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You'll never know what's in a sketchbook. That's one of the surprises for opening them.

In this thick 352-page paperback, 110 artists and designers are featured. A lot of graphic designers are unfamiliar to me but I do spot a few illustrators like Gary Baseman, James Jean (he seems to be in a lot of sketchbook collections), infographics maestro Nigel Holmes, John Cuneo.

The illustrative style is incredibly varied and the drawing subjects random. The work featured range from scrappy sketches to photographic collages. Each is a snapshot of the artist's mind. However the sketches are nothing like the commercial work the artists do, with the exception of a few. Compared to other sketchbook collections, this book is less illustrative in the sense that the drawings are more doodle-like.

The commentary is concise, sure, but could have been longer for more reading pleasure. The websites of all the artists are included at the back of the book.

If you're not into any specific subjects and like doodles, you might like this book.

There are two publishers for this book namely The Monacelli Press and Thames & Hudson. The editions are priced differently, but should contain the same content. On Amazon UK, Thames & Hudson's edition is much cheaper.

Graphic: Inside the Sketchbooks of the World's Great Graphic Designers - 01