Choosing the best drawing paper is no longer a hassle because several types are available in the market in different finishes and colors. Creating art is solely a personal experience that one shares with others. The surface or paper you use for creating the art is important because it is the basis of where the art began.
As an artist, knowing the different innovative drawing paper types can help in creating your art better. These tools are an essential part of your piece. Drawing papers will also be the first to choose when beginning your artwork. It will also depend on the artwork you plan to do.
Today, you’d be surprised by the collection if you go into any offline or online store searching for art paper. You may find papers with different kinds of surface textures or colors. So, to decide the best ones, this post will guide you with a listicle of the various finishes and colors of drawing papers available.
- Smooth Finish
If you are looking for drawing papers to help you create detailed sketches and drawings, choose the ones with a smooth finish. This paper’s texture allows you to make sharp edges and clean lines perfect for technical illustrations and precise pencil drawings. It is best to use for calligraphy and ink drawings.
Smooth finish papers come in different weights that range from recycled cartridge drawing paper to craft cards. The former is best for demanding mediums like markers or inks, while the latter is ideal for pen or pencil work. These papers are available in colors like off-white, white, ivory, etc. Choosing the paper color will also affect the feel of your artwork. However, smooth finish papers are considerably more versatile for artists wanting to create authentic artwork.
- Medium Finish
This slightly textured drawing paper makes it ideal for producing more expressive and textured artwork. This makes it perfect for utilizing pencils, charcoal, and pastels to create more expressive sketches and drawings. Drawings of still life and artwork with a more expressive and looser feel are best done on medium-finish paper.
The artwork has a more organic, natural feel because of the paper’s texture, enabling a more subtle and detailed portrayal of the art form. Different weights of medium finish paper are available; heavier papers are best for demanding media like pastels, while lighter papers perform well for pencil and pen work.
- Rough Finish
This paper’s highly textured surface is perfect for adding a bolder, more dramatic feel to your artwork. The rough surface can provide a lot of texture and depth when using materials like charcoal, pastels, or ink, making it ideal for strong and expressive works. Moreover, it is most suitable for creating paintings with an impasto.
These papers are of different weights – heavier ones are apt for acrylic or oil pastels, and lighter ones are good for pen or pencil artwork. You can get them in different colors like off-white, white, and toned variations.
- White Paper
A white paper is a special drawing paper made using dry media like pencils, charcoal, and pastels to make art. They are typically thicker and heavier than conventional cartridge paper and have a smooth surface to help you create precise and clean lines.
You can buy them in different textures or weights, ranging from smooth surfaces to medium-weight papers. The smooth surface enables you to create detailed artwork efficiently while its weight prevents the paper from wrinkling.
A few particular white papers also come in rough textures, perfect for achieving unique artwork styles and effects.
- Off-White Paper
Off-white papers have a warmer tone compared to completely white ones. They are perfect for adding a vintage effect to your artwork; thus, you can use them to give an effect of warmth to portraits or landscape paintings.
Beginners mostly use these papers to create various artworks as they give the creation a different personality or feeling. It can help achieve a natural appearance, and drawing on off-white papers is also convenient.
- Colored Paper
Drawing papers are also available in colors like pastel tones or vivid hues. It helps you create different artwork styles while adding a distinctive touch. For instance, pastel paper may provide a delicate and gentle impression, while utilizing bright colors might produce a positive and energizing impact.
Colored drawing paper may give the artwork a new depth and a different mood or ambiance than what you would get with white or off-white paper. It will also help the color of your artwork to stand out more.
Final Takeaway
So, these are the various finishes and colors of drawing paper which help the artists choose different options for their type of artwork. Smooth finish papers are best for technical and precise drawings, while medium or rough textured papers create expressive and textured artwork.
White paper is the most common and versatile option, while off-white paper can add a vintage or antique look to the artwork. On the other hand, for adding a unique element and a specific mood or feeling to the artwork, colored papers are the best. So, decide your artwork and the effect you want when choosing the appropriate finish and color of drawing paper.