Just like the mediums used in art, the surface on which you draw or paint is important, too. The purpose is to get the best use of the media by using the proper materials with it.

Watercolor paper

Unlike regular printer paper, watercolor paper is thick enough to keep the water from soaking through. Using this specific type of paper helps keep the pigments bright and undiluted.

Bristol paper

Bristol is very smooth and thick. Mainly used for ink and pen, it prevents the ink from soaking through. Bristol paper is also very versatile and can even be used in three-dimensional models.

Charcoal paper

Like the name, charcoal paper is made for charcoal drawings and also pastel drawings. Smoother paper creates more dust while textured paper decreases the charcoal dust.

Drawing paper

Drawing paper is initially used for graphite pencil, but other mediums can be used with it as well. This paper has a relatively smooth surface and enables the pencil to glide smoothly without bumpy textures.

Gray and tan toned paper

This type of paper is used mostly for charcoal and pencil drawings. The background color makes it easier to put in highlights, which usually means using a white charcoal pencil. Adding the highlights, especially in a drawing, is essential to make it look realistic. Using black paper expands the use of white pencils – whole drawings can use just white pencil, opening up a whole new set of skills to master.

Acrylic paper

Most of the time, acrylic paint and canvas are a common pair. However, there is paper that mimics the texture of canvas and makes painting on it easy. Painting on paper means that you can easily frame artwork without the bulk of the canvas.