#10 Best Drawing Papers for Graphite Pencils 2023
Get your drawing paper and start creating your artwork using graphite pencils. See our recommendation below and find the best drawing papers for graphite pencils.
👤 Written by: | A. Ulinnuha |
⏳ Updated on: | |
📋 List: | 10 items |
👀 Reader: | 44 views |
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Drawing paper is a better quality of paper than sketching paper. However, you can use this type of paper for sketching and finishing work. The medium of this paper is commonly charcoal, markers, pastels, and graphite pencils. And a graphite pencil is generally used to create a preliminary sketch for paintings or other media artwork.
You might like our article below if you're searching for the best drawing papers for graphite pencils. We've compiled a list of the best drawing papers for graphite pencils here. Check it out and find the best one for you.
Table of contents
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1.Canson 100510926 XL Mix Media Drawing Paper: Best Mixed Media Drawing Paper
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2.Strathmore 400 Series Pastel Pad Drawing Paper: Best Versatile Drawing Paper
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3.Strathmore 100 Sheet Drawing Paper: Best Lightweight Drawing Paper
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4.Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Smooth Drawing Paper: Best Tape Bound Drawing Paper
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5.Strathmore 477-9 400 Series Drawing Paper: Best Durable Drawing Paper
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6.Canson XL Series Bristol Vellum Drawing Paper: Best Heavyweight Drawing Paper
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7.Strathmore Paper 300 Series Sequential Drawing Paper: Best Traditional and Specialty Drawing Paper
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8.Arches Watercolor Pad 9 X 12 inches Drawing Paper: Best Overall Drawing Paper
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9.Legion Stonehenge Pad, 9 X 12 inches Drawing Paper: Best Supple Surface Drawing Paper
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10.Canson Artist Series Cream Drawing Paper: Best Long-Lasting Drawing Paper
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Cant find the answer you’re looking for? Reach out to our Q&A community.
Do I need the best drawing papers for graphite pencils?
We say yes, you need this drawing paper to sketch your painting. So if you’re planning to paint some beautiful things, you should buy this equipment to ease your work.
What factor should I consider before choosing the best drawing paper for graphite pencil?
- Texture: The texture of the paper will determine how well the paper can handle the medium you use. In general, the rough texture is excellent for charcoal and pastels. And smooth to medium texture is great for markers and graphite pencils.
- Weight: The heavier the paper is commonly better for drawing since it can hold more erasure and pressure from the graphite pencils. The best drawing papers for graphite pencils weigh over 80 lbs. (120 gsm).
- Material: The material used affects the quality of the drawing paper. The best material for graphite pencil drawing paper is generally made of cotton, referred to as rag paper.
How much should I spend on the best drawing paper for graphite pencil?
Based on our recommendation, the best graphite pencil drawing paper costs between $5 to $20. We hope you can find the best one that fits your needs.
What is the best drawing paper for graphite pencil?
Based on our recommendation below, the best graphite pencil drawing paper is Arches Watercolor Pad 9 X 12 inches Drawing Paper. This drawing paper is made of cotton fiber and has a smooth surface. With this Paper, you will be able to sketch beautifully. The details of the sketch made in this Paper are also awesome. We suggest this drawing paper for you, but you might go for the other nine products with more affordable.
Name | Rank | Check Prices |
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Canson
100510926 XL Mix Media Drawing Paper | #1 | Amazon Walmart.com eBay |
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Strathmore
400 Series Pastel Pad Drawing Paper | #2 | Amazon Dickblick.com eBay |
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Strathmore
100 Sheet Drawing Paper | #3 | Amazon Walmart.com eBay |
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Strathmore
300 Series Bristol Smooth Drawing Paper | #4 | Amazon Strathmoreartist.com eBay |
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Strathmore
477-9 400 Series Drawing Paper | #5 | Amazon Strathmoreartist.com eBay |
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Canson
XL Series Bristol Vellum Drawing Paper | #6 | Amazon Us.canson.com eBay |
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Strathmore
Paper 300 Series Sequential Drawing Paper | #7 | Amazon Strathmoreartist.com eBay |
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Arches
Watercolor Pad 9 X 12 inches Drawing Paper | #8 | Amazon Walmart.com eBay |
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Legion
Stonehenge Pad, 9 X 12 inches Drawing Paper | #9 | Amazon Dickblick.com eBay |
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Canson
Artist Series Cream Drawing Paper | #10 | Amazon Draftingsuppliesdew.com eBay |
10 List of Best Drawing Papers for Graphite Pencils
- Have a problem
with this product?#1Canson 100510926 XL Mix Media Drawing Paper
Best Mixed Media Drawing Paper
1 readers vote1 experts agree 1 experts disagreeWHY WE LIKE IT:Canson 100510926 XL Mix Media Drawing Paper is a mixed media pad. This drawing paper is acid-free and features a little textured surface, providing good performance for graphite, charcoal, and watercolors. Moreover, the 60 sheets of this drawing paper are micro-perforated for easy tearing. Due to its spiral bound, you can share your beautiful art drawing with the world.
