Stillman & Birn Alpha Sketchbook: 150 gsm, Sizes
The Stillman & Birn Alpha Series is a sewn, hard-bound sketchbook of 62 sheets (124 pages) of 150 g/m² (100 lb) natural white paper with a vellum, medium-grain surface. The popular portrait size is 5.5 × 8.5 in (14 × 21.6 cm). It suits pencil, ink and light washes; the 270 g/m² Beta is for heavier watercolor.
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Product facts
- Product
- Stillman & Birn Alpha Series Hardbound Sketchbook, Portrait, 5.5 x 8.5 in, 62 sheets, 150 gsm (100580)
- Brand
- Stillman & Birn
- Brand origin
- United States
- Made in
- United States*
- Material
- 150 g/m² (100 lb) white, medium-grain drawing paper from the Schut mill (Netherlands), sewn binding, black hard cover
- Price range
- $$$$20–75 per ream or pad
Notes on these facts
- Made by Stillman & Birn (Exacompta Clairefontaine group); distributed in the US by Exaclair. Made in United States: Stillman & Birn says its products are made in the USA and shipped from its manufacturing facility in Hamburg, New York, and Exaclair's 2026 catalog adds that they use Schut paper produced in the Netherlands (Schut is a Clairefontaine mill). Above Ground Art Supplies also says the Alpha books are bound in the US. Source. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Every Alpha hardbound book holds 62 sheets (124 pages) of 150 g/m² (100 lb) white paper.
- The 5.5 × 8.5 in (14 × 21.6 cm) portrait book is item 100580, listed at US$29.00 in Exaclair's 2026 catalog.
- Hardbound sizes include 4 × 6 in, 5.5 × 8.5 in, 8.25 × 11.75 in portrait and a 6 × 9 in landscape book.
- Alpha is one of seven Stillman & Birn series; Beta uses the same white color at 270 g/m² with a cold-press surface.
- Stillman & Birn says the books are made in the USA, at Exaclair's plant in Hamburg, New York, from Schut paper made in the Netherlands.
What is the Stillman & Birn Alpha sketchbook?
It is a sewn, hard-bound sketchbook of 62 sheets of 150 g/m² (100 lb) white drawing paper, the all-round book in Stillman & Birn’s range. Retailers describe the surface as vellum or medium grain: a light tooth that grips pencil but stays smooth enough for pen.
It is widely recommended. The Well-Appointed Desk called Stillman & Birn “probably the best sketchbook choice in the US” in 2021, and Reviewed picked the Beta series as a favorite.
Stillman & Birn Alpha 5.5 × 8.5 in specs
| Spec | Alpha hardbound, portrait (this guide) |
|---|---|
| Size | 5.5 × 8.5 in (14.0 × 21.6 cm) |
| Sheets | 62 (124 pages) |
| Paper | 150 g/m² (100 lb), white; Schut mill, Netherlands |
| Surface | Medium grain (retailers: vellum) |
| Binding | Sewn, black hard cover |
| Item / UPC | 100580 / 851177003017 |
| Made in | United States (Hamburg, New York) |
Above Ground Art Supplies and Larry Post list the size, sheets, weight and item number; the UPC comes from eBay’s product catalog.
What sizes does the Alpha hardbound come in?
Four common hardbound sizes, all with 62 sheets.
| Size | Format | Item |
|---|---|---|
| 4 × 6 in (10.2 × 15.2 cm) | Portrait | 100460 |
| 5.5 × 8.5 in (14.0 × 21.6 cm) | Portrait | 100580 |
| 8.25 × 11.75 in (21.0 × 29.8 cm) | Portrait | 100899 |
| 9 × 6 in (22.9 × 15.2 cm) | Landscape | 100960 |
Sizes and item numbers come from Exaclair’s 2026 catalog. Softcover Alpha books have 46 sheets and wirebound books 50, per the same catalog.
Alpha or Beta: which Stillman & Birn series should you choose?
Pick Alpha for pencil, ink and light washes, and Beta if most pages will get real watercolor. Stillman & Birn makes seven series that differ in weight, surface and color.
Retailers call the 150 g/m² series heavyweight and the 270 g/m² series extra heavyweight. Gamma is Alpha’s paper in ivory, and Epsilon is the smooth version for pen and marker.
How does Alpha paper handle pen, pencil and washes?
Retailers and reviewers describe it as a dry-media paper that also accepts multiple light washes. Above Ground Art Supplies says the vellum surface has a distinctive tooth and takes washes; reviewers note the lighter stock makes that tooth less noticeable than on the heavier series.
Beta and Delta exist because 150 g/m² paper still cockles under heavy, wet watercolor. Readers who mostly paint may also look at a glued block such as the Arches watercolor block.
