When you use the wrong type of paper, charcoal has problems with smudging and bleeding. We’ve reviewed the best paper for charcoal to help you choose a paper that won’t frustrate you. We’re knowledgeable about what makes a paper good because we enjoy artistic activities and have committed ourselves to the planner and art products niche.
Keep reading to learn about your top 10 options in charcoal drawing paper. We took texture, paper weight, longevity and durability into consideration.
10 Best Paper for Charcoal Drawing:
1. Canson XL Series Watercolor Textured Paper Pad
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Review
The Canson XL Series Watercolor Textured Paper Pad is great for mixed media. It can handle charcoal, pastel, acrylic, ink, and paint. The paper has an excellent tooth, so charcoal applies well. You can do numerous washes without damaging the paper.
A generous number of sheets come in each pad. This paper is suitable for creating finished pieces because it’s acid-free and of excellent quality. You can choose between different pad sizes, including 9″ x 12″, 11″ x 15″, 12″ x 18″ and 18″ x 24″.
If you use charcoal for creating portraits, you may prefer the side wire binding version. It comes in 7″ x 10″ and 9″ x 12″ sizes.
What Consumers Are Saying
Customers say this textured paper pad is great for beginners and experienced artists. Colors show up vividly on the paper, and it has excellent tooth.
- Great texture for charcoal
- Acid free
- Can be used with pastels, watercolor and other media
- A lot of sheets in the pad
- No bleed through
- Sheets are difficult to cleanly remove
Conclusion
With a heavy paperweight, this is some of the best paper for charcoal portraits and mixed media art. The paper pad is under $15, making it good value for your money.
2. Strathmore 400 Series Wire-Bound Sketch Pad
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Review
If you’re looking for the highest number of sheets possible, we recommend the Strathmore 400 Series Wirebound Sketch Pad. It has 100 sheets to truly last a long time. The sheets are perforated, so you can remove them as needed.
This sketchbook has a double-wire binding that keeps the pages neatly together through the repetitive turning of the pages. Single-wire binding tends to fall apart easily. You can use charcoal, graphite, oil pastel, soft pastels, sketching sticks, colored pencils, and markers on this paper.
What Consumers Are Saying
Customers describe this paper as some of the best sketchbook paper they’ve used. The sketchbook is also sturdy. People who’ve used charcoal and watercolor pencils on the paper say there was no bleedthrough.
- A lot of sheets in the sketchbook
- Suitable for mixed dry media
- Works well for sketching
- Durable
- Acid free
- Erasing is easy
- Not suitable for wet media
Conclusion
We think this is some of the best paper for charcoal sketching. As you’d expect in a sketchbook, it has a lot of pages to keep you busy. If you want to use wet media, however, this paper isn’t heavy enough.
3. Canson Artist Series Universal Sketch Pad
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Review
If you’re looking for a side wire-bound sketch pad for charcoal that has a landscape orientation, the Canson Artist Series Universal Sketch Pad is one of the best choices. It has 96 gsm acid free paper. The paper is designed to be smudge-resistant.
Because it has a fine texture, you’ll find erasing and detailed work easy to do. The sheets are easy to tear out without accidentally ripping them. Canson says this sketch paper is best for charcoal, pencil, and crayon, but it’s also good for ink and colored pencils. This sketch pad is also available in the top wire at 14″ x 17″.
What Consumers Are Saying
People who have used this sketch pad for charcoal drawing say it’s easy to erase and the pages turn smoothly. The paper is of good quality. They warn that you need to spray fixative over your charcoal drawings to prevent smudging.
- Easy to erase
- Suitable for detailed drawings
- Durable
- Great for other media besides charcoal
- Acid free
- Sheets are easy to remove
- Smudge resistant
- Watercolor can’t be used on this paper
Conclusion
Designed with ease of erasing and smudge resistance in mind, the Canson Artist Series Universal Sketch Pad is easily considered one of the best sketch pads for charcoal.
4. Arteza 100 Sheets Premium Sketch Book
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Review
Do you love using graphite and charcoal? We think the Arteza 100 Sheets Premium Sketch Book has the best drawing paper for graphite and charcoal. It has a paperweight of 100 gsm and bright white color.
