Mixed Media Paper Pad

Mixed Media Paper

As an artist I often have tried various types of paper to improve my drawing. Having the right texture is considered importance since its necessary to have something to withstand pressing down into the paper, using blending in the paper (which requires repeating over areas of the paper), and its important to have paper to withstand brush strokes time and again.

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So my opinion and experience to date for paper recommendation is Grumbacher Mixed Media paper. I have yet to find its equal since it has the ability to handle a lot of pressure and keep going strong. This article will review several type of paper in comparison.

In the early beginnings before Mixed Media paper, I can imagine many artists resorted to using simple types, such as Mead.

This is standard paper that has been useful for students while enrolled in school. However, I recall using it to design some of my first creative images. Below is an example draw using this paper.

Much later during early elementary school, I used some of the clear paper that was accessible on teacher’s racks. I also got in trouble later for taking too much paper to draw on.

Different Paper Types

One of the more recent paper types similar to this is by a company called Bienfang. Browse your local stores such as Walmart and you will find it. It is known as “sketching paper”. Works great for markers, but I wouldn’t recommend it for serious sketching or using colored pencils since the ‘tooth of the paper’ is more weaker than the Mixed Media paper I prefer.

Another type of paper I have used is by a company called Royal Langnickel. You can pick it up in the Arts & Crafts aisle under the name ‘Spiral Bound Sketchbook’. Considered better for painters than colored pencil artists (like myself) since it sustains better when applying brush strokes than standard paper.

The picture seen here though does illustrate using pencil on its surface, which is fine but will limit your drawing potential. It could work for someone just needing to do a simple sketch and not requiring deeper drilling into the paper.

Be sure to check out our page Art Drawings in Pencil to see some of the many examples that were created with Grumbacher Mixed Media paper.