How does it compare to other hard-cover sketchbooks?
Alpha has more pages than its best-known rivals, at a slightly lower weight than the Moleskine.
| Stillman & Birn Alpha | Moleskine Art Sketchbook | Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 14 × 21.6 cm | 13 × 21 cm | 14.5 × 21 cm |
| Pages | 124 | 104 | 112 |
| Paper | 150 g/m² white | 165 g/m² ivory | 150 g/m² white |
| Made in | United States | China | Not stated |
For loose practice sheets, a wirebound Strathmore 400 sketch pad is the cheaper, lighter option at 89 g/m².
Where are Stillman & Birn sketchbooks made?
In the United States: Stillman & Birn says its books are made and shipped from Exaclair’s manufacturing facility in Hamburg, New York. Exaclair’s 2026 catalog adds that the paper is Schut paper produced in the Netherlands, at a mill Clairefontaine has owned since 1998.
Parka Blogs dates the original company, Stillman & Birn Inc., to 1958 in Manhattan’s SoHo, founded by Philip Birn. Stillman & Birn says Clairefontaine acquired the brand in 2019, and Exaclair, Exacompta Clairefontaine’s US subsidiary, is its exclusive US distributor.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Stillman & Birn Alpha and Beta?
Weight and surface. Alpha is 150 g/m² (100 lb) white paper with a vellum, medium-grain surface for dry media and light washes; Beta is 270 g/m² white paper with a cold-press surface for heavier watercolor.
How many pages are in a Stillman & Birn Alpha sketchbook?
The hardbound books have 62 sheets, which is 124 pages. The softcover books are thinner, at 46 sheets.
Can you use watercolor in a Stillman & Birn Alpha?
Light washes, yes. Retailers say the vellum surface takes multiple washes, but for heavy, wet watercolor the 270 g/m² Beta or Delta series is the better choice.
Is Stillman & Birn Alpha paper white or ivory?
White, per Stillman & Birn; some retailers call it natural white. The Gamma series is the same weight and surface in ivory.
What sizes does the Alpha hardbound come in?
Exaclair's 2026 catalog lists 4 × 6 in, 5.5 × 8.5 in and 8.25 × 11.75 in portrait books and a 9 × 6 in landscape book, each with 62 sheets.
Who makes Stillman & Birn sketchbooks?
Stillman & Birn was founded in 1958 in Manhattan by Philip Birn. Stillman & Birn says Clairefontaine acquired it in 2019, and Exaclair, Exacompta Clairefontaine's US subsidiary, distributes it.
Where are Stillman & Birn sketchbooks made?
In the USA: Stillman & Birn says they are made at Exaclair's facility in Hamburg, New York. Exaclair's 2026 catalog says the paper comes from the Schut mill in the Netherlands.
Sources
- Stillman & Birn: About (founded 1958 by Philip Birn; Clairefontaine acquisition 2019; made in the USA at Hamburg, NY; Alpha 150 gsm, white, medium grain)
- Stillman & Birn: Alpha Series (150 gsm, white, medium grain; dry media, light wash, ink)
- Exaclair: Fine Arts 2026 catalog, Stillman & Birn (made in the USA with Schut paper from the Netherlands; Alpha hardbound 62 sheets: 100460, 100580, 100899, 100960)
- Above Ground Art Supplies: Stillman & Birn Alpha Series hardbound sketchbook, 5.5 x 8.5 in (100 lb/150 gsm, 62 sheets, part 100580, bound in the US)
- Larry Post: Stillman & Birn Alpha hard cover sketchbook, 5.5 x 8.5 in / 14 x 21.6 cm, 150 gsm, 62 sheets
- Blick: Stillman & Birn Alpha Series Sketchbook, 6 x 9 in landscape, hardbound, 62 sheets
- Blick: Stillman & Birn Alpha Series Sketchbook, 11.75 x 8.25 in, hardbound, 62 sheets
- eBay catalog: Stillman & Birn Alpha 5.5 x 8.5 in hardbound, model 100580, UPC 851177003017
- Merri Artist: Stillman & Birn Alpha softcover sketchbook, 5.5 x 8.5 in (46 sheets)
- Jackson's Art: Stillman & Birn brand page (series papers; Alpha 150 gsm white vellum, Beta 270 gsm cold pressed)
- Parka Blogs: Stillman & Birn sketchbooks first impression (founded 1958 by Philip Birn)
- The Well-Appointed Desk: Review, Stillman & Birn sketchbooks (2014)
- The Well-Appointed Desk: Sketchbook review, 8 random sketchbooks (2021)
- Reviewed: Stillman & Birn sketchbook review