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Our newsletter has dropped and we have four new articles, including a brand new medium for our mini tutorials section, the oil pastel. If you haven't tried oil pastels, we would highly recommend you give them a go. Our new tutorial only takes 10 minutes to create a highly effective piece of work, and maybe you will fall in love with the medium too? We certainly love them! We like to cover a different medium or product, in each article, so this quarter, we provide a list of blending tools for soft pastel artists, a selection of black papers for artists who enjoy working on a dark surface. We have chosen various surfaces and brands, suitable for numerous mediums, not just pencils. Finally, we have updated the Prismacolor pencil artist. We really delved deep into the history of these pencils and believe us, these pencils have a great history. They span over a hundred years! We also discuss what these pencils can achieve, as we are aware that they are a favourite of many coloured pencil artists. Click on any of the images below to visit the article and have a read. Why not grab a coffee, as we do throw lots of information into our articles, so we hope you enjoy them. About the Prismacolor pencil |
Somerset black
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Somerset is a very popular grade of printmaking paper from the historic St. Cuthbert’s Mill in the UK, first introduced in the early 1970’s. In addition to its popularity in printmaking, Somerset found success as a wonderful drawing paper due to its soft handle and supple feel. Made with improved black pigments, Somerset Black has a deep, warm shade combined with a soft velvet surface. The internal structure of the sheet exhibits even darker fibres, which gives dramatic results, especially when laser etched. It is made to archival standards from 100% cotton and is fade resistant to the Blue Wool scale 6+. Mould made from 100% cotton to high archival standards.
Read our Somerset article. Company: St. Cuthbert's Mill
Weight: 280gsm Texture: Velvet (Like NOT surface) Composition: 100% Cotton Suitable for: Pastel, pencil and charcoal. Block/relief printing, embossing, intaglio/etching, hand/stone lithography, laser printing, letterpress and silkscreen/serigraphy. Sizes available: Sheets only (30" x 22" & 30" x 44") Company base: UK Accessibility: Limited suppliers. Vegan: Yes |
UArt Black paper
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UART Premium Sanded Pastel Paper accepts a wide variety of wet media for underpainting without compromising or damaging the tooth. The company states that you can add layer upon layer, correcting and creating, without impairing the surface of your artwork. From the toothiest grade (240), which is ideal for blending and layering, to the finer grades that are perfect for delicate and detailed work. You can add layer on top of layer without losing tooth. The abrasive surface eliminates the need for fixatives. The colour of the paper fluctuates depending on which grades you are using: while the 400 & 500 grades provide a rich black texture, the 600 & 800 grades lean towards a dark charcoal colour, as the higher the grade, the smaller the pigments. UART employs a state-of-the-art manufacturing process that ensures a consistent grain application on every inch of the paper.
Read our UArt dark paper article. Company: Uneeda
Grades: 400/500/600/800 (Abrasiveness) Texture: Abrasive Composition: Unsure - This is a sandpaper Suitable for: Pastels, Pencils, Charcoal, Watercolour, and Conté. Accepts all wet media (alcohol, mineral spirits, turpentine, water) for underpainting. Sizes available: Sheets, Mounted boards and rolls. Company base: New York, USA Accessibility: Accessible in various countries Vegan: Yes |
Stonehenge black
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Stonehenge was created in 1972 specifically as a 100% cotton deckled paper for the printmaking community. Over the years, it has gained worldwide recognition as a paper that works well across a range of other fine art applications. The paper of choice of many members of the Colored Pencil Society of America, Stonehenge has the ability to take multiple layers of wax-based and oil-based coloured pencil without any buildup, allowing colours to penetrate and absorb into the surface of the sheet. Neutral pH and no optical brightening agents (OBA's can cause fading).
