Course Highlights


Sketch Pads Paper Types

Paper Types

The type of paper will become increasingly important the more you incorporate different drawing mediums into your practice. Depending on the type of paper drawn upon and the medium used (graphite, charcoal, chalk, etc.) the effect will be very different. There is tremendous variety in paper as a result, ranging in colors, textures and finishes. Standard drawing paper will suffice for the time being and is generally labelled rough, medium, or smooth. Rough papers tend to retain more of the drawing medium while smooth papers offer very little resistance. For the time being, standard paper of a medium grade will cater to your needs. Later in the course, we'll have some fun with tinted, textured paper.
Textured and Tinted Paper

Textured and tinted paper are used because they add a certain effect that enhances the representation of the subject matter. Pale grey and cream-toned papers can be used in much the same way as white paper, with the color of the paper generally acting as the mid-tone. When drawing a large sketch, this can save a great deal of time by not having to lay down a middle tone on white paper and then having to add and subtract tones from there. Highlights are typically created with white conte or white pastel.
 

Other pages of interest

Sketch pad paper types
Chalk, charcoal and conte crayons
Eraser and other techniques
How to store artwork
The fundamentals of drawing



 

 

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