/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

Are visual diaries meant to be HARDER to draw on than normal paper? I went from lined paper to normal paper you put in your printer and that was fine, the paper was more sturdy but I went to the store and bought a $5 visual diary and besides it being binded so I don't have loose pieces of paper everywhere, I hate it.

Pencil markings look rough due to the paper material, it feels harder to control the pencil and worst of all i'm left handed so I have to carefully draw right to left otherwise it smudges. I've never had these problems with normal paper, not to this degree anyway.

Is this normal or did I just get some low quality cheap shit? Pic isn't what I got but it's something similar. Just some random office supplies company product for $5. Also I bought a pacer to use instead of the HB pencil that I usually use.