How To Choose The Best Paper for Graphite Drawing

With so many different drawing papers available on the market today it may be hard to choose the best drawing paper for graphite pencils.

All drawing papers are not alike. My favorite drawing paper is Bristol smooth but you may prefer something different.

Differences in tooth, material, finish, weight, and color can all make a big difference in the finished quality of your drawing. Which medium you are using is also a consideration. Are you drawing with hard pencils or are you using a soft pencil?

You also have to take into consideration the archival quality of the paper and whether or not you are just sketching or doing a piece for commission or sale.

It can be hard to choose the best paper for graphite drawing. Read on to get more information about the papers available.

For more tips on drawing, read my post on Drawing Tips.

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Tooth of the Drawing Paper

Tooth refers to the texture of the paper … how rough or smooth it is. The texture will determine how well the paper holds the medium you use.

Smooth paper is great for markers since the smooth surface makes blending easier.

A rough texture is more suited to charcoal or pastels since the grooves are deeper and can hold more charcoal or pastel dust.

Using rough textured paper for graphite drawing will not allow you to get fine lines and will result in a slightly fuzzy drawing.

For graphite, mechanical pencils, or colored pencils, a medium or smooth texture is best.

Weight of Drawing Paper

When we talk about the weight of the paper we are referring to the thickness of the paper.

Printer copying paper generally has a weight of 20 lbs ( .75 gsm). The best paper for graphite drawing should be over 80 lbs. (120 gsm).

GSM stands for grams per square meter. The higher the gsm the thicker the paper.

The heavier weight is better for drawing since it can take more erasure and can handle the constant pressure from the pencil better. The thinner paper will tear easier and ruin your work.

Material

Lower quality paper is made from wood pulp. Wood pulp contains a polymer called lignin which is found in the cell walls of plants. The lignin will cause the paper to fade and yellow over time. Newsprint is one example of this type of paper.

The best quality paper is made from cotton and is often referred to as rag paper or cotton rag. Cotton is naturally lignin free and won’t deteriorate like paper made from wood pulp.

Cotton papers are durable and long-lasting, making them a very good choice for artists who want to create work that will last.

Archival vs Acid-Free

A paper can be acid-free without being archival but it cannot be considered archival if it is not acid-free.

Papers made from wood fiber or a combination of wood and cotton fibers are chemically treated to make them acid-free. The same holds true for any tape you use to hold your paper. The tape may be acid-free but it will still yellow and degrade over time.

Papers labeled acid-free but not archival are more likely to fade over time but this usually takes many years.

Cotton fibers are naturally acid-free, therefore cotton fiber papers are naturally archival. These papers will not fade or discolor over time.

If you are going to be selling or exhibiting your work, it is best to use papers that are archival. This holds true for drawing papers as well as the paper used for watercolor or oil or acrylic paint.

Cold Pressed vs Hot Pressed

These terms usually refer to watercolor paper.

Cold pressed paper has some texture to it and feels rougher to the touch. Hot-pressed paper is smoother and will give you the most detail.

When buying paper, it is best to get good quality paper. Many professional artists like to use good hot-pressed watercolor paper such as Arches hot-pressed watercolor paper for drawing.

The type of pencil you use should also be taken into account. A softer pencil works well on a smooth paper surface such as hot-pressed watercolor paper.

To learn more about graphite drawing pencils see my post on the best graphite drawing pencils.

Best Paper for Graphite Drawing

Which type of paper you use comes down to a personal choice. The type of drawing paper is dependent on the style of drawing you do and the purpose of your drawing.

For quick sketches and everyday drawing, a good-quality sketchbook is fine. 

For work you want to sell, finding the right paper for your style and making sure it is archival is important. You will want to use heavier paper that can be framed and won’t yellow or degrade over time.

Here are some of my favorite papers to use. I recommend buying a small number of different papers to try out and find the one that is right for you.

Strathmore 400 series Drawing Paper. This paper has a smooth to medium surface that enables me to get fairly decent darks.

It is not smooth enough to get super fine details but it serves well for most drawings.

The downside is that the paper is off-white, so not the best choice if you want really white whites.

Strathmore 500 series Bristol Vellum.  I like the smoothness of this paper for getting fine detail. It is much harder to get really dark darks, but recently I bought a set of Mars Lumograph black pencils which give me a pretty good dark.

Fabriano Artistico Hot Press Watercolour Paper.  One of my favorite papers to use for both graphite and colored pencil. It has just the right amount of tooth and can take many layers of pencil.

There are many other papers on the market that you can try. Don’t go for the cheapest you can find.

Quality paper means quality results. Try out a few different brands and types of paper to find the one that suits your drawing style and budget. You can usually buy single sheets of paper at most art supplies stores.

Different drawing techniques and mediums will have different texture and weight requirements so it is always a good idea to have a varied supply of drawing papers.

In the end, the best paper for graphite drawing is the one that you most enjoy using. I hope this post was helpful in making your decision.

If you need some drawing ideas here is a printable list of drawing prompts. Enjoy 😊 

If you have questions, you can leave them in the comments below. You can also join our free Facebook group, Trembeling Art Creative Corner, where you can ask questions, post your work and get to know some fantastic artists from all genres and skill levels. 😊