Read our Stonehenge article. Company: Legion
Weight: 250gsm Texture: Vellum Composition: 100% Cotton Suitable for: Coloured Pencil, Pen & Ink, Pastel, Charcoal, Watercolour, Hand Lithography, Intaglio, Letterpress, Offset, Relief Printing and Silkscreen Sizes available: Sheets & rolls Company base: USA Accessibility: Easier to access in the USA Vegan: Yes |
Velour pastel
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Velour paper is an artist quality pastel paper with a velvety texture that grips soft pastel and give them a delicate soft edge. Hahnemuhle Velour is an artist-quality 260gsm pastel paper which is both acid-free and archival. It is composed of an acid-free backing sheet which is coated with inert synthetic fibres. This gives the surface a velvety feel which has sufficient tooth to hold soft pastel, as well as oil pastel, charcoal or soft pencils. Velour can hold a lot of pastel, so it is perfect for painterly pastel artists who create works with soft edges and is particularly suited to pet portraiture.
Company: Hahnemühle
Weight: 260gsm Texture: Texture Composition: Cellulose Suitable for: Soft & Oil pastel, soft pencil, Charcoal and Conté crayons. Sizes available: Sheets and pads Company base: Germany Accessibility: Although not widely available, it is accessible online. Vegan: Yes |
Aqua Stonehenge
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Stonehenge Aqua Black Watercolour paper is a cotton paper with excellent wet-on-wet performance. Paint can be easily manipulated without drying up. Like any other top-quality watercolour paper, it withstands repeated wetting/drying with no damage to the paper. The paper allows for easy lifting and blending and ensures you have excellent control of your colours.Colours won't blur, bleed, or mix in undesirable ways like other black papers can. It holds multiple layers of colour and holds up to masking and scrubbing.
Company: Legion
Weight: 300gsm Texture: Hot pressed and NOT Composition: 100% Cotton Suitable for: Coloured pencils, Pen & Ink, Pastel & Charcoal, Metallic/Interference/Iridescent paint, Gouache, Acrylics, Watercolour, Watercolour pencil, Pigment sticks, Markers, Calligraphy, Intaglio, Letterpress and Silkscreen. Sizes available: Blocks, pads and sheets Company base: USA Accessibility: Available but easier to access in the USA Vegan: Yes |
Colourfix™ black
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Colourfix papers are sheets of high-quality, archival 300gsm hot pressed European watercolour paper, screen printed with Colourfix Primer. The natural, toothy surface will hold multiple layers of pastel without the need for fixative, allowing the velvet bloom and vibrant colour of pastel to be preserved. Erasing is also easy with Colourfix™ – simply lift off excess pastel with clear adhesive tape, brush off with a dry brush, or use a pencil eraser. Alternatively, errors can be overpainted or areas touched up with the matching colour of Art Spectrum Colourfix™ Primer. The tough, toothy surface can be sanded, scrubbed, soaked and reworked over and over.
Read our Colourfix smooth article. Company: Art Spectrum
Weight: 340gsm Texture: Fine (Smooth), Medium (Original) & Rough (Supertooth) surfaces Composition: 100% Cotton and primer Suitable for: Pastels, oil colours, acrylics, inks, oil pastels, gouache, watercolours and dry media such as charcoal and pencils. Sizes available: Sheets and pads Company base: Australia Accessibility: Available across many countries. Vegan: Yes |
Tiziano pastel paper
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Tiziano is a high rag content, acid-free, pH neutral and with high archival permanence. The colours are highly lightfast. It is a cold press surface, containing cotton. Tiziano is Acid Free, produced with ECF pulp (Elemental Chlorine Free), FSC® certified from forests responsibly managed respectful of environmental, social and economic standards. Particularly suited to soft and oil pastels due to its good pigment uptake.
