<p>Strathmore 200 Series Sketch Pad, 50 lb., Acid-Free, 9" x 12", 100 Sheets Strathmore 200 Series Sketch is great for on-location sketching and practicing techniques. We understand the importance of creating the perfect surface that feels just right. That's why we craft high-quality paper at an economical price allowing artists to take risks as they hone their skills. Choose your favorite medium and let your passion drive you to create beautiful and meaningful art. The sketch pad has a fine-tooth surface that works best with dry media (i.e. graphite pencil, sketching stick, and pastel). The wire binding will ensure that you have a flat surface for every masterpiece. Choice of paper is one of the most important decisions an artist makes in determining the outcome of their work. No matter your choice of medium, you can be confident Strathmore Paper will enhance your artistic efforts.</p><br>

Strathmore 200 Series Sketch Pad, 50 Pound Weight, 9" x 12", 100 sheets

• Sold as a pad with 100 sheets
• Paper weight: 50 lb / 74 gsm, lightweight
• Size: 9" x 12", measured from micro-perforation edge
• Micro-perforation for easy page removal
• Spiral binding: wire, pages turn easily and lie flat
• Fine tooth surface- best for experimentation
• High-quality artist paper for independent work
• Acid-free sheets
• Use in art class or for independent drawings
• For use with graphite pencil, sketching stick and charcoal
• Excellent drawing tablet for sketching

Strathmore offers a wide-variety of paper products for educational and artistic use:

• Drawing and Illustration: Tracing, Newsprint, Sketch, Drawing, Colored Pencil, Bristol, Sequential Art Bristol, Marker and Layout, Pastel, Charcoal, Boards, Mixed Media, Toned Paper
• Painting: Watercolor, Palette, Canvas, Acrylic, Boards, Mixed Media
• Books and Art Journals: Softcover Art Journals, Hardbound Art Journals, Wirebound Art Journals, Visual Journals
• Specialty Arts and Crafts: Calligraphy, Parchment, Textures, Decorative Sheets, Translucent Vellum

How to Become Better at Drawing:

1. Learn how to hold your pencil: Place the pencil between your forefinger and thumb on your dominant hand. Try holding it about a fourth of the way up from the tip. For basic drawing, you don't want to hold your pencil too close to the tip or you won't be able to move it enough, while holding it too far back won't give you enough control. Maintain a loose enough grip so that you can move your fingers, hand, and wrist.
2. Practice basic techniques: Practice drawing basic shapes freehand. A lot of what you draw is essentially made up of shapes like circles, ovals, squares, rectangles, and triangles. Your art will incorporate these shapes in different ways to form an image. Practice shading. Fill a sheet of drawing paper with 2-centimeter boxes and number them off. Leave the first block blank, then very lightly shade the first block. As you continue to each new block, make it a darker shade until the last box is colored in black, creating a shading gradient reference guide.
3. Draw what you see around you: The best way to improve your drawing abilities is going back to the basics! Find an ordinary object around you and begin drawing it. Look at how the light source casts a shadow on and around the object. You can tell where a light source is coming from because the shadow will be pointing opposite the light, and this will help you to understand how to shade an object and incorporate depth. Consider proportions and dissect the object into the basic shapes you practiced before.