Strathmore Bristol Vellum Paper

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Are you new to graphite art? Do you want to know what is the best paper to use for realistic graphite drawings? In this post, you are going to discover why in my opinion Strathmore bristol vellum 400 is the best drawing surface for pencil drawings.

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Strathmore Bristol Vellum Pad 9 by 12 – Inch, 20 Sheets

Strathmore Bristol Vellum Paper for Realistic Drawing

Tobi – By Dave Nevue

Over the years, I have tried many different artist papers for my drawings.

The drawing paper produces the best results for my fine art drawings Strathmore Bristol Vellum.

There are times when I use Strathmore Bristol Smooth but for most of my commissioned and original drawings, I use Strathmore Bristol Vellum Paper.

The Strathmore Bristol Vellum that I use is 9 x 12-inch heavyweight sheets.

The paperweight is 100 pound and is an acid-free paper made in the USA.

What Is The Difference Between Bristol Vellum And Bristol Smooth

Best Place To Purchase Strathmore Paper

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.

By purchasing my paper online I do not have to worry about customers touching the drawing surface in the local art stores.

The drawing surface will be unusable if someone flips through and touches the paper. The oils from their hands will make the graphite darker which will make it impossible to draw smooth value changes.

You will not know if the paper is soiled until graphite touches the surface.

You do not want to be in a situation where you can’t finish a drawing because the drawing surface has been soiled.

Not only is it more convenient and less expensive to purchase art materials online but you will also reduce the risks of someone touching your paper.

Here is a list of the different sizes that Blicks offers:

What Is Bristol Paper

Strathmore Bristol Board (paper) is 2-ply and has a postcard feel. It is thick and will not bend or fold easily as regular paper does. This makes it perfect for matting and or framing commissioned artwork.

The term Bristol derives from the early days of European papermaking when mills would send their finest papers to Bristol, England to be pasted together. (Source: Strathmore)

What Is The Difference Between Bristol Vellum And Bristol Smooth

Depending on what style of art you create and what medium you use for your drawing will determine what the best Bristol paper will work best for you.

Strathmore Bristol Board comes in a smooth or vellum surface.

Smooth Bristol board contains less tooth giving the paper a smooth surface. The tooth of the paper adheres to the graphite to the paper. It is difficult to get darker values using a smooth bristol board.

Smooth Bristol works better for pen & ink, markers, airbrush, and mechanical pencils.

Vellum Bristol board has a lot of tooth (peaks and valleys), which grab dry media like graphite and allows you to add multiple layers of graphite so you can create deeper tones.

Bristol Vellum works excellent for graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, and crayon.

Some artists even use pastels on Bristol vellum. I never had luck using pastels on Bristol papers because I add a lot of layers, and Bristol paper can not support the multiple layers, I use for my wildlife pastel paintings.
Bristol vellum is an excellent drawing paper for artists who draw realism drawings.

What Side Of The Paper Should I Use

You might have heard artists say that they will use the backside of the Bristol board for their drawings. I suggest learning what both sides have to offer by practicing similar techniques on both sides. You will then know what will work best depending on your style and the subject you are drawing.

Depending on what I am drawing will determine what side I am using.

Strathmore Bristol Vellum Pad 9 by 12 – Inch, 20 Sheets