didn't mention artnfly small watercolor journal for regular usage. It has the power to create something special. It is good for completed pieces because it is not cotton. You can use the drawing pad for gouache, acrylic painting, watercolor brush pens, and even charcoal and graphite. There is an embossed, pronounced (albeit small) texture which appears to be just on top of the paper. It’s even perforated on top so you can frame your artwork.

These are the perfect size to travel with in a tote bag or a purse if you are looking to paint on the go. The facing side of the paper has a texture, and the back is smooth.

Why We Like This:

Nice size and good for travel
Mostly with soluble ink, watercolor pencils, and watercolor paint
Good quality for watercolor practice and sketches
35 sheets of acid free, heavy weight and perfect for wet media

Best With Acrylic Paint: tumuarta low Cotton content Paper

Buy on Amazon

The tumuarta low cotton content paper is satisfactory and appropriate and fits well with your regular usage. This journal is very well made. It's thick, traditional white (not that weird purple color a lot of watercolor papers have been lately,) and highly textured. It's ideal for watercolors, acrylics, ink pen, colored pencils, markers, oil pastels and more, it will tolerate light washes without bleeding and holds up to erasing. The binding is also high quality, a kind of texturized covering over heavy duty cardboard.

The paper is nice and thick, and it lays perfectly flat. The pages can be easily turned or removed if desired, it opens completely and allows the book to lay flat, the micro-perforated sheet is easy to tear off without harming the artworks, and put the artworks in the frame if you want. The size, portability, and sturdiness are good. This is the perfect size for your purse, backpack, or tote.

Why We Like This:

Perfect for traveling and the cold press paper is wonderful
Altogether an excellent addition to a budding (or veteran) watercolorist
Perfect for on the go painting and the paper is really good quality
Good quality paper in a well crafted binding

Best For children: Paul Rubens small Watercolor Journal

Buy on Amazon

We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate journal. The paul rubens small watercolor journal is exactly that - it's a simple journal that hits all the right notes. It is a really good step up from the xl watercolor paper. The classic book cover can protect the works on the inner page. This is a block of paper that has glue around all of the four sides of the block of hot pressed ( smooth, no tooth ) paper. It is made of 100% cotton rag for dry or wet painting, can be used for watercolor paint, gouache paint, acrylics, pencils, etc. The inside of the cover is black and rubs off onto the first sheet of paper. There is an expanding pocket inside the back cover which is convenient for slips of test paper, color chart, removed pages, etc. It is heavyweight paper in a block so paint won't bleed through to the next page.

Why We Like This:

Great for travel but a little to small to do much
Good for watercolor pencil and pen and ink
One of the new comers and featured product

Best For urban sketching: Paul Rubens lb Watercolor notebook

Buy on Amazon

The paul rubens lb watercolor notebook's high-end materials makes sure that it ages well with use. This little sketchbook has surprisingly high-quality paper but is priced very well. It truly accepts lots of watercolor and other media and the smooth surface allows for details. It is acid-free and designed to endure, perfect for beginners and experts, so they won’t become yellow and brittle over time.

The paper is thick and lightly textured so it takes watercolor beautifully. The paper's surface has enough texture for the watercolor work, but not so much that it affects the air brush work. These are also perforated so that they could be torn out if needed.

The book has a fake leather-like cover and is a pretty small size that makes it nicely portable.

Why We Like This:

Nice paper for light watercolor washes
Colors are vibrant and handles anything you toss at it
Works for both watercolor and small airbrush work
Bleed-through if you want to do art on both sides

Best For mediums: Liphontcta small Watercolor Journal

Buy on Amazon

The liphontcta small watercolor journal should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. At 140lb/300gsm weight, the paper in this watercolor book is thicker than many others so you can create with confidence. It features a stitched binding and a brown pu leather hard cover, elastic strap, and page marker. The cover of the book is sturdy and covered with a simulated leather, which feels and looks nice. The cold pressed pages are acid free so your art will last. The texture is enough but not too much to make painting or sketching too difficult.

The stitched binding allows the book to lay flat easier and the hard pu leather cover provides support when painting or drawing. You can use gouache paint with it and it holds up extremely well. It holds the water well.

Why We Like This:

High quality cold press paper and leather cover, best size for traveling
Made well, and watercolor works well on the paper
Consists of 32 double sided sheets for a total of 64 pages to use

Best For Artist: Wanderings small Watercolor Journal

Buy on Amazon

The wanderings small watercolor journal's superior materials makes sure that it ages well with use. This leather watercolor journal is more beautiful than the pictures and pictures. It takes a good bit of time to acclimate to the difference. It is heirloom quality. These are the actual edges of what look to be individual sheets of thick, handmade watercolour paper. It is actually huge and very heavy, and really not ideal as a travel watercolor journal.

The quality of the journal is amazing and the fact that you can use watercolor with a leather-bound journal such as this is extraordinary. It is a good choice for standard watercolor intensions. The presentation box is very nice.

Why We Like This:

Delightful to touch real, soft, warm leather
Grain genuine leather that will stand the test of time
Good brand reputation

The 9 Best small Watercolor journals (2023 reviews)

Our Top Picks:

Best Overall: Strathmore small Watercolor Journal

Best For adding White highlights: Strathmore Watercolor Paper

Best For tutorials: tumuarta small Watercolor Journal

Best For new Watercolor Artists: Artnfly small Watercolor Journal

Best With Acrylic Paint: tumuarta low Cotton content Paper

Best For children: Paul Rubens small Watercolor Journal

Best For urban sketching: Paul Rubens lb Watercolor notebook

Best For mediums: Liphontcta small Watercolor Journal

Best For Artist: Wanderings small Watercolor Journal

6 Best travel Watercolor books

7 Best 300 GSM Cold Pressed Watercolor Papers