Why You Would Use Marker Paper

 

It’s safe to say that paper can be created for a specific medium in mind; you have paper dedicated to specific types of paint such as watercolour or focused more on drawing tools like pastels or charcoal. These specially made papers are textured so that your medium of choice can latch on to the paper correctly. Marker Paper is no exception to this, its smooth texture is perfect for things like marker pens and we highly recommend using it for that type of medium; here are 5 reasons why we think you should use Marker Paper. 

 

1. It’s Bleedproof

Marker paper is specifically designed to handle alcohol markers such as Promarkers, the main reason for this is because it's bleedproof. This means it won’t go onto the next page which can easily happen with markers on a paper that isn’t suited. During the paper making process an additional wax treatment is added on the reverse side of the page so it limits the bleeding. Marker paper is thin so it won’t necessarily absorb the ink like it would on watercolour paper, not only would bleeding occur, but feathering would also happen as well which is when the medium spreads out when it touches the sheet. 

 

  Artwork created on Winsor & Newton Bleedproof Marker Pad

2. It’s Durable

Because of the way marker paper is made, when ink is applied it just floats on the top of the paper, this means it can easily be blended as well as limiting feathering. This also means that the colours come out stronger, you can use less ink to cover more space and once it’s done it will be vibrant for years so your ink and artwork last longer.

3. It’s Thin and Smooth

As mentioned, it is a thin paper, for example the Daler Rowney pad is 70gsm and the Winsor and Newton pad is 75gsm, to put this into perspective, tracing paper is about 45gsm. Not only is it very thin, but it is also extremely smooth. There is no texture or tooth to marker paper which means you can include very fine detail and crisp line work, perfect for botanical and cartoon artists. Having this kind of smooth paper also assists with smooth transitions which works beautifully with alcohol markers.

 Pictured Above: Daler Rowney and Winsor & Newton Marker Pads

4. It’s Economical

Compared to a heavy weight cartridge paper (which is an alternative for alcohol markers) you generally get more sheets in a pad. Cartridge or mixed media pads average out at about 25 sheets a pad, marker pads are about 50 sheets and they’re usually cheaper to buy as well.

5. It’s Versatile

Although it's limited to what can be used on the paper, for example, water-based mediums won’t work correctly, there are plenty of styles and techniques that can be used on marker paper. Fine liners are probably one of the few additional mediums that can be used which means things like Urban Sketching can be done. Additionally, markers such as Promarker and Copic Markers have a huge range of colours on offer meaning there will be a colour range suited to your style. We have a Promaker bundle deal currently on offer whilst stocks last, click here to view it.

Techniques that can be used on marker paper include; Manga, Calligraphy, Fine Art, Architecture, Fashion, Botanical, Cartoon, Abstract and Landscape.  

 

Artwork created on Winsor & Newton Bleedproof Marker Pad

It can be overwhelming at times to purchase the right paper for your needs, the one thing you don’t want to do is get the wrong paper for the medium you’re using. If you want any more information on paper and what type of paper there is, check out our Basic Breakdown Blog on Paper.

 

Image Credits

Sandra Manchester

Winsor and Newton Instagram