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A leather cover on your notebook makes what is otherwise an everyday object luxurious, a big boost on your first day of fall classes. And high-quality leather will weather over time to show off just how much you’ve loved it. These days, it’s easy to find a range of designs and price points, as well as vegan options. Whether you are using your notebook as a diary, for jotting down notes, or for sketching, our picks below will make the task more enjoyable. A note: The nicest notebooks and covers usually come in European sizes, like the useful A5, which is 5 7/8 by 8 1/4 inches. A4 (8 1/4 by 11 3/4 inches) is also handy if you are looking for a larger size.
How we pick each product:
Our mission is to recommend the most appropriate artists’ tool or supply for your needs. Whether you are looking for top-of-the line equipment or beginners’ basics, we’ll make sure that you get good value for your money by doing the research for you. We scour the Internet for information on how art supplies are used and read customer reviews by real users; we ask experts for their advice; and of course, we rely on our own accumulated expertise as artists, teachers, and craftspeople.
ARTnews RECOMMENDS
Traveler’s Company Traveler’s Notebook Starter Kit
Traveler’s Company, formerly a division of Japanese brand Midori and now an independent entity, makes a sumptuous and superslim leather notebook cover. It comes in several colors, including camel and blue, and in two sizes: a regular size, which measures about 4 3/4 by 8 3/4 inches, and a smaller passport size. Covers come prefilled with a notebook featuring blank Midori MD paper that is satisfyingly smooth and bleed-resistant (even with fountain pens), and refills are available for both sizes in a range of sheet styles, including lined, graph, and calendar. The notebook is held in place with a simple yet sturdy elastic band; another band goes around the cover horizontally to keep it closed. Each cover is handmade and develops a beautiful patina as you use it, making this a lightweight, indulgent option that still lands on the lower price of the leather notebook price spectrum.
Jet Pens
WE ALSO LIKE
Moleskine Classic Leather Notebooks
Moleskines are expensive, but they make writing or drawing a truly pleasurable experience. Each 5-by-8 1/4-inch book features a durable, cushiony cover made of fine Italian leather with a subtle pebbled finish. The ruled, ivory-colored pages are super smooth, sturdy, and crisp, although not as thick as some other options on this list—test your inky pens first, as they might bleed! Like all Moleskine notebooks, this one comes with a pocket in the back for storing notes, tickets, and other ephemera. The lie-flat design is the cherry on top. Choose from three colors: black, yellow, or red.
Blick
ALSO CONSIDER
Midori MD Notebook Cover
We dare you to buy a leather cover made of the palest undyed goatskin! Aside from being visually stunning, the leather is amazingly supple and soft. It also wears beautifully, gradually darkening over time, and has a pen loop for your go-to writing utensil. Fill it with a high-quality notebook from Midori that is thread-bound with 20-percent-cotton paper. Choose from three sizes of cover: A5, A6, and B6 Slim—each fits its corresponding Midori notebook like a glove. This cover will also take other brands of notebook, but why should it?
Atlas Stationers
A GREAT ALTERNATIVE
Rhodia Pad Holder and Pad
If you like the look of leather but don’t want to own an animal-derived product, consider this tempting journal from Rhodia. Its padded faux leatherette cover, stamped with the Rhodia logo, feels soft and luxurious and comes in either black or Rhodia’s signature orange. Best of all, it comes with a Rhodia top-stapled pad loaded with the company’s fountain pen-friendly paper. Choose from seven sizes, including this A5.
Amazon
ARTISTS’ CHOICE
Leatherology Large Sketchbook
This woman-owned business puts out high-quality leather goods at relatively affordable prices. We’re partial to their spiral sketchbook, which features a thick but flexible leather cover to protect your most precious drawings. The papers you get may not be artist-grade, but you can always replace the notebook with any sketchbook loaded with 8.5-by-11 inch paper once you run out. After all, the buttery-soft, pleasingly tactile cover, which highlights natural grain variations, is the star. It comes in navy, black, or cognac, and you can choose to get it with a lined notebook, if you want to use it for writing. Since this cover arrives beautifully packaged, it makes for a thoughtful gift for creative friends.
Leatherology
TOP OF THE LINE
Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter Notebook Cover
This is just a cover, and notebooks need to be purchased separately. But it can be used with any A5 notebook, not just Roterfaden’s. Made of textured, vegetable-tanned, full-grained nubuck leather, the cover is ultra-luxurious and guaranteed to develop a beautiful patina. Its interior also stuns, as it’s lined with velvety suede—a real treat for your hands! There’s also a unique clipping system to hold notebooks at their spines. Two business-card-sized pockets and a pen holder help keep you organized.
Jet Pens
