Smooth or Plate finish are recommended if you want to do the smooth blended style that I generally do - if you are working in charcoal or want more of a textured surface, then get the Vellum surfaced papers. The links below are acid free, wonderful art papers, and the kind I use.

Strathmore 500 Series Bristol Board


Strathmore 500 Series Bristol Board


Below is a link for a good economical student pad of Bristol paper in smooth surface. Note that this paper will not be good for longevity, it's basically for practice. They're good if you plan to go through a lot of paper and want to save money. However, the Series 400 pads listed above will be a better purchase over time, because they are acid free (resist yellowing) The Series 500 are the pads of paper I use.


Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Board Pads

You can also purchase Strathmore paper by the sheet, but I prefer the pads because storage is more practical for me. Pads can be kept high and dry on a bookshelf, whereas by the sheet, you need to have room to roll the paper for storage.

Strathmore 500 Series Bristol Board
For smooth pencil drawings, you will want to choose the Smooth paper, not the Vellum as pictured. Vellum is good if you want a rougher texture, or for charcoal work.

Strathmore 500 Series Bristol Board

Created in 1893, this 100% cotton fiber, acid-free bristol is an industry standard. It's available in Vellum and Plate surfaces. Plate (Hot Press) is unsurpassed for fine pen and pencil work, allowing flat and even washes. The Vellum (Cold Press) surface is designed for pencil, colored pencil, soft to hard charcoal, hard pastel, and oil pastel. It is also suitable for washes and gouache. Both surfaces are excellent for airbrush. Note : Some sizes are cut down from larger sheets. Therefore, the sheet you receive may not have watermarks.