Which is MY FAVORITE?! Best Cotton Papers for Colored Pencil

In this video I discuss several cotton papers and review how they performed with the Derwent Lightfast colored pencils.

✅ SUPPLIES I USED/MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO:
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👉Derwent Lightfast PAPER

👉 Arches Hot Pressed Watercolor Paper

👉 Stonehenge Paper

👉Derwent Lightfast PENCILS

👉Gamsol Odorless Mineral Spirits (another solvent I use regularly)

✅ Watch a FREE PREVIEW of my course, “Introduction to Classical Colored Pencil Painting” (no credit card required)

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✅ WHAT TO WATCH NEXT:

👉PLAYLIST: Colored Pencil Supplies & Reviews
👉PLAYLIST: Flowers and Botanicals with Colored Pencil

[angelwings]

Thank you! I love your clear and detailed teaching with examples. You are a wonderful teacher and an excellent artist! Lovely artworks. Thank you soooo much! I have been drawing on Borden and Riley bristol plate paper 157 pound that I buy in a pad at the art store. It works well with Prismacolor pencils ( with or without solvent). I am curious about other types of papers too. Have you ever used the Claire Fontain pastel mat paper with pencil? I hear great things bout that paper, but mostly when used with pastels. I haven't tried it yet. Have a great day!

[mariliarodrigues]

I like to work with colored pencils on Fabriano Artistico and Arches hot pressed, but have been eager to try the Lightfast paper as so many people say wonders about it. Thank you for your great tips and for sharing your impressions! And OH MY GLOSCHAT those botanical paintings are mesmerizing!!! Can't wait to watch those upcoming videos!...

[JeanClaudePeeters]

This is going to be one of my absolute favourite channels!

[krissykolorjunki]

I really found your reviews and information exactly what I have been looking for! Thank you!

[reneestipa]

Love your video over the years I have tried out many different papers my favorite is Stonehenge paper

[rupalishankerarthub]

Wow! a really good review of papers with Lightfast

[raynichol]

Hi Lana. I am a loyal subscriber and wait for your wonderful tutorials to be published. I have been painting realistic very detailed classical style oil paintings for several decades. But recently I put down my brushes and I have been enjoying working with good quality pencils and soft pastel pencils and such. I have only used ClaireFontaine pastelmat paper and I like it very much. But recently I watched a video of a young asian female artist who was drawing incredible portraits on vellum that looked as smooth as a well blended oil painting. She called her drawing surface orange vellum. I believe she must’ve been describing the color of the package. The surface she was drawing on and blending was white in appearance. So when I inquired at Dick Blick art supply, I was given two options. One was thin vellum that I used years ago for drawing engineering drawings which I recall was similar to tracing paper and the second option was vellum boards which sounds quite different. The board must be heavier and opaque. If I were to draw on the thinner tracing paper style vellum using good quality colored pencils and possibly pastel pencils such as Carbothello, would the art need to be sealed and how would one mount thin vellum so that it could be placed into a frame? I would love to see a video covering the properties of different types of vellum for pencil and pastel, the process from start to finish and the preparation for framing.
You are an amazing artist and educator. I am very impressed with your clear and concise videos. Thank you and cheers. 👍🥂

[jeanlanz]

Lovely paintings and colors.!I like how the colors were similar over the three. I wonder if the solvent will damage your paper and pigments over time. The use of water with (lightfast) Derwent watercolour pencils or perhaps ("exceptional lightfastness") Faber Castell Albrecht Durer water color pencils would be gentler on the paper and pigments. Thank you for the demonstration on 100% cotton papers and sharing your expertise and talents. God bless you!

[markyteo]

Derwent lightfast paper is so expensive I probably have to sell my kidneys to afford it regularly.

[grammiejones]

But the lightfast is soooo expensive! No way can I afford it 😢. Thank you very much for the review.

[melkmb]

Great comparison video on paper! I’m still in the beginning stages of art and using colored pencils and always looking for new papers to try. Right now I am enjoying the pastelmat but really want to try the derwent lightfast even though it’s quite pricey. But after watching your review, we’ll…it’s just money!!! 😃 Have you tried using drafting film yet with colored pencils? Would love to see a video of your thoughts on using it. Your three pieces here are fantastic! Thank you for the informative content!

[ginitaprofitt]

Great video with valuable information. Many thanks! ❤

[clikrf]

I have just subscribed to your channel because your art is similar to mine and your videos are very thorough and easy to understand. I am looking forward to improving my own drawings in the new year.

[Bonnieau]

You are one of the best coloured pencil artists I have ever seen! How many hours do you spend on such a piece like the passion flowers?
I haven't done a coloured pencil piece in a long time. Currently I enjoy watercolours, pastels and oils but I feel inspired to grab my pencils again.
I only use pastelmat for coloured pencils because I am able to apply light colours on darker ones. The Lightfast paper looks really impressive when it comes to that. Would you say that is is as easy to apply light on dark as on Pastelmat?
Can't wait to see more videos. You deserve many more subscribers!

[Tami]

I have watched a couple of your videos and you really inspire me!!!! You have said that you like the Derwent lightfast paper the best but in another video you said you like LuxArchival. I am new to this. I am a oil and acrylic painter all my life but am older and just need to try something new! I have also been told that Pastelmat is good. They are all expensive so I don’t want to waist money on a bad paper. I have invested in Faber-Castell 36 Polychromos, CaranD’ache 40 Luminance, Master’s Touch 12 count portrait pencils and I have Prismacolour Primiere 24 count. I have spent a lot so I could try different things to see what I like. If you could just tell me which of these papers should I get that will be great? Thank you so much!

[claritzairosario]

Thank you so much Lana for this video! I was searching in my mind, which paper would be good for the Derwent lightfast🤔 and you have the answer! because I'm testing a Strathmore Heavyweight Drawing 400 series 163gm paper, and I don't like it. I have Arches hot pressed paper, I like this a lot! but I haven't tried it with Derwent lightfast. I have Canson Mi-Teintes, Strathmore Bristol 270gm vellum surface... and obviously Pastelmat, which I love! The only negative I find about Derwent lightfast paper is the price, very expensive, now it's more expensive than Pastelmat😳 I'll wait for the price to go down to try it! Oh God!!! Can you imagine how many papers I have for try it, and I want to buy another?😂😂😂

[gnostie]

Hmm... it could be nice if the lightfast paper works for me too. Derwent stuff supply in the UK is more predictable and sanely priced than, say, Fabriano HP.

[VintageJoBeth]

Such beautiful artwork 💕 may I ask how heavy is the arches watercolour paper you used for those most amazing cactus flowers? 🎀

[Cascada]

Also not a fan of Stonehenge. But Derwent Lightfast and Fabriano Artistico are my go to papers for colored pencil (Luminance and Derwent LF).

[williammcilwraith]

Thank you for what you offer I’m liking drafting film double sided 0.005 have you tried or can can you do a talk on this with colour pencils??
Mr.B