Company: Fabriano
Weight: 160gsm Texture: Tooth Composition: High rag content Suitable for: Pastel, pencil, graphite, charcoal and airbrush. Can also be used with all printing techniques. Sizes available: Sheets, pads and rolls Company base: Italy Accessibility: Easily accessible Vegan: Yes (Synthetic sizing) |
Mi-tientes 'Touch'
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Canson Mi-Teintes Touch Paper is particularly suited to soft and oil pastels as well as pencil, but is also suited to wet techniques and acrylics. The Touch Paper is micro-abrasive with a finely textured, sandblasted finish. It is lightfast and age-resistant. The innovative surface holds the pigments and creates the possibility of superimposition of colours and colour mixing. Colours are rendered remarkably, and fine details stand out.
Read our Mi-tientes Touch article. Company: Canson
Weight: 350gsm Texture: Abrasive surface (Medium) Composition: watercolour paper and a primer Suitable for: Pastel, sanguine, charcoal, chalk and acrylic. Sizes available: Sheets & Pads Company base: France Accessibility: Not as accessible as its pastel paper Vegan: No. (sized with gelatin) |
Mi-tientes pastel paper
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This paper is a pulp-dyed colour paper that contains more than 50% cotton. It has the advantage of having a different texture on either side: a honeycombed side; and fine grain on the other. It has 50 light-resistant tones including the black. Pulp-dyed, colours are light-resistant and its high cotton content makes it both robust and flexible. Complies with ISO 9706 standards on permanence, to guarantee excellent conservation. It is acid-free and has no optical brightness additives (OBA's can cause fading).
Company: Canson
Weight: 160gsm Texture: 2 sided - Fine and Textured (Like NOT paper) Composition: Cotton rag (50% cotton) Suitable for: Pastel, charcoal, sanguine, pencil, even watercolours and gouache. Handicrafts such as folding, cutting, gluing, making cards, etc. Sizes available: Sheets, rolls and pads Company base: France Accessibility: Easily accessible Vegan: No. (sized with gelatin) |
Derwent Black Mixed Media paper (New)
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The Derwent Professional black paper pad is ideal for creating dramatic art with a variety of media types. This fine grain, smooth paper offers artists a dramatic backdrop that maximises the performance of metallic mediums, including metallic and opaque pencils, paints and inks. The heavyweight 300gsm composition provides a sturdy and reliable foundation of the highest quality for both wet and dry media, differing from other Derwent black paper surfaces that suit dry media only.
Company: Derwent
Weight: 300gsm Texture: Smooth Composition: 100% Recycled Suitable for: Pens, pencils, markers, inks. Wet and dry media. Sizes available: A4 Pad only Company base: UK Accessibility: New product 2022 - Derwent sell their products worldwide. Vegan: Uncertain |
Frisk Black watercolour paper
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Rough textured paper, keeps colours clean and bright. Wash and blend with all grades of watercolour. Extremely effective results with opaque, metallic and interference colours. Also available as a mixed media pad and a canvas pad.
Company: Artcoe
Weight: 320gsm Texture: Textured Composition: Unsure Suitable for: Watercolour, pens, pencils, markers and brushes Sizes available: Gummed pads (A6, A5, A4, A3) Company base: UK Accessibility: Products sold internationally Vegan: Uncertain |
Sakura sketchbook
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Sakura Sketchbooks and Notebooks are suitable for all ages, and for both experienced and aspiring artists. The hardcover book comes with a pen holder that perfectly fits pens such as the Pigma Micron and Sakura Gelly Roll. In the back of the Sketch notebook, an expandable envelope is included for storing sketches and notes. The elastic closure band ensures the book stays closed and compact when travelling.
Company: Royal Talens
Weight: 140gsm Texture: Smooth Composition: Acid free Suitable for: Ink, pencil, oil pastel & charcoal Sizes available: Notebook only (5 sizes) Company base: Netherlands Accessibility: Accessible online Vegan: Uncertain |
Which black paper surface do you prefer?
What is your favourite black paper not on this list and what medium do you use with it?
Any hints and tips for artists using black paper with a particular medium?
Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below, so we can help inspire other artists.
Author
Karen M Berisford
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