Best Paper For Realistic Charcoal Drawing

At 64 pounds i really wish this charcoal paper was thicker.

Best paper for realistic charcoal drawing.

Kirsty partridge is a self taught artist who specializes in creating photo realistic drawings with charcoal and colored pencil as well as more expressive paintings with watercolor. However knowing the different types of paper can be helpful in making the right choice. Most drawing paper has a coarse texture and that will work against you. It will give you good results without breaking the bank.

Best place to purchase strathmore paper. Walking through an art store can be daunting because of the vast selection so how do you know which paper is best for your project. To select the best paper for charcoal drawing you have to keep in mind the characteristics of the medium as well as what you desire out of the drawing as a whole. Selecting a paper for your charcoal drawing is often a matter of personal preference.

Because charcoal is not a precision implement like let s say a sharpened graphite pencil or ink pen the best suited surface for it is one with a lot of texture akin to pastel boards that will pull a lot of charcoal to its. As part of our 2019 online workshops kirsty created a series of charcoal drawing lessons that demonstrate basic techniques along with drawing realistic florals animals and portraits. I used strathmore 300 series bristol board pads 9 x 12 smooth for this ink drawing. The charcoal particles will need that extra tooth to stick to.

When you have a heavier paper this is something that does not happen too often. However the lessons are still poignant for modern artists breaking into charcoal for the first time. Charcoal drawing by henry pitz is a much older book dating back decades. What is the difference between bristol vellum and bristol smooth.

The paperweight is 100 pound and is an acid free paper made in the usa. What to look for in the best paper for charcoal drawing. For graphite drawings with a moderate degree of realism a drawing paper like strathmore series 400 is a good place to begin. Nitram charcoal is available in soft.

Strathmore sells a 500 series pad made precisely for charcoal drawing. You can find strathmore paper in most local art and craft stores like but i like to purchase my drawing paper and supplies online at blick art materials. Again the strathmore brand is my go to source of paper even with charcoal drawing. Smoother surfaces or less tooth work well for graphite and pen and ink.

In 160 pages you ll learn about the medium of charcoal and how it compares to drawing. Charcoal and crayon will work better with more tooth.