Strathmore500 Series Heavyweight Mixed Media Pad 9"X12"-12 Sheets -62584900, White, 9x12

Strathmore's 500 Series Mixed Media Paper is amazing for gouache. It's heavy paper, and for comparison, it's as thick as two papers from Strathmore's 400 Series Mixed Media Paper stacked together. As for the texture, it's smooth, but a *little* bit more textured than Arches hot press watercolor paper. The texture is far from the cold press texture of Arches cold press texture, so on a spectrum, I'll place the 500 Series paper's texture like this (Arches HP being 1 and Arches CP being 10):(Arches HP) | 2 (Strathmore 500 Series (3)) | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | (Arches CP)Gouache is typically painted on smooth papers, as many painters prefer that type of surface, but rougher surfaces are also chosen. Many smooth surfaces exist out there, but there aren't many smooth papers out there that offer a thickness without breaking the bank. Smooth watercolor paper that are 300gsm are still prone to warping and buckling, and watercolor papers weighing 2x 300gsm are very expensive.While the paper can resist heavy buckling and warping, you want to be careful with scrubbing or overworking a certain area with a lot of water. Pilling can occur because this paper is not really equipped for some techniques used in watercolor. I would steer clear of this paper if you are a watercolor artist that relies on scrubbing and heavy water usage. I'll try watercolor on this paper someday with careful water usage and will update this review with the results ASAP.The only sizes available in this line are 6 x 8 in (15.3 x 20.3 cm), 9 x 12 in (22.9 x 30.5 cm) and 11 x 14 in (27.9 x 35.6 cm). Hope Strathmore can make a bigger size like 12 x 16 in someday...Other than that, this paper is great for opaque applications with gouache and acrylic gouache, and great with graphite and pen. Color pencils, markers, charcoal, ink (without heavy water usage), chalk, dry pastel are fine. Wouldn't recommend oil based products on paper since oil on unprimed paper can degrade paper.I recommend it, especially for gouache painters looking for a smooth surface that is thicker than most expensive watercolor paper pads out there.

I work primarily in watercolor and ink, and as such typically work on quality, 100% cotton watercolor paper. This stuff is definitely a different beast than standard 140# Arches cold press. I'm pretty sure it's not externally sized, for one, so it tends to absorb more quickly. That can be a good or bad thing as long as you know how to work with it. It's also quite smooth - close to a typical hot press surface but textured differently. Graphite erases cleanly from it, it takes intricate line work quite well, and because it's so heavy you don't even need to tape/stretch it (it'll deform a bit with large heavy washes but doesn't really buckle, and with little effort you can flatten it sufficiently to hang/mount).I've been using it almost exclusively for ink-and-paint-style portraiture, which I find it well suited for. Because it's more absorbent, washes tend to end up with harder edges, but honestly I kind of like the style anyway. I actually find it easier to work in transparent layers/glazes on this than on standard hot press watercolor paper, which has allowed me to develop some complex, natural-looking tones with relative ease.I would love if Strathmore offered gummed pads of it in larger sizes (maybe 18x24?). Otherwise no complaints. It's a very forgiving surface and can work well with a lot of different media and techniques. I've even done some weird abstract mixed media stuff with acrylic ink and heavy layers of sealing wax and it held up just fine. I'd be curious to try it with heavy body acrylics.Overall, my favorite new paper. Highly recommended.

This is great paper. Not like watercolor paper, but holds watercolor very well. Great with gouache, pen and ink, ink washes, but shines, in my opinion, for use with gouache and extensive blending and glazing. Easy to work up a painting, similar as one might do with an oil painting. Takes a beating, and erases very well. I bought 3 of these to have in reserve for special projects. More like a pad of boards than a pad of paper. Love.

I am happy that this is now available in in a drawing pad. I will purchase again.

Great paper, but I'll get it in person at an art store from now on - even if it's double the price.See picture for the reason why.I can probably salvage it with a couple of towels and a low heat iron - but at almost $4 a sheet I shouldn't have to.I would guess this is on Amazon and not Strathmore. The plastic wrapper was covered in blue paint and had a tear in it.

I have been working with this heavy weight paper for a long time, all off of the roll.In order to take the roll curl out, I wet large sections with warm water, and let it set to dry. Then I cut all my project pieces to size. No more roll curl, and due to the papers heavy weight the water has no other effect other than removing the curl.The tooth of this paper is amazing for working my graphite and charcoal pieces, and accepts my inks incredibly well. I've created water color paintings on this paper, and have had little issues...I just have to allow the piece to sit longer than I would with true watercolor paper.I have cut these rolls down to make my own drawing books, as well as large scale individual pieces.Over all this paper is amazing for artist trying to work multiple projects of many sizes with a moderate cost.You just have to know how to work with paper from rolls before purchasing. Inexperience with rolled paper can indeed cause frustration, and I assure you...it's not the papers fault.

350 lb Strathmore multi media paper is excellent support for oil pastel. I used for a modified copy of a painting by Munch . The paper has a light tooth but allows some smearing for affect. I use some rubber tools to assist with shading and moving the pigment somewhat. I used Windsor Newton removable spray varnish after a few days to seal the final picture. I also used it for dry pastel, of several hardnesses.

Strathmore 500 / 350 lb paper holds up to watercolor paint and acrylic paint. I love it.

Por suerte el papel llegó sin daño pero en un embalaje realmente muy débil. Deberían cuidar más ese detalle. Dicho esto, es un papel estupendo, el más pesado que he podido encontrar hasta ahora para mis futuras obras en acuarela.

La textura y el gramaje excelentes. Llego en muy buen estado. Ampliamnete recomendado.

I love this paper! It is very thick, and easy to work with. I use it for pointillism drawings and small paintings. Works like a charm!

El producto cumple con lo publicado, muy satisfecho GRAN CALIDAD. Recibido antes de plazo, deseando probarlo

I used this for mix media painting - watercolour with coloured pencils over the top. It's gorgeous to work with, nice quality and heavyweight - more like card than paper. I did find it slightly difficult to build up layers in pencil at first - I'm using Faber-Castell Polychromos - but once the initial layers were down, they layered like a dream and the paper took quite a lot of pigment before it was too saturated to work with.The watercolours (Daniel Smith) came out beautifully vibrant, and there was hardly any buckling; the paper is heavy enough that there's no need to stretch it. I'm impressed, and will definitely use this again.