The most common DMs and comments I get sent on my instagram page are always-always about what supplies I’m using.
The top 3 things I get asked about are;
what paper, which pencils and to a lesser extent – where did I get that sharpener!
So I’m going to share it all with you on this blog, telling you all about the supplies I use daily – because, as you’re here reading this, I’m sure you know – finding this stuff out is SO time consuming and can get a little on the pricey side with all the experimenting and testing new papers and changing pencils or having to fork out almost £15 for a not-even-battery-powered sharpener… that’ll be a story for another time.
Let’s start with the big one. Paper.
I’ve tried more than I can count and yet that’ll only be a drop in the ocean of how many are available. I settled finally on two that I love equally and depending on the subject of the piece, I’ll choose between the two.
Firstly, Stonehenge Fine Art Paper in white:
“Stonehenge fine art papers are 100% cotton, with a smooth, flawless, slightly mottled surface to resemble vellum. They are acid-free, buffered with calcium carbonate to help protect artwork from contaminated environments. Created over 30 years ago, Stonehenge was originally created for a variety of printmaking techniques including etching and silkscreen. Over the decades it has become one of the finest papers for pastel, pencil, charcoal, acrylics and watercolour.”
• 250gsm weight
• 100% cotton fibres
• Acid-free
• 2 deckle edges
• Smooth ‘vellum’ surface.
Click here for Stonehenge Fine Art Paper (affiliate link*)
Secondly, Fabriano Artistico in extra white:
“Fabriano Artistico watercolour paper is mould made, produced with 100% cotton, chlorine and acid free, guaranteeing long conservation and inalterability over time. The paper is sized both internally and externally, making it ideally absorbent and retaining its nature unaltered even if scratched. Traditional white, without optical bleaching.
Two deckle edges and watermarked “FABRIANO+ARTISTICO” on the short side. Short grain. The high quality and ample offer of this paper satisfies the requirements of all professional artists and the most demanding amateurs.
Ideal for watercolour, tempera, gouache, acrylic, ink, charcoal, graphite and drawing. It is also suitable for printmaking.”
• 300 gsm
• 100% cotton fibres
• Chlorine and acid-free
• 2 deckle edges
• Short grain
Click here for Fabriano Artistico Paper (affiliate link*)
The difference between them?
I find that the Stonehenge paper can take a lot more layers, because it has that extra bit of tooth to it, you can keep adding more colour and the paper will hold its own. I find with the Fabriano, I can create much sharper lines with coloured pencils so for my subjects that have feathers or shorter fur, this paper works better for me personally and lets me capture that sharpness.
At the end of the day, what works great for me isn’t going to work for everyone, you might hate these papers that I love or they might not work for the look you’re going for with your artwork – it’s good to experiment and test out as many as you can – I got sample packs of lots of papers which I’d definitely recommend, there’s a link below to a huge variety! Its a super cheap way to get a lot of selection and you can spend time testing out the individual papers and seeing which works best for your style of art.
Click here for a selection of Sample Paper Packs (affiliate link*)
Good luck! …and let me know if you find any great papers!