What paper should l use?
This is a question l have avoided answering for a long time! The simple reason being that l really can’t answer it! The paper that you will like best to draw on is very much personal choice. You really have to go out and get some samples and try them. Find out for yourself which textures you like working on, which you like the results on best.
l can tell you about some that l have tried and my opinion, but it is really a bit like asking which is the best chocolate in an assortment box! What one person likes, another hates!
There is one thing that is important when choosing paper. It must be heavy enough to take the many layers you need to use. Very thin paper will cause only problems!
lf your art is for sale you will want a high quality acid free paper so that your finished work will have a long life. If you are just drawing for fun all you need is the thickness. It won’t be fun if the paper is too thin!
These are the papers l have tried.
l can tell you about some that l have tried and my opinion, but it is really a bit like asking which is the best chocolate in an assortment box! What one person likes, another hates!
There is one thing that is important when choosing paper. It must be heavy enough to take the many layers you need to use. Very thin paper will cause only problems!
lf your art is for sale you will want a high quality acid free paper so that your finished work will have a long life. If you are just drawing for fun all you need is the thickness. It won’t be fun if the paper is too thin!
These are the papers l have tried.
Stonehenge
This is my preferred paper. I rarely use anything else now. I buy the 90lb paper in sheets and cut the sheets to size (2-4 pieces per sheet). This paper has a textured side and a smoother side. I always work on the smoother side (although l think this is actually the back, but l like it better).
It is acid free and nice and thick. I have used the textured side and found rather strangely that l can get rid of the annoying white dots the fastest on this side of the paper if l use mineral spirits to blend. Faster than in any other paper l have used. But you can always see the texture of the paper in your finished piece, which again is a matter of personal taste as to whether you like that or not.
l rarely use blender anymore and l prefer the smooth side both to work on and for the finished results. You can layer forever on this paper and it takes being moved around and handled really well. It will dent a bit if you are very heavy handed.
This paper also comes in quite a few colors - l usually use one of the pale shades and rarely use pure white anymore.
Fabriano Artistico 140lb Hot Press
This is my second favorite paper. It is very smooth and will take many, many layers. It is more expensive than Stonehenge. It doesn’t come in colors which l would like.
lt is very weighty and very hard to damage in any way.
It is heavy, feeling almost like a light cardboard. It is another acid free paper.
lt is very weighty and very hard to damage in any way.
It is heavy, feeling almost like a light cardboard. It is another acid free paper.
Stratmore Bristol Smooth
This is a cheaper option, but still good. It is a very smooth paper and to me feels very similar to work on to the Fabriano mentioned above, (but about half the price). I would really recommend this for anyone seriously wanting to give colored pencils a go. It takes a lot of layers and is difficult to damage.
Canson Mi Teints
I hate this paper! Sorry, but l do. I bought it because lots of colored pencil artists use it and l wanted to try it. (See what l mean about what you like being very personal!).
My biggest complaint with it, is that you only have to look at it funny and it gets a nasty crease in it. I haven’t managed to complete a single piece on it that isn’t damaged. I actually won’t sell anything l have worked on it because it looks so bad. It feels thin and cheap (even though it isn’t). I would be embarrassed to send anyone work on this paper.
l don’t like the texture much either ! It does come in a fair selection of colors though.
My biggest complaint with it, is that you only have to look at it funny and it gets a nasty crease in it. I haven’t managed to complete a single piece on it that isn’t damaged. I actually won’t sell anything l have worked on it because it looks so bad. It feels thin and cheap (even though it isn’t). I would be embarrassed to send anyone work on this paper.
l don’t like the texture much either ! It does come in a fair selection of colors though.
Crescent Mixed Media Board
This truly is a heavy duty board. No danger of damaging this stuff! It is heavily textured, but to my surprise smoothed right out as l burnished my work.
I actually really liked working on this as the pencil really grabbed the rough surface.
I found it harder to get as many layers, but neither did l feel l needed as many because it covered so well.
I actually really liked working on this as the pencil really grabbed the rough surface.
I found it harder to get as many layers, but neither did l feel l needed as many because it covered so well.
Strathmore Toned Tan Medium weight pad
This is the one you see endlessly on Instagram. The color is nice. The surface is nice to work on.
It is far too thin and cheap feeling for me. But it is the cheapest of the papers here and for a hobby artist it is absolutely fine.
It is far too thin and cheap feeling for me. But it is the cheapest of the papers here and for a hobby artist it is absolutely fine.
So go out and buy some different papers to try out and if you find one you love do let me know so that can try it out too.
