Bristol Board

When it comes to drawing paper I need something that’s tough and can hold up to the abuse that it’s going to take.

When I draw a picture I do lot’s of shading, blending, and erasing that a thin, flimsy paper just can’t handle.

Bristol board is a thick, heavy weight paper that’s almost like a card stock. It can take the abuse that I put it through.

If you’re just learning to draw then by all means practice on something cheap but when you’re ready to start creating finished works of art, something you may even wish to frame, you’ll want to use a quality, durable paper.

When it comes to a particular brand of Bristol Board I don’t really have one brand that I prefer over another so I’ll go with the one that has the best price. What you do want to look for though is to make sure the paper is acid free. Acid free paper will not age and turn yellow the way non-acid free paper will.

The other thing you’ll need to decide is what type of finish you want. You can get a "plate" or smooth finish or you could get a "vellum" which has a bit of a tooth or texture to it. I prefer a smooth finish because I like to create the texture of my drawing and not have the paper dictate the texture to me. Some people really like the tooth of a vellum finish so it’s really just a matter of trying them for yourself and seeing what you like best.

If you need to buy a pad of quality Bristol Board drawing paper you can do so by clicking the image above or the following link - Bienfang Bristol Board Pads