The 9 Best Strathmore Acrylic Paper Pads (2023 reviews)

If you want nothing short of the best possible pad for your daily usage, this product is certainly a worthy investment. If you're wanting to practice your art skills, something like this works wonderfully because the paper works for a little bit of everything. It’s a medium weight paper in sketchbook formats. It will hold watercolor, colored pencil, gouache, marker, pens, etc very well. The paper is nice and thick and rigid. The paper is perfect, it doesn't need gesso or anything. It is a mixed media paper and has a slight texture to it. The paper is the perfect size to carry.

Why We Like This:

Good sketch book for mixed media
Sturdy enough to travel with, as well
Holds heavy body acrylic paint well
Including heavy body, graphite pencil, and ink

Best For keeping An Art Journal OF zentangle drawings: Strathmore Great Journal

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The strathmore great journal's material feels more premium than its price would suggest. This is a heavy weight paper that can be used for zentangling or zendoodling with markers or for water colors. It is great for quick daily painting or drawing in watercolor, ink, pencil or micropen. The pages are thick enough to withstand abuses in watercolor painting as well as some Sharpie drawings.

It is perfect for any wet media as well as pencils and pastels. The paper is also lightly perforated if you ever want to remove your paintings. It is a great option if you're backpacking or need to travel light. It is great for water coloring.

Why We Like This:

Thick, luscious watercolor paper that can take lots of water without crumpling
Great gift for artists and teens
Designed to be carried around in the bottom of your art supply travel case

Best For All kinds OF Art: Strathmore Good Paper

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The strathmore good paper's material feels more premium than its price would suggest. It is great for mixed media. The paper is not completely white, it appears very slightly ivoryish next to a white mat in the frame. It works with inks, acrylics, watercolors, collage, whatever. It drys to fast. It needs to be in a box or a well padded package.

The sheets are large but just 15 sheets per tablet. It is perfect for mixed media.

Why We Like This:

Results in smooth, professional looking artwork
Great for watercolor, acrylic, pen and ink, pencil, crayon, charcoal, marker and collage
Excellent smooth-surface paper for watercolor pens, markers or pencil

Best For markers: Strathmore Ideal Pad

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The strathmore ideal pad is suitable and reliable and fits well with your regular usage. Not only does it open up larger pieces for wall art, it saves a lot of money on 9x12 basic work by cutting out "quarters" to size. The strathmore bristol pad contains 20 sheets measuring 19" x. It is made from 100% cotton and is very smooth. It can go through several times of erasing or blending without paper fibers coming off. The pad itself is quite large, so you don't have to worry about space unless you're trying to create a mural or something and the paper quality is good, thick, and can withstand quite a bit of hard erasing if needed.

It comes with a surface designed for traditional drawing and finished artwork, this bristol weight board works well with mechanical pen, airbrush, marker, pen, and ink. The bristol paper is strong, can even handle mixed media (for the most part, includin acrylics and a spritz of acetone) and cant wait to create big pieces with this.

Why We Like This:

Excellent for pen and ink defintrly recommend
Great paper for drawing in pencil and colored pencil
Great board for any type of inking pens and ink work
Very nice, high quality bristol in a good working size

Best For little sketches: Strathmore Series marker Paper

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The strathmore series marker paper is capable of outshining several other products featured in this list in overall features for the price point. Alcohol markers blend well on top and don't feather at all, which makes it easy to get the exact shape you want. This paper is more meant for alcohol based markers. It is smooth and thick. It holds even the most basic markers to alcohol based.

This pad holds 24 sheets. It is easy to use with graphite’s. It is perfect for blending and layering color. The alcohol markers blend well on top and don't feather at all, which makes it easy to get the exact shape you want.

Why We Like This:

Nice marker paper that holds up well for blending but reveals some texture
Easy to blend and no bleeding
Erases easily almost back to paper white
Excellent with pencil, ink, & pro-markers

Best For adding White highlights: Strathmore Watercolor Paper

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The strathmore watercolor paper's material feels more premium than its price would suggest. This intermediate grade watercolor paper has a strong surface that is ideal for watercolor. The paper is thick and very smooth for pen&ink and watercolor. The smooth side is somewhat less absorbent than the other side and they behave somewhat differently in general. It is great sketchbook for adding highlights to your sketches. The beige paper is great for adding white highlights. The cover is flexible and coated with something to protect the paper.

Unlike some of the other Stratemore journals, this is ALL thick watercolor paper. It allows for fine and even washes, as well as lifting and scraping applications. The cover is soft to the touch which is just nice.

Why We Like This:

Works well with ink and watercolor
Excellent even for moderate watercolor use
Performs beautifully with a broad range of writing instruments, including fountain pens

Best For Use With All mediums: Strathmore Acrylic Paper Pad

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The strathmore acrylic paper pad should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease.

Why We Like This:

A plastic coated paper suitable for use with all mediums
Good investment for long term

Best With gouache: Strathmore White student grade Watercolor Paper

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We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate pad. The product is exactly that - it's a simple product that hits all the right notes. It features light weight, white student grade watercolor paper with a cold press surface that is perfect for water-based media including watercolor, tempera, acrylic, gouache or poster paint. The paper really is good enough to use for finished pieces as well.

Why We Like This:

Great for art and craft projects
Ideal for independent drawing or painting
New and hot release

Best For colored pencil: Strathmore Mixed Media Paper

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The strathmore mixed media paper's superior materials makes sure that it ages well with use. The high quality paper is great for wet and dry media including watercolor, gouache, acrylic, graphite, pen and ink, colored pencil, marker, pastel and collage.

Why We Like This:

Good investment for long term
New and hot release