Talens Art Creation Sketchbook: 140 g Cream Paper
The Talens Art Creation Sketchbook is a hardbound sketchbook from Royal Talens of the Netherlands. The popular 13 × 21 cm (5.1 × 8.3 in) version holds 80 sheets of 140 g/m² cream, acid-free paper for pencil, ink, pastel, gouache and light washes, with an elastic closure and ribbon. It comes in six sizes.
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Product facts
- Product
- Talens Art Creation Sketchbook, Black, 13 × 21 cm, 140 g/m², 80 sheets (9314002M)
- Brand
- Talens Art Creation
- Brand origin
- Netherlands
- Made in
- Not stated*
- Material
- Hard cover; 140 g/m² cream, acid-free paper; elastic closure; ribbon
- Price range
- $$$5–20 per ream or pad
- Rate it
Notes on these facts
- Made by Royal Talens (Apeldoorn, Netherlands), part of Sakura Color Products Corporation. Country of manufacture not stated: Royal Talens' product page doesn't name a country of manufacture. Retailer data conflicts: Galaxus has listed 'China, Germany' for this item (9314002M), and Digitec has listed China for the 9 × 14 cm black version (9314001M); both blocked our reader on October 22, 2026, so we saw these only in search listings. Check the label on your copy. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Royal Talens lists the sketchbook with 80 sheets of 140 g/m² cream, acid-free paper in every main size.
- The 13 × 21 cm (5.1 × 8.3 in) black version is item 9314002M, EAN 8712079383503.
- Main sizes: 9 × 14, 12 × 12, 13 × 21, 14.8 × 21 (A5), 21 × 14.8 landscape and 21 × 29.7 cm (A4).
- On October 22, 2026 the Amazon US listing had 5,785 ratings averaging 4.8 stars and ranked #32 in Sketchbooks & Notebooks.
- Royal Talens was founded in Apeldoorn in 1899 and has been part of Japan's Sakura Color Products since 1991.
What is the Talens Art Creation Sketchbook?
It is Royal Talens’ everyday hardbound sketchbook: 80 sheets of cream 140 g/m² paper in a black or colored hard cover with an elastic band. Royal Talens is the Dutch company behind Rembrandt and Van Gogh paints.
It is one of the few branded sketchbooks in Amazon’s US top 50 for sketchbooks: it ranked #32 in Sketchbooks & Notebooks on October 22, 2026, with 5,785 ratings averaging 4.8 stars.
Talens Art Creation 13 × 21 cm specs
| Spec | Talens Art Creation Sketchbook, 13 × 21 cm |
|---|---|
| Size | 130 × 210 mm (5.1 × 8.3 in), portrait |
| Sheets | 80 (160 pages) |
| Paper | 140 g/m² (94 lb), cream, acid-free |
| Cover | Hard cover, black (about 19 colors in the range) |
| Closure | Elastic band, ribbon marker |
| Weight | 368.2 g (13 oz), per Amazon |
| Item / EAN (black) | 9314002M / 8712079383503 |
The paper, sheet count and item numbers come from Royal Talens’ own product data; the weight is Amazon’s. The 94 lb figure is Amazon’s conversion of 140 g/m².
What are the Talens Art Creation Sketchbook sizes and colors?
Six main sizes, most in about 19 cover colors. Royal Talens lists the 9 × 14, 12 × 12, 13 × 21 and 21 × 29.7 cm books in 19 colors each, the 21 × 14.8 cm landscape in 16 and the 14.8 × 21 cm A5 portrait in 3.
The 9 × 14 cm book fits a jacket pocket for urban sketching, the 12 × 12 cm square suits small studies, and the A4 suits desk work. Royal Talens also lists a few 110 g/m² formats, such as a 15 × 15 cm and an A3, which are a lighter paper.
What media can 140 g/m² paper take?
Dry media and light washes: Royal Talens lists pencil, pastel, acrylics, gouache, ink, charcoal and light washes of wet media. At 140 g/m² it is heavier than most notebook paper but well under the 300 g/m² of watercolor paper, so heavy washes will buckle it.
Amazon reviewers report the same: one says it handles gouache and dry media well but buckles under watercolor, and another notes that some markers cause piling. We haven’t tested it ourselves.
How does it compare with other hardbound sketchbooks?
