Various art paper sizes and formats cater for every approach to creativity. Here we explain the difference between a pad and a block, what materials you can apply to paper, and present our helpful chart of art paper sizes.
Chart of Art Paper Sizes
Click on the image to view it at full screen. You can then bookmark this page or print it for quick reference.
What Art Materials Can I Use on Paper?
Paper is available in a range of formats, each suited to meet the varied needs of artists working on paper. Artists work on paper with a multitude of different media including graphite, charcoal, watercolour, inks, coloured pencil, and pastel. Many artists choose to work on paper for its tactility, simplicity, and ease of use. Formats like spiral or glued/gummed pads, sketchbooks, and blocks make working on paper convenient and inexpensive. These versatile formats are ideal for artists working in the studio or on-the-go and are perfect for producing quick sketches or detailed studies using a variety of mediums. Paper is suitable for use with traditional drawing media, and, depending on the paper surface and quality, can also be worked on with watercolour, gouache, acrylics, oils, markers, and inks.
Sketchbooks and Pads Will Protect Paper That You Need to Carry With You
A good sketchbook for such use is likely to contain paper with a weight of 100 gsm or more. Drawing pads that are intended to be taken to classes, to the studio, or with you wherever you go, will ideally have a hardcover to help protect the work within. A spiral binding will help a book stay open when working.
Loose sheets of paper often come in imperial sizes, using inch measurements and pads and blocks of watercolour paper usually come in European (ISO) ‘A’ sizes (these use metric measurements). Pads produced in the USA usually come in inch sizes but are neither Imperial nor A sizes.
What Are Watercolour Blocks?
Blocks are pads of paper that have been glued on all four sides. The sheets can be worked on and saturated with watercolour without wrinkling. And once dry, the sheets can be sliced off the pad with a craft knife. Higher quality blocks are suitable for repeated working, scrubbing, lifting, as well as painting in other media. However, lesser quality blocks still provide an excellent working surface and are best for practising new techniques and general experimenting. Also, most are still artist-grade papers which mean they are good enough quality for presentation and exhibition.
Loose Sheets and Rolls for Large Scale Artwork
Loose sheets and rolls provide an excellent way of working on a larger scale. They are often useful for artists who wish to complete a final work of art in a range of drawing materials. A roll allows artists to cut the paper to their desired size, so they can produce unique sizes and shapes that might not typically be provided by manufacturers. Artists looking for a more traditional feel might choose to work with loose deckled-edge sheets, as they provide an irregular hand-torn appearance.
Further Reading
A History of the Artist’s Book and How to Make Your Own
Preparatory Drawing Methods for Painting
A Guide to Drawing in Galleries and Museums
Discover What Goes Into Your Fine Art Paper
I have just received the linen on mdf board and started using it with
acrylics .I chose them to paint pale coloured dogs on.
I am absolutely delighted with them .
Highly recommend the product. Fingers crossed I complete the
paintings ok
I very much like Arches oil paper buying rolls
which offer flexibility. Please can you advise
the best method to flatten the cut paper to
preserve the sizing. Thank you for your help
with this matter.
Dear Caroline,
Thanks for your question. If you have time, you could flatten the paper dry between heavy boards which will help to flatten without affecting the sizing, but this could take a few days to take effect. That said Arches paper is heavily sized so if you were to dampen it and stretch the paper in a conventional way (i.e. tape it to a board, as described here https://www.jacksonsart.com/blog/2015/07/17/stretching-watercolour-paper-for-a-better-painting-experience/) there should still be enough sizing remaining for a satisfactory painting experience.
Many thanks
Lisa