Nothing could match the feeling of the captivation you feel when your pencil or charcoal glides on the paper to convey the depth of your artistic expressions. Paper drawing pads are a vital tool in any artist’s arsenal, and selecting the right one can make all the difference. The kind of paper you choose can significantly impact your creative journey. In this blog, feedhour will help you look out for the best drawing pads, and explore their types, characteristics, paper quality, techniques, and much more.
Factors of Paper Drawing Pads
Weight and Thickness
The weight and thickness of your paper can significantly affect your artwork. The heavier the paper, the more durable and suitable it is for wet media, while the lighter paper is ideal for dry media.
Smooth vs. Rough Paper
The choice between the two is a matter of artistic style and preference. The texture of your paper adds depth and character to your art. Smooth paper is perfect for intricate details and precise lines, while rough paper adds texture and dimension to your work.
White, Toned, or Colored Paper
The white paper is the classic choice for artists. It provides a blank canvas for your imagination. Toned and coloured paper, on the other hand, can influence the mood and tone of your artwork.
How you can use drawing pads for different drawing methods
Pencil Sketching
Pencil sketching has you experiment with hatching (parallel lines), cross-hatching (intersecting lines), and stippling (dots) to create varying tones. You can also make your sketches more realistic by blending your strokes. You can use tools like tortillons, blending stumps, or even your finger to help smooth transitions between different pencil marks. You can also make corrections or even add highlights with an eraser while pencil sketching. Choose a kneaded eraser for light shading and a precision eraser for fine details.
Watercolor Painting
There are many tricks you can use while using watercolours for painting. You can use the wet-on-wet technique, where you apply wet paint to a wet paper surface, which results in soft, diffused edges and blends that create a dreamy, ethereal effect or dry brush technique where you use minimal water on your brush to create more textures and add intricate details and bold strokes to your artwork.
Ink Drawing
You can employ brushes to apply ink in washes or for fine detailing. Heavier lines can create emphasis and define shapes, while finer lines can convey intricate details and varying the thickness of your lines can add depth and dimension to your drawings. You can also use cross-hatching which involves layering sets of lines at different angles to create shading, texture, and depth. Another technique you can go for is stippling. With stippling you can create shading and texture through tiny dots to achieve a unique, pointillist effect. But remember, it does take quite a bit of time.
Pastel and Charcoal Techniques
Pastels are known for their vivid colour and soft texture that you can blend with your fingers, blending tools, or even brushes to create seamless transitions and gradients. It might be too soft, which might result in the pastel dust smudging and ruining your masterpiece. To prevent pastel dust from smudging and ensure the longevity of your work, consider using a fixative spray. Apply this carefully, as it can slightly alter the appearance of your piece. Similarly, charcoal can be a bit messy too, but it’s worth the effort. Use blending tools or your fingers to create dramatic contrasts and achieve rich, velvety textures. Remember, subtle strokes can be just as impactful as bold ones.
The best picks for drawing pads
1. Folia watercolor pad
- Paper weight (in GSM)- 150g/m²
- Perfect for all techniques of watercolour painting
- The paper is extremely light and age-resistant
- Rough structure and surface that allows you for a more nuanced painting experience
- 3-fold glued, chlorine-free water colour sheets
- 10U of A4 size sheets in a single package
- €5.99 (VAT Included Cost)
2. Pelikan drawing pad A4
- Has a premium school quality
- Chlorine-free, which makes it very safe for use by children.
- Attached on two sides with perforation to separate the sheets
- 20U A4 A4-sized sheets in a single package
- The front cover has many animal motif options available, which arrive randomly.
3. Pelikan drawing pad
- Paper Weight (in GSM)- 120g/m²
- 20 A3 Sheets in one unit of packaging
- Available in multiple colour motifs that you receive randomly
- Colourful zebra motif and zebra design print
- Abstract geometric pattern with splashes of colour
- Chlorine-free paper that is safe to use
- €6.99 VAT included cost
4. Multitechnic Paint’ON
- Suitable for both dry technology and wet technology
- high-quality, scratch-resistant and highly affordable
- Can make corrections without the paper becoming rough
- 100% extra white cellulose paper
- Extremely light grain
- good absorption capacity
- Blocks glued at the top.
Conclusion
Understanding the nuances of paper, experimenting with different techniques, and preserving your artwork are all steps on the journey to artistic excellence, which is why it is very important for you to get the best drawing pads for a unique and good painting experience. Head over to Buecher today and shop for the best drawing pads that adapt to various art forms for a seamless painting experience. Visit Feedhour for more information on drawing pads.