Chapter One: Inventory
LESSON TWO
Newsprint
Available from most brands, newsprint paper is a thin, and inexpensive wood-pulp paper great for quick studies and warm-up exercises using dry media like pencil, charcoal, or pastel. I suggest getting the largest size paper you can find, because it will be a lot easier to practice the various arm movements and hand positions that we will review in the next chapter Warm Ups and Drawing Drills.
Card Stock
Card Stock is an inexpensive and readily available wood pulp paper that is a good alternative to regular computer paper or is a good alternative to a sketchbook if you need individual sheets. It has a smooth texture and has a heavier weight compared to computer paper which makes it perfect to draw on, but is light weight enough to be easily carried around in a binder. Because this paper is often used in printing and crafting you know that it will work well with inks as well as some dry mediums. I suggest using card stock for thumb nailing and sketching purposes when you are studying and if you are compiling your notes in a binder.
Mixed-Media
Generally regarded as a “everything but the kitchen sink”, this paper is a great general paper to use, and is usually found in sketchbooks. However, it is important to note that not every mixed-media paper works well with all mediums, especially if it is made of wood pulp rather than cotton. This does mean that you’ll have to spend some time finding a brand that has the right mixture of qualities that works for you; but luckily there are enough choices out there that you're sure to find something. I suggest using something similar to this if you are keeping notes and sketches together in a sketchbook rather than a binder since it works well with various mediums.
Bristol
Bristol is known as a professional paper made for creating and displaying finished artworks made with inks or dry mediums like pencil and charcoal. The difference between Bristol and other types of papers is that Bristol is designed to be a much sturdier paper being made up of multiple sheets that have been tightly glued together.
Bristol is generally available in two types; smooth and vellum. While traditionally, vellum papers have been made of animal hide, in modern day, papers that use this term denote a certain level of quality rather than what material it is constructed from.
As you may surmise, smooth Bristol has very little tooth which makes it great for wet mediums like pen, ink, or marker. On the other hand vellum has a slight tooth which is better suited for dry mediums like pencil, charcoal, and pastel - among others. I suggest using this paper when you are creating a formal artwork, drawing, or illustration. Use smooth papers using moderately wet mediums, and vellum when using dry mediums.
Brands
Not only is there a lot of variation between different types of individual papers, such as the ones listed here. But their differences also span from brand to brand. This means that the exact thickness, texture, and other qualities don’t just vary in type but by brand. This is because these papers depend on what they are made out of and how they are made during the manufacturing process. Finding a brand that suits your needs may take a little time, but we will be discussing various ways you can accomplish this in the next lesson.
