Is Mixed Media Paper Good For Brush Pens
You are interested in using brush pens but the only type of paper you have is mixed media paper. Maybe you have heard of brush pens fraying and how you are supposed to use the correct paper.
But what does correct paper mean anyway?
So I am here to answer your question, is mixed media paper good for your brush pens?
As a young beginner into using brush pens (specifically brush lettering) you probably heard a lot of people talking about using the correct paper or how your brush pens are very delicate.
If you are all in a hurry here is the quick and short answer to your question:
If you are using your brush pens for doing watercolor, mixed media paper isn’t exactly the best. While if you are using your brush pens for brush lettering, it will lead to fraying, but mixed media paper is better than using printer paper.
That was just a very short explanation but in the rest of the article, I am going to explain what I mean.
Here is a summary of what you are going to be learning today:
- Better Explanation
- Recommendations on Mixed Media Paper
- Paper For Brush lettering
- Paper For Watercolor With Brush pens
- Final Thoughts
Better Explanation
Mixed media can be totally fine for a lot of your brush pens but you are going to want to look out for a few things.
IF YOU USE YOUR BRUSH PENS FOR WATERCOLOR…
When using any watercolor the best advice is to use watercolor paper. In the watercolor world paper is everything.
Using mixed media paper to do watercolor is not the best idea since it is not thick enough and the watercolor can definitely rip through the paper.
If you are doing watercolor brush lettering (with your brush pens) it is not as bad since it is just a quick brushstroke. While in watercolor you sometimes fill up the whole entire paper or go over something a couple of times.
So you just are going to have to watch out for a lot of pilling.
When using brush pens for watercolor you probably also use some type of watercolor paper. Like watercolor paper, mixed media paper can also fray your brush pens.
Probably less than the watercolor paper since it is less textured.
NOW IF YOU USE YOUR BRUSH PENS FOR BRUSH LETTERING…
Mixed media paper is honestly better than using printer paper for your brush lettering.
First off it is thicker so your brush pens won’t tear your brush pens “as much”. But still expect your paper to tear, especially if you are blending your brush pens.
But mixed media isn’t exactly the best paper out there. It will still lead to your brush pens to fray, which is something all of us want to avoid.
If you are wondering why your brush pens are fraying or want to know what this is check out my article all about it here.
Mixed media paper can be a good option for your final brush lettering projects since it is nice and thick, but I wouldn’t use it all the time.
I will give you some paper recommendations for brush lettering at the end of the article.
Mixed media can be also cheaper than using other types of paper, but again, not the best for brush lettering. Don’t get worried if you have been using mixed media paper for your brush pens all this time.
I myself us mixed media paper a lot and I know a lot of brush lettering artists who do the same. This is just something I have found to be true with a lot of other calligraphers.
But feel free to try mixed media paper for yourself.
This leads me too…
Mixed Media Paper Recommendations
If you are interested in using mixed media paper for your brush lettering I am going to be giving you two recommendations to help you out.
Something we should notice…
- You should try to find the smoothest mixed media paper as possible
- Make sure that it is smooth but also thick/bleed proof
Ok, let us get started…
This I have found is the best budget-friendly mixed media pad. If someone would ask which is the best, it would be this one.
The reason for this is…
- Very affordable
- One of the smoothes of mixed media paper
- Also good for adding watercolor to some of your brush lettering
This is also the paper that I use for some of my final brush lettering projects.
Of course, expect some fraying since this isn’t meant exactly for markers. But I actually have noticed that it is not that textured, while at the same time being bleed proof.
When blending your brush pens I recommend not go in heavy-handed and look out for pilling.
This is also one of the types of papers that I use.
- Just a bit more expensive than the XL
- Smooth but still thick
- I have not experienced any tearing/pilling
For some people, it can be just a bit out of budget but is totally worth it. I have actually used this paper for a lot of practicing and for blending brush pens.
When blending my brush pens there was no pilling or tearing, which is different than the XL. And I have noticed that it holds better with watercolor, compared to other mixed media pads.
Again, expect fraying from all mixed media pads.
Best Brush Lettering Paper
Now if you are not going the mixed media route here are some of my top recommendations for doing brush lettering.
When doing your own research for paper here is what you should look for:
- Smooth Paper
- Thick/ Bleed Proof
- Your Preferred style of paper pad ( Side Wired/ Or Not Side Wired)
- Something that will fit your budget
- Try to look For Paper that is Meant For Markers
Now let us move onto the top three paper pads for brush lettering…
I have explained above that your regular old printer paper is not good at all for your brush pens, but there is one that we calligraphers use.
This paper is awesome since…
- It is Smooth
- Rarely Tears or Bleeds
- Great for printing out practice sheets
A lot of beginners like to print out practice sheets when starting out. Well, this is a great option, and depending on where you get it from it is quite affordable.
I wouldn’t recommend it for your final projects, since it can be quite flimsy. Other than that, this is a great option for your practice sheets.
This marker pad has been shared across the calligraphy community since it is one of the best papers of its kind.
It can hit almost all of the criteria.
- Smooth
- Bleed Proof
- Rarely tears
- You can see through the paper so that you can copy over other letters
- Etc
The only thing I will say is for some people it is not the most affordable option. There are other marker pads that are less expensive can do almost the same thing.
Now let us talk about…
As you can tell I really enjoy marker pads.
This is a great affordable option for calligraphers who want paper that won’t fray there brush pens.
Quick disclaimer: All brush pens fray over time, but the paper you use can affect how fast it will take your brush pens to fray.
Anyway here is why I like this marker pad:
- Affordable
- Extremely smooth
- Bleed Proof
- Can hold up a lot of ink
Again this is not the best option for final projects, since not a lot of markers pads or that thick. In general marker pads, are great for simply practicing.
If you are a calligrapher on a budget this is one of the best paper you could buy.
Watercolor With Brush Pens Paper
Now let us talk about the best paper options for doing watercolor.
Things to look for when researching:
- Look for hotpress watercolor paper
- Make sure it is nice and thick paper
WHY YOU SHOULD USE HOTPRESS WATERCOLOR PAPER?
Hotpress watercolor paper has less texture compared to your regular cold press watercolor paper.
This is important because your brush pens can fray more easily with regular watercolor paper. The less texture the better it is going to be for your brush pens.
MEEDEN Cotton Watercolor Paper
What I like about this product is:
- 100% Cotton
- Hot Press Paper
- Smooth
- 3oogsm/400lb
This is great paper and is quite affordable compared to the other one on this list. The great thing is, it’s hot press which is best for your brush pens and watercolor.
STRATHMORE HOT PRESS WATERCOLOR PAPER
This is awesome and is just a bit more expensive than the one above.
- 100% Cotton
- Hot Press Paper
- Smooth
- 3oogsm/400lb
- Acid-Free
As you can tell it hits the same criteria and is one of the best brands, when it comes to art supplies.
Final Thoughts
You have all just learned all about mixed media paper and if it is good for brush pens. You also know now know some other options you have when it comes to paper.
If you have any more questions or concerns feel free to comment.