Okay..I have a question. I purchased some Bristol Smooth Paper for the portrait 101 class and I really liked using it. I am wondering if the Bristol Board that you buy for kids school projects is the same thing? I want to do a large piece and am finding it hard to locate any large paper and this Bristol Board would be perfect. I know that my paper I bought is 100lb but of course the larger Bristol Board sheets are sold individually and I have never noticed a weight listed anywhere. I think it is wonderful because it is so cheap and you can get it in such a variety of colors but is it the same thing or even remotely similar?

Juniper, the best advice I can give you about inquiring about Bristol Board paper is to check at the Strathmore website and see what they have. I believe you can buy straight from there online. If you inquire you can also ask for free samples and they will send them. I did a few weeks ago and got some cardboards with different types of paper they offer in little 2 inch squares and they also sent me a spiral filled with the different colors of paper they offer. I would say probably about 5 by 7 inches. I have used it with my colored pencils and tested the colors and love it. As soon as I have extra money I plan on purchasing more.

Thanks Venus!

Juniper it's not just the weight you have to watch out for. Make sure it's acid free... otherwise it will yellow and deteriorate in time.

Thanks Rose! I did some research on the web and found that the less costly stuff is actually called poster board although I have always referred to it as Bristol board. I ended up going to my local Michaels and found that they do indeed sell individual sheets of larger sized paper (I didn't think they did). I purchased a nice piece of Strathmore water color paper and I think it will be perfect for my project. I will be using the critique thread so keep an eye out. I will surely need your help.

Can someone describe the bristol board for me please?

We can't get it here in Germany (or I didn't saw it ) and I try to find something comparable.
Is it very flat and fair (like cartridge paper) or has it a lightly textured surface (I don't know the correct word)?

Greetings, Martina the *not-knowing-the-paper* one.

If I remember correctly when we started the portrait thread, we were looking for 100#, smooth white, acid free. My pad says what mediums it is good for right on it. I ended up with Bienfang smooth surface drawing bristol.
Paulette

"Can someone describe the bristol board for me please?"


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bristol board (also referred to as Bristol paper) is a heavyweight paper used for technical drawing, illustration, and other two-dimensional art forms. Its bulk thickness is .006 inches or higher. Bristol board is rated by the number of plys it contains.

The original bristol board was made in Bristol, England and was a pasted board made of paper containing rags.

Bristol board provides two working surfaces, front and back. This quality separates it from illustration board, which has only a front working surface. The surface texture can vary for different applications, including a smooth plate finish and a medium vellum. Artists working with friction-based media, such as crayon, chalks, or charcoal would use a rougher texture. Smooth finishes are generally more suited to other types of media, such as inks.

Bristol paper is also used for paperback book or catalog covers, file folders, tags, and tickets. Engravers or Wedding bristol paper may be used for formal engraved wedding invitations.

I have some old drawings done on old paper .. and trust me they are yellowed real bad .. my uncle who lives in tenn he draws VERY well and he draws on anything from napkins to the inside of a cereal box .. he has little money and his work always looks awsome .. for years .. so go figure that out . lol