The sheets are perforated and true to size, which means they will still be 9″ x 12″ if you detach them from the sketchbook. You can use pens and pastels as well as charcoal and graphite in this sketchbook without bleedthrough problems.
Two sketchbooks come in this pack, and each sketchbook has 100 sheets. They can easily last you a year of drawing.
What Consumers Are Saying
Artists say they could erase charcoal without the paper tearing. They are happy with the thickness and quality of this paper.
- Erasing is effective and doesn’t tear the paper
- Sheets are a perfect 9″ x 12″ when detached from the sketchbook
- A lot of sheets in the sketchbook
- Durable
- Suitable for graphite, pastels and pens
- Can’t use watercolor on this paper
Conclusion
If you need a high-quality sketchbook for charcoal and graphite drawings, the Arteza 100 Sheets Premium Sketch Book is a good choice. It has thick paper that’s easy to cleanly erase on.
5. Castle Arts Premium Sketch Book
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Review
The Castle Arts Premium Sketch Book features erasable and smudge-resistant paper. Because it has a sturdy backing, you can sketch in this sketchbook when you’re at the park or anywhere else you don’t have a desk.
Each sketchbook has 100 pages in it to last a long time. The paper is acid-free as well. It has a decent tooth, making it easy to draw with charcoal. You can also use graphite, colored pencils, crayons and pastels on this paper.
What Consumers Are Saying
Consumers find the Castle Arts Premium Sketch Book to have quality paper for charcoal drawings but warn that the paper is thin compared to other sketch books. This paper is 89 gsm.
- Sheets can be cleanly torn out
- Durable
- Sturdy backing
- Can erase without damaging the paper
- High number of sheets in each sketchbook
- Acid free
- Paper is on the thin side
Conclusion
If you like your paper as thin as possible, you’ll enjoy this charcoal drawing pad. The paper is thick enough to handle charcoal drawings but not very thick. It’s also designed to withstand erasing well and reduce problems with smudging.
6. Conda Hardcover Spiral-Bound Sketch Pad
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Review
This sketch pad has both a hard backing and a hardcover for a durable build. The hardcover is waterproof, providing additional protection for your sketches. 60 sheets come in each sketch pad, providing an in-between option if you think 30 is too few and 100 is too many.
The sketch pad’s 90 gsm paper is most suitable for charcoal, ink, and pencil. You can erase it numerous times without ruining the paper. It’s excellent charcoal drawing paper for beginners as well as more experienced artists.
What Consumers Are Saying
Customers say this sketchbook has held up well for their outdoor sketching needs. Numerous students also love this sketchbook.
- Water-resistant cover
- Durable
- Long-lasting
- Suitable for dry media
- Sheets aren’t perforated
Conclusion
The Conda Hardcover Spiral-Bound Sketch Pad is a great choice when you’re looking for a sketch pad you intend to last for decades. We also recommend it as an outdoor or a student sketchbook.
7. Colore Spiral Sketchbook
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Review
The Colore 9″ x 12″ Spiral Sketchbook has quality charcoal drawing paper with a fine texture. You can erase it without worrying about the paper becoming damaged. 100 sheets come in each sketchbook.
It’s designed to be smudge-resistant and erasable. The paper is also acid-free and chemical-free. You can use graphite and colored pencils in addition to charcoal on this paper.
What Consumers Are Saying
Customers describe this sketch paper as high quality and suitable for serious artists. It has a smooth surface that displays charcoal, graphite and colored pencils well.
- High number of sheets in the sketchbook
- Sheets can be cleanly removed
- No smudging problems
- Can handle erasing
- Great for intricate drawings
- Acid free
- Durable binding
- Paper isn’t heavy enough for watercolor
Conclusion
This sketch paper is one of the cheapest options on this top 10 list. The paper is of great quality and can work well for students and beginners.
8. Strathmore 300 Series Wire-Bound Charcoal Pad
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Review
This charcoal art paper features a traditional laid finish, which means it has excellent tooth. Not only is it good for charcoal drawing, but the paper can take layers of pastel too.