Pros (reasons to buy)
Mixed media pad
Acid-free
Features a little textured surface
Micro-perforated sheetsCons (reasons to avoid)
Not ideal for watercolorWhat other experts liked
The paper quality is excellent and it's a really great sketchbook for the price.What other experts didn't like
It simply does not hold up to watercolors. - Have a problem
with this product?#2Strathmore 400 Series Pastel Pad Drawing Paper
Best Versatile Drawing Paper
1 experts agree 1 experts disagreeWHY WE LIKE IT:Even this Strathmore 400 Series Pastel Pad Drawing Paper is stated for pastel. But, with the proper technique, you can use a graphite pencil on this drawing paper. This paper works efficiently for portraits, landscapes, and other textured drawings. Moreover, this graphite drawing paper is available in three sizes, all of which come with 24 sheets.
Pros (reasons to buy)
Suitable for portrait, landscape, and other textured drawings
Available in three sizes
Acid-freeCons (reasons to avoid)
Inadequate bindingWhat other experts liked
I would choose the Pastel Paper because it at least has interesting colors.What other experts didn't like
The binding is not strong and did not hold up in shipping. - Have a problem
with this product?#3Strathmore 100 Sheet Drawing Paper
Best Lightweight Drawing Paper
1 readers vote1 experts agree 1 experts disagreeWHY WE LIKE IT:Strathmore 25-508 Drawing Paper is a lightweight paper that comes in 100 sheets. Due to its lightweight, you can carry it anywhere you want without worrying weighs down your bag. Moreover, this drawing paper has a slightly smooth texture, which is perfect for graphite pencils. It also features a spiral-bound edge that secures your art together when you’re on the go.
Pros (reasons to buy)
Lightweight
Comes in 100 sheets
Features a slightly smooth texture
Spiral-boundCons (reasons to avoid)
Thin paperWhat other experts liked
Good weight to the paper, pencil marks are not seen through the pages.What other experts didn't like
It's just a bit to fragile for me. - Have a problem
with this product?#4Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Smooth Drawing Paper
Best Tape Bound Drawing Paper
1 readers vote1 experts agree 1 experts disagreeWHY WE LIKE IT:Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Smooth Drawing Paper comes with acid-free paper. Also, the texture of this drawing paper is smooth, making it ideal for graphite pencils. This graphite drawing paper also features tape bound, keeping your paper together. Moreover, this 300-series paper has 20 sheets on each pad, which is enough to save your artwork.
Pros (reasons to buy)
Acid-free paper
Smooth surface
Tape boundCons (reasons to avoid)
Not ideal for watercolorWhat other experts liked
This paper is phenomenal. It handles my markers really well and allows a lot of blending.What other experts didn't like
A little hard to use for water coloring. - Have a problem
with this product?#5Strathmore 477-9 400 Series Drawing Paper
Best Durable Drawing Paper
1 experts agree 1 experts disagreeWHY WE LIKE IT:Like other graphite pencil drawing paper, this Strathmore 477-9 400 Series has clean white and toothy surface papers. Moreover, the paper of this sketch is also made of a durable material that can withstand repeated erasures and reworking. A micro-perforated wire bound is used to keep the sheets together. In addition, this drawing paper comes in 30 sheets to meet your drawing skills.
