Paper for Polychromos Pencils (2024)

FAQs

What paper is best for Polychromos pencils? ›

Bristol Board

As such it allows for very detailed mark-making for crisp application of colour – perfect for scientific or botanical illustration.

In general, any hot press watercolor paper works well with colored pencils. Next you have the Legion Stonehenge Paper, whose vellum (medium) texture is very popular with colored pencil artists. Lastly, I recommend the Strathmore 500 Bristol Board, which is perfect if you like a smooth texture.

On textured paper, Coloured pencils grab better and the pigments look more vibrant. Being unable to effectively indent textured paper to place fine lines such as the whiskers on this Tiger, it is better to create the background first and then apply the finer details over the completed background.

They are characterised by their unparalleled light-fastness and break-resistance. To create blocks of intense colour, hold the pencil in an almost vertical position and press down hard on the paper. To colour an area evenly, hold the pencil at a very shallow angle, and only press down lightly on the paper.

In general, hot-press watercolor paper works fantastically well with colored pencils – and is usually heavy enough for solvents and most wet media – so feel free to try some other brands. Next is Legion Stonehenge Paper, which is available in single sheets and pads.

Top-quality materials, combined with our long experience, ensure that Polychromos artists' colour pencils have extremely break-resistant leads, maximum light-fastness, the most vivid colours and optimal paintability, along with many other advantages valued by professional artists.

I've been falling in love hard with my Caran d'Ache Luminance colored pencils and really enjoy using them on colored cardstock! The colors blend beautifully and effortlessly!

although some folks like a smoother paper. I would try both… and even others because each will give you a different look. Ivory paper tends to hold fine lines a little better while cartridge drawing paper tends to give an overall softer look. Try some stonehenge, bristol, mat and drawing board as well why you are at.

Summary: Srathmore Toned Gray paper is best for using dry media like graphite, pastel and colored pencils. This paper is probably the best grey toned paper out there. The texture is amazing for drawing with colored pencils. You can easily fill in the grain and make your drawing look very smooth and well blended.

Go to your local craft store, or art supply store and get a pad of Bristol vellum. There are a few different brands, so choose whichever you prefer, most are similar. The paper is designed for colored pencil work and holds up very well to the blending.

Is Bristol paper good for colored pencils? ›

Bristol Paper

Strathmore makes a variety of Bristol papers, all of which work well for colored pencil.

Vellum surfaces are great for graphite, colored pencil, charcoal, pastel, and crayon. The surface has peaks and valleys which grab dry media such as graphite. More even shading and deeper tones can be achieved on a vellum surface.

For detailed artist drawings, we recommend using a smooth paper, such as Bristol board, Strathmore toned pads, Hot Press Watercolour Paper or textured Pastelmat. Polychromos Pencils adhere to many rough surfaces too, such as wood, stone, leather and metal.

Characteristics of Polychromos pencils

They are also more water-resistant than other brands of coloured pencils. It doesn't mean that you can submerge your art in water, because paper is not water-resistant. However, highly pigmented surface looks and feels quite different from generic coloured pencils.

Faber Castell Polychromos Pencils are a unique tool in the world of sketching. They are oil based as opposed to being wax based like other pencils, allowing them to blend with solvents, like turpentine or white spirit in a similar way to how you would blend oil paints.

Strathmore Textured Papers

The higher the grade of textured paper surfaces the deeper and more even the resulting shading will be. While all Strathmore Series – 200, 300, 400 and 500 will produce even, deep, luminescent shades, the 500 papers will produce the richest and deepest shade.

The pencils smudge. This smudging allows you to move the colour around a little bit but it also smudges my hand. This forces me to put a sheet of paper on the drawing on which I place my hand. Otherwise my hand smudges the paper.

Faber Castell Polychromos Pencils are a unique tool in the world of sketching. They are oil based as opposed to being wax based like other pencils, allowing them to blend with solvents, like turpentine or white spirit in a similar way to how you would blend oil paints.