Unwrap Creativity This Christmas – Craft More, Spend Less!
When buildings are constructed, the foundations are often given extra attention because as long as the foundation is strong, the building can stand tall. Similarly, the surface you draw on deserves extra attention if you want to see stellar results.
But how do you choose the right surface?
If you ever walk into an art supply store, you’re bound to feel overwhelmed with the choice available. There is so much to choose from, from different paper types and textures to weights and colours.
Here’s what you need to know about your chosen drawing paper.
When buying drawing paper, it is crucial to ensure it’s acid-free. If not, it can deteriorate over time, ruining what you’ve worked on. It’s usually treated with calcium carbonate to
make it acid-free, but the treatment may not last, which means the drawing paper and your work could be affected years later.
Alternatively, rag papers are less likely to deteriorate since they’re naturally acid-free. They are labelled as archival papers and are your best bet if you want your artwork to last.
Naturally, the weight and tooth of a paper can tell you a lot about its durability and functionality.
Weight refers to how heavy and thick the paper is. Needless to say, the thicker the paper, the more it can manage. This essentially means that if you select a thicker sheet, it has a better chance of surviving different kinds of paint and even water without curling or breaking apart. Drawing papers should ideally weigh between 70 and 80 lb., or if you’re looking for heavy-weight drawing paper, there are some available in the 90-110 lb. range as well.
Tooth refers to the texture of the paper, i.e. how rough or smooth it is. Typically, rougher papers are better for soft charcoals and pastels, while those with less tooth are ideal for work with finer details, pen and ink, harder graphite, etc.
You may wonder what’s with all the rules—why shouldn’t one just sketch on a drawing paper? Well, you can. Drawing papers are more expensive and thicker with refined archival fibres.
Sketching paper is sometimes called practice paper and is significantly lighter pulp fibres and, hence, cheaper. The general assumption is that what you’re sketching isn’t meant to be the final work, so you might as well sketch on a toilet roll. Good sketching papers are archival, hold robust sketching and last a lifetime.
Drawing papers are of better quality, are sturdier, and are meant to last a long while. Moreover, there are several types of drawing paper available depending on the project and dry media you’re working on.
2023-09-04 16:59:06 | Lise King | 67