Top Five
#Inktober Pads
This blog looks at the very best pads we have for this #Inktober, we’ve got an eclectic mix of smooth, affordable and fine quality. So if you're deciding what surface to do #inktober on this year we definitely have a pad that's got you covered. Here are our Top Five #inktober Pads -
Hahnemühle Nostalgie
These pads are an excellent all rounder and can take a lot of work. The paper inside is made on a traditional cylinder mould machine, it is acid-free, environmentally friendly and biodegradable. The sheets are made with a synthetic size which gives them increased wet working strength and as an added bonus the size used and the paper itself is 100% vegan friendly. The paper can be used with inks, watercolours, gouache and a whole host of dry sketching media, and it is smooth and white in colour. Fantastic for #inktober if you're looking to experiment with different materials.
Canson 180
Canson are world famous for making quality artist products and this 180 degree sketchbook is no exception. It consists of superior quality sketching paper and a unique “lay-flat” bind that allows the pad to be laid completely flat on a table or work surface. The paper is semi-smooth in finish and white in colour and is designed to be used with pens & pencils. Pens specifically work exceptionally on this surface and we would suggest it is the best pad in our range for working with pens. An obvious choice for anyone wanting to use pens this #Inktober.
Daler Smooth & Smooth Heavyweight
Daler-Rowney have been making sketch pads and paper for a rather long time. This extended heritage gives them an edge when it comes to quality in fine art products. The sheets have a neutral ph size making them genuinely acid free and stronger for wet working. This paper in particular has a superbly smooth finish making it ideal for use with Inks and Ink based pens.
The pad comes in two varieties, Standard and Heavyweight. As the name suggests, the Heavyweight variant is far more durable than its standard counterpart and can be used with more wet media. The lighter version is 130gsm in weight and the heavier comes in at 220gsm. These pads are ideal for working with inks as its smooth surface lets the medium glide effortlessly over the surface.
Strathmore Bristol Board
If the previous two pads were not smooth enough for you this Bristol Board pad by Strathmore should satisfy, It's made with supremely smooth paper that is acid free. The pad comes in at 270gsm which is very thick paper, meaning it can be used with inks without a fear of bleeding or tearing. Bristol board paper is normally a very bright white in colour and this pad from Strathmore is no exception. Ideal for technical drawings in pen and with ink as its smooth surface allows the artist to achieve an extremely fine degree of detail.
Ameile Pink Pig
One of the quintessential #Inktober pads, its versatility is only matched by its excellent price point. The pad contains 25 pages of long grain fibres that are acid-free and produced here in the U.K. The sheets are 270gsm making them quite a heavyweight paper, suitable for mixed media techniques and in particular ink work. The pad has a spiral bind so it can open flat and is fairly small for ease of transportation. A general all rounder fantastic pad that deserves its place as one of the best mixed media pads we offer.
Bonus - Winsor & Newton Wire-O Sketchbook
As a quick bonus we wanted to mention the Winsor & Newton Heavyweight Wire-O Sketchbook. Its versatility is similar to the pink pig Ameile in that it is a heavyweight pad that can be used for a variety of techniques, particularly works with pen and ink. The paper is smooth in texture and white in colour. Perfect for use this #Inktober
