Paper ???

[TK421]

Since last year I've been using medium paper. I find it pretty good to draw on but when it comes to scanning it in, the shading on the drawing looks terrible. A lot of little white patchs cause the heavier pencils, like 3bs and 5bs, don't seem to fill in the grain.

Well, I heard y'all talking about Bristol paper, and asked my mother could she get it for me in the Art shop. The woman in the shop said they only sell it in boards but I got a smooth pad instead and it hasn't as much grain as the medium [haven't used it yet though]. But my question, to all you Artists is, Do you think Bristol paper is a lot better than smooth or does it make a difference ???
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[img]http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h62/TK_421/Pictures/Untitled-1.jpg[/img]

[fallenangel]

It's referred to as bristol board by some people, same thing. Vellum and smooth. I assume you got the smooth variety. It's the same difference between hot and cold press illustration board.

It depends on what you're using it for. Even vellum has a lot less grain than most standard papers, I've never cared for smooth because there isn't enough grain for the pencil/charcoal to stick to.

Personally I like cold press illustration board a lot better.
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"I care about people as much as I care about lawn furniture" - Dexter/Michael C. Hall

[TK421]

Well I have been and for the moment, I am still using medium paper [96 gsm]. But I find it doesn't scan the shading too good, but it is probably just my shading, as it is the thing I find the hardest to do, and make it look good. Anyway, I got a smooth pad yesterday, haven't used it yet though. It seems pretty smooth, not much grain [150 gsm]. I use pencils, just regular wood pencils you get in any news agents [3h-5b] and I don't really have any idea about paper or other art things, I just draw with what is handy to get, but I want to try and improve cause I have Exams next year and I'm hoping to get a good result in the Final Exams we have over here.

I noticed a slight difference in another artists work on the internet, his/her art seemed better when done on Bristol paper than smooth but she/he is a very good artist. =/
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[img]http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h62/TK_421/Pictures/Untitled-1.jpg[/img]

[fallenangel]

Pencils never will scan well. The grain doesn't bother me 'cause I blend like a mofo, but the reflective nature of graphite makes it near impossible for the scanner to pick up the lightest shading.

Keeping your pencils sharp will help. Same issues with colored pencils, if they dull down, they won't fill in the grain and you get those little white spots all over.
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"I care about people as much as I care about lawn furniture" - Dexter/Michael C. Hall

[TK421]

K, I'm just goin to have to practice shading =/

Thanks for the help
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[img]http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h62/TK_421/Pictures/Untitled-1.jpg[/img]

[falkonns_flight]

Any paper will do. I've never really had much problem with the refelctive pencils thing. What kind of pencils do you use? Maybe its your media you should change and not the paper?

[fallenangel]

Graphite by its nature is shiny. Look at the tip of a pencil, it catches the light. You won't notice it on light shading, but a scanner will. And if you're using cheap/thin paper, any heavy shading will warp and buckle the paper, as well as be quite metallic.
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"I care about people as much as I care about lawn furniture" - Dexter/Michael C. Hall

[falkonns_flight]

Like I said, I use mechanical pencils with the thicker lead, and I have little problem with the reflectiveness of it (though I can't say the same for my mother's 50 dollar scanner...ew...). These are done on regular sketchbook paper with a .07 and .08 size mechanical pencil lead:
http://www.fanart-central.net/pic-265584.html
http://www.fanart-central.net/pic-257220.html
http://www.fanart-central.net/pic-240729.html

It may not just be the pencil. I know that normal yellow #2 pencils cause the reflection, and sometimes lower quality woodless graphite, but not with Bic in my experience. I do agree with you on the paper weight though, and the buckling. I'd try for a medium to heavy weight paper.
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Keep smiling, it makes people wonder what you're up to.

Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again...as well it should be. If you're not sure it's dead, put a bunch more holes in it, should fix the problem...

[fallenangel]

Graphite will be reflective no matter what unless it's more binder than graphite. There's very little difference in quality between normal yellow school pencils and Turquoise Prismacolors, [i]except[/i] that they're more consistent and closely controlled to make the hardness the same from one 4B to another. And obviously softer pencils will be shinier than the various H pencils.

It is the pencil. Paper has very little effect on shine, just application.
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"I care about people as much as I care about lawn furniture" - Dexter/Michael C. Hall

[falkonns_flight]

[quote="falkonns_flight"]Any paper will do. I've never really had much problem with the refelctive pencils thing. What kind of pencils do you use? Maybe its your media you should change and not the paper?[/quote]
Never said it was the paper. Said it might be the pencils (though I may not have trouble with them, other people may). If there is too much trouble with graphite, I suggested changing media. Maybe charcoal, or even pastels. Prismacolor is really nice too, cause it's easier to work with in some ways in my opinion, and they're just plain fun
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Keep smiling, it makes people wonder what you're up to.

Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again...as well it should be. If you're not sure it's dead, put a bunch more holes in it, should fix the problem...