Pros (reasons to buy)
Clean white and toothy surface
Made of durable material
A micro-perforated wire boundCons (reasons to avoid)
A little expensiveWhat other experts liked
Heavyweight construction paper prevents bleed-through.What other experts didn't like
This drawing paper is nice but pricey. - Have a problem
with this product?#6Canson XL Series Bristol Vellum Drawing Paper
Best Heavyweight Drawing Paper
1 experts agree 1 experts disagreeWHY WE LIKE IT:Canson XL Series Bristol Vellum Drawing Paper is a heavyweight paper with excellent erasability. It also features a vellum surface finish, which is great for saturation and shading. Moreover, this drawing paper also works well with pencil, pen, ink, marker, and colored pencil. So if you’re seeking heavyweight drawing paper, these 25 sheets of paper are for you.
Pros (reasons to buy)
Heavyweight paper
Excellent erasability
Features a vellum surface finishCons (reasons to avoid)
Inadequate bindingWhat other experts liked
The paper is bright white with a yellow and black cover, and its surface has a smooth texture, making it a pleasure to draw on.What other experts didn't like
Binding was undone. - Have a problem
with this product?#7Strathmore Paper 300 Series Sequential Drawing Paper
Best Traditional and Specialty Drawing Paper
1 experts agree 1 experts disagreeWHY WE LIKE IT:Another heavyweight paper on our list is Strathmore Paper 300 Series Sequential Drawing Paper. This drawing suits traditional and specialty pencil, pen, and ink tools. Moreover, since the surface of this paper is a smooth surface, so it works well for creating comics, cartoons, and graphic illustrations. This paper is also acid-free and comes in 24 sheets.
Pros (reasons to buy)
Heavyweight
Suitable for traditional and specialty pencil, pen, and ink
Smooth surface
Acid-freeCons (reasons to avoid)
Inadequate bindingWhat other experts liked
Using Copic markers and colored pencils, this paper works great together.What other experts didn't like
Cover isn't bound. Just paper sheets stacked and unbound wrapped in plastic. - Have a problem
with this product?#8Arches Watercolor Pad 9 X 12 inches Drawing Paper
Best Overall Drawing Paper
1 experts agree 1 experts disagreeWHY WE LIKE IT:Arches Watercolor Pad Drawing Paper is made of natural cotton fibers and features a smooth surface. This graphite drawing paper can hold black wonderfully, and you can make smooth gradations on the paper. Moreover, the 12 sheets are clear white and also 100% acid-free. They provide enough space to keep your beautiful artworks.
Pros (reasons to buy)
Made of natural cotton fibers
Smooth surface
12 sheets of paper
Acid-freeCons (reasons to avoid)
A little priceyWhat other experts liked
If you're a serious pencil artist, you cannot beat the texture of this paper.What other experts didn't like
A bit pricey I guess, but you get what you pay for. - Have a problem
with this product?#9Legion Stonehenge Pad, 9 X 12 inches Drawing Paper
Best Supple Surface Drawing Paper
1 experts agree 1 experts disagreeWHY WE LIKE IT:Legion Stonehenge Drawing Paper has a supple surface that works well for many arts. This drawing paper is perfect for charcoal, colored pencil, graphite pencil, and pastel. You can draw an excellent detailed drawing on this graphite drawing paper. In addition, the paper of this Stonehenge comes in 15 sheets and measures 9×12 inches.
Pros (reasons to buy)
Supple surface
Excellent for detailed drawing
Available in 15 sheetsCons (reasons to avoid)
Limited sheetsWhat other experts liked
It is excellent! Gradations are easy on it and it accepted five layers of color so far.What other experts didn't like
It is not pure white as as stated. - Have a problem
with this product?#10Canson Artist Series Cream Drawing Paper
Best Long-Lasting Drawing Paper
1 experts agree 1 experts disagreeWHY WE LIKE IT:This heavyweight drawing paper from Canson can handle graphite pencils beautifully. The paper is durable with excellent surface strength, so you don’t need to worry when erasing it multiple times. You can create well-detailed drawings by using a graphite pencil on this paper. Moreover, with its 24 sheets available, you don’t need to worry about running out of paper.
Pros (reasons to buy)
Durable paper
Available in 24 sheets
HeavyweightCons (reasons to avoid)
SoftcoverWhat other experts liked
This sketchbook is perfect for the way I like to draw.What other experts didn't like
The actual cover is thin crap which doesn’t hold up well.
Conclusion: Best Drawing Papers for Graphite Pencils
The best drawing papers for graphite pencils allow you to create wonderful artwork. This paper can help you sketch before painting it in other media. But you might be confused with the ample choices on the market. Thus, we hope our article on the best drawing papers for graphite pencils can help you find the best one.