Beechmore Books A3 Mixed Media Sketchbook – 11.7x16.5 Extra Large Studio Pad

What it is and what it’s for

The Beechmore Books A3 Mixed Media Sketchbook is a large-format art book designed for expansive sketches, storyboards, and concept work. At 11.7 x 16.5 inches, it gives you a generous canvas for layout-heavy projects like architectural drawings, fashion storytelling, or broad landscapes where smaller notebooks fall short. It’s positioned as more than a throwaway pad—its presentation-ready exterior and sturdy construction aim to support professional review and client meetings.

How it’s laid out for heavy use

The paper inside is 160 GSM ivory, a weight that helps resist buckling under broad strokes with charcoal, graphite, or ink. This makes it a practical choice if you frequently work with multiple mediums at once or if you like the feel of heavier paper without paper-sucking bleed-through. The pages are perforated near the spine with micro-perforations, so you can detach your best drafts for scanning, image capture, or framing without compromising the binding. That feature is especially useful for archiving or sharing select pages while keeping the rest intact in the book.

Build and presentation

The outer cover uses premium vegan leather, giving the sketchbook a more deliberate, portfolio-ready appearance. The binding is described as studio-grade with a lay-flat design, allowing wide two-page spreads that are important for panoramic sketches or mapping timelines across pages. If you’re presenting work to clients or assembling a physical look-book for your studio, this presentation can help the work feel deliberate rather than merely functional.

Who this is best for

If your practice includes large-scale drawing, storyboarding, or design that benefits from expansive pages, this Beechmore sketchbook can be a helpful workhorse. It suits artists who value a tidy presentation alongside durability and ease of removing and archiving excerpts. It may appeal to professionals who want a paper that supports a variety of tools without frequent page buckling or tearing.

Where it might fall short

On the downside, the size and weight mean it’s less portable than standard A4 or A5 pads. If your work leans towards tiny details, you might find the extra space less necessary or the heft cumbersome for casual travel. Also, while 160 GSM is quite sturdy for mixed media, it isn’t described as specifically optimised for any single medium—so if your practice relies on exceptionally wet media or heavy paint from the outset, you’ll want to check how your preferred tools behave on this paper after a few tests.

How to decide before you buy

Consider your typical workflow: do you need a large, professional presentation surface that can double as a portable portfolio? Do you value a lay-flat spine and easy page removal for archiving or scanning? If the answers lean toward yes, this Beechmore book aligns with those needs. If you primarily require a compactSketchbook for quick concept notes, a smaller pad could be more convenient and cost-effective.

Practical usage example

Imagine laying out a 2-page concept board for a fashion storyboard. You can utilise a full double-page spread to map silhouettes across a scene, then detach the most successful sketches for client review without disturbing the rest of your pages. The ivory tone gives a warm backdrop to line work, and the sturdy cover helps keep projects tidy during transport between studio and meetings.

Tech at a glance

• Large format: 11.7 x 16.5 inches (A3) for expansive layouts
• Paper: 160 GSM / 98 lb ivory, designed to handle broad strokes with charcoal, graphite, and ink
• Perforation: precise micro-perforations near the spine for easy removal
• Binding: studio-grade, lay-flat design for seamless panoramic drawing
• Cover: premium vegan leather exterior
• Presentation: designed to look and feel like a professional portfolio piece

Care & maintenance

Wipe the cover with a soft, dry cloth to keep the vegan leather looking neat. Store the book flat or upright in a dry environment to prevent bending of the lay-flat binding. For the paper, avoid excessive moisture and test your favourite wet media on a small area first to gauge how it behaves on this surface.

FAQ (quick reality checks)

• Q: Is it suitable for wet media? A: The 160 GSM ivory paper handles broad strokes with ink and graphite well, but for heavily saturated washes or abundant water, test a swatch first.
• Q: Can I remove multiple pages without damaging the rest? A: Yes, perforations are near the spine to facilitate removal without affecting adjacent pages.
• Q: How does it compare to smaller pads? A: It offers a much larger drawing area which is ideal for big concepts but is less portable than standard-size pads.

Is it worth it?

Worth considering if your work routinely benefits from a large, presentation-ready surface with durable, removable pages and a sturdy lay-flat binding. If your practice is more about quick ideation on the move, you might prefer something lighter and more compact. Ultimately, this Beechmore sketchbook sits in a space between a professional portfolio object and a robust studio pad, helping ideas scale up without sacrificing archiving convenience.

Final thought

For artists who prioritise a ready-to-present look alongside practical archival features, this A3 mixed media sketchbook offers a coherent set of strengths. It isn’t the lightest option, but it does push towards a more polished workflow where large sketches and client-facing reviews are common realities.