It sits a price band below the three hardbound sketchbooks we compare it with, with the most pages and the lightest paper of the four.
| Talens Art Creation 13 × 21 | Moleskine Art Sketchbook L | Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook A5 | Stillman & Birn Alpha | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 13 × 21 cm | 13 × 21 cm | 14.5 × 21 cm | 14 × 21.6 cm |
| Pages | 160 (80 sheets) | 104 | 112 | 124 |
| Paper | 140 g/m², cream | 165 g/m², ivory | 150 g/m², white | 150 g/m², natural white |
| Price band | $$ | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ |
For a pad rather than a book, see our best sketchbooks roundup.
How much does the Talens sketchbook cost?
The 13 × 21 cm book sits in our $$ band ($5–20 per sketchbook) at US retail. On Amazon on October 22, 2026 it sold well inside that band, while the Moleskine Art, Leuchtturm1917 and Stillman & Birn books in the table above all sit in our $$$ band ($20–75).
Prices vary by size and cover color, so check the exact format; the band above is for the 13 × 21 cm book.
Where is the Talens Art Creation Sketchbook made?
Royal Talens doesn’t say, and retailers disagree. Galaxus has listed “China, Germany” for the 13 × 21 cm black book, and Digitec has listed China for the 9 × 14 cm black book.
The brand itself is Dutch: Royal Talens has made art materials in Apeldoorn since 1899 and has belonged to Sakura Color Products of Japan since 1991, the maker of the Sakura Koi field sketch box.
Frequently asked questions
How many pages are in a Talens Art Creation Sketchbook?
80 sheets, which is 160 pages if you use both sides. Royal Talens' English description says 80 pages, but its product titles and Dutch page say 80 sheets (vellen).
Is Talens Art Creation paper acid-free?
Yes. Royal Talens describes the 140 g/m² paper as acid-free, so drawings resist yellowing over time.
Is the Talens sketchbook paper white or cream?
Cream. Royal Talens calls it cream-coloured, and Amazon reviewers describe a warm off-white that is easy on the eyes outdoors.
Who makes Talens Art Creation?
Royal Talens, the Dutch art-materials company behind Rembrandt and Van Gogh paints, founded by Marten Talens in Apeldoorn in 1899. It has been part of Sakura Color Products of Osaka since 1991.
Does the Talens sketchbook have an elastic band?
Yes. The hardbound book closes with an elastic band and has a ribbon page marker, per the Amazon US listing.
How much does the 13 × 21 cm Talens sketchbook weigh?
Amazon lists 368.2 g (13 oz) for the black 13 × 21 cm book. Royal Talens doesn't publish a weight.
Is the Talens Art Creation Sketchbook good for beginners?
Royal Talens markets it as beginner-friendly, and its price sits in our $$ band ($5–20), below most hardbound sketchbooks we cover.
Sources
- Royal Talens: Talens Art Creation Sketchbook Black, 13 × 21 cm, 140 g, 80 sheets (item 9314002M, EAN 8712079383503; cream acid-free 140 g/m² paper; media) — product data read October 22, 2026
- Royal Talens (Netherlands): Talens Art Creation Schetsboek Zwart 13 × 21 cm 140 g 80 vellen (Dutch page: 80 sheets)
- Royal Talens: History (founded 1899 in Apeldoorn by Marten Talens; Royal designation 1949; part of Sakura Color Products)
- Royal Talens: product sitemap (Art Creation Sketchbook sizes 9 × 14, 12 × 12, 13 × 21, 14.8 × 21, 21 × 14.8 and 21 × 29.7 cm, about 19 colours each)
- Sakura Color Products (Japan): 沿革 (company history: Royal Talens joins the group in 1991)
- Amazon.com: Talens Art Creation Sketchbook, Black, 80 Sheets, 5.1 × 8.3 in (4.8 stars, 5,785 ratings; #32 in Sketchbooks & Notebooks; 368.2 g; model T9314-002M; October 22, 2026)
- Amazon.com Best Sellers: Sketchbooks & Notebooks (checked October 22, 2026)
- Galaxus: Talens Skizzenbuch 13 × 21 cm (country of origin listed as China, Germany)
- Digitec: Talens Skizzenbuch 9 × 14 cm (9314001M; country of origin China)