The downside of this pad is it comes with fewer sheets than the previous sketch pads. However, some people prefer smaller sketch pads, so it’s a matter of personal preference. You’ll have 32 sheets in the Strathmore 300 Series Wire-Bound Charcoal Pad.
What Consumers Are Saying
Plenty of customers who used this paper say it’s perfect for charcoal and pastels. The tooth is just right for these media.
- Perfect tooth for charcoal and pastels
- Sheets can be torn out cleanly
- Sheets are still 9″ x 12″ after being pulled out
- Acid free
- Slightly more expensive than other options
Conclusion
The Strathmore 300 Series Wire-Bound Charcoal Pad is a great choice for final sketches because of how high quality the paper is. You can also use it for practice or art classes if you don’t mind the price.
9. Bee Paper Company Big White Bee Black Charcoal
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Review
Most sketch pads have a rectangular shape, but this one is square-shaped. It can be fun to try a different size you’re not used to. The paper is also black, making it suitable for white charcoal drawings.
This charcoal drawing paper is 104 gsm and acid-free. Its rough surface is suitable for less detailed styles. 50 sheets come in each spiral-bound drawing pad. You can use all dry media on this paper. If you want this drawing pad in a different size, Bee Paper Company also has it in 6″ x 9″ and 9″ x 12″.
What Consumers Are Saying
Consumers say this sketch pad has excellent tooth for charcoal while having a nice, soft feel. They also stated that gel pens work well on the paper and show up vibrantly.
- Suitable for white charcoal drawings
- Can take all dry media
- Durable binding
- Acid free
- Expensive
Conclusion
We’ve found this charcoal drawing pad the best sketch pad for white charcoal drawings. The paper is of premium quality and specially formulated for charcoal and pastels.
10. Arteza Gray Toned Premium Sketch Pad
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Review
Toned charcoal paper is great for enhancing your charcoal drawings. If you often work in neutral colors, you’ll love this gray-toned sketch paper. The paper in this sketch pad has a heavyweight for charcoal paper at 120 gsm. You can use gel pens, chalk, graphite, and colored pencils in addition to charcoal on this paper.
What Consumers Are Saying
People who’ve used this paper for charcoal drawings say it’s toothy enough to easily draw thick strokes. They also love the way the gray tone looks complementing black and white colors.
- Erasing doesn’t damage the paper’s surface
- Good tooth
- Acid free
- Durable binding
- Not suitable for watercolor
Conclusion
The Arteza Gray Toned Premium Sketch Pad boosts the contrast of your whites and highlights for a more dramatic finished piece.
Factors to Consider When Buying Best Paper for Charcoal
Smooth paper isn’t good for charcoal drawing because it doesn’t hold the medium well. You’ll have a frustrating drawing experience when the paper is too smooth. The charcoal can smudge and apply inaccurately.
Texture
How do you know if the paper has the right texture? The product description will state that charcoal is a suitable medium.
Some types of paper are even specially made for charcoal drawings. You can have confidence these products will let you draw beautiful charcoal drawings.
Charcoal paper on the smooth side is best for intricate, detailed drawings. If you have a fluid, loose style, then you want a charcoal paper on the rough side.
You erase a lot?
If you erase a lot, it’s essential to choose paper that can withstand erasing. We’ve listed several options on this list that can handle heavy erasing. Ink is usually safe to use on charcoal paper, but you wouldn’t be able to use watercolor.
GSM
The best type of paper for charcoal drawing is around 100 gsm, acid-free, and made for this medium. The acid-free paper doesn’t become brittle as it ages as acidic paper does. If you want your drawings to last a long time, acid-free paper is a must.
Making the Decision
Although the Canson XL Series Watercolor Textured Paper Pad has a higher paperweight than most charcoal paper, we chose it as our top pick because it works well for charcoal and provides versatility. It’s one of the few charcoal papers you can use watercolor on.
The best paper for charcoal is one that meets your needs. If you need a smoother surface for your detailed charcoal drawings, we recommend the Canson Artist Series Universal Sketch Pad, Conda Hardcover Spiral-bound Sketch Pad or the Colore 9″ x 12″ Spiral Sketchbook.
