Best Paper For Graphite

The heavier weight is better for drawing since it can take more erasure and can handle the constant pressure from the pencil better.

Best paper for graphite.

Ink drawing day to day sketching. Usually printing paper is too soft for pencil drawing and arches cover is no exception. It will give you good results without breaking the bank. Thinner paper will tear easier and ruin your work.

Mid range papers are made with a mix of wood cotton and linen fibers. A chemical is added to the paper to slow down the deterioration that is caused by ph. Let me tell you about the wonders of graphite paper. Before i discovered transfer graphite paper i used to spend hours drawing the images in the reference photo onto the canvas i occasionally used the grid method but mostly i pored laboriously over every detail in the original image endeavoring to replicate the image exactly on the canvas while it was artistically rewarding and ego.

Rag paper is more expensive but is best for graphite drawing projects. For graphite drawings with a moderate degree of realism a drawing paper like strathmore series 400 is a good place to begin. The first commercially produced transfer paper saral paper was developed in the 1950s by sara sally albertis an artist who was tired of making her own. Printer copying paper generally has a weight of 20lbs 75 gsm.

Strathmore 400 series drawing or strathmore s 400 series bristol vellum surface paper is perfect for charcoal. Again my recommendation is the same here. It s off white though so it won t give the snappy highlights you need for really crisp realism. Either get two pads one in each size or just get the larger size and work on half the page for graphite drawings if you want to get conservative.

The best paper for graphite drawing should be over 80 lbs. It does not hold graphite well at all. Mid ranged papers are less expensive than rag paper and might work well for your projects.