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Quality Papers for Kids

Did you know that we carry a full line of artist quality papers for kids? We have always believed that providing quality materials to kids is the best way to nurture talent and ignite a lifelong love of art. Having great papers in the 100 Series Youth line is essential because it means you don't have to worry about your child's precious creations deteriorating over time. When your little Picasso makes a masterpiece we know it's important that it lasts for years and years to come so you can hang on to the precious memories.

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Alphonso Dunn's Pen & Ink Workshop

Alphonso Dunn's free Pen & Ink Workshops are now fully released and available on our YouTube Channel!

In his first video lesson, Alphonso covers the basic aspects of drawing and creating textures with pen and ink. Consistentcy in mark making is an essential foundation skill and is the first area of focus. From there Alphonso covers a few key principles of creating realistic textures and goes over helpful practice exercises.

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Art Submission Request for 2016 Product Catalog Cover

Submissions for our 2016 Product Catalog cover are due Wednesday, September 30! Do you have a piece created on our paper to sumbit? If so, click here for more details and send it in.

The artist selected for our Product Catalog will receive $300. Four additional artists will be chosen to receive $100 retail value of Strathmore products.

Anyone is welcome and encouraged to submit artwork. Style, subject and mediums used are up to the artist, but it must be created on Strathmore paper. There is no fee to participate.

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The Difference Between Bristol Smooth and Bristol Vellum

Bristol generally describes a drawing paper that is pasted to form multi-ply sheets. Bristol sheets provide a stiff, strong surface to work on without the need for mounting. The term Bristol derives from the early days of European papermaking when mills would send their finest papers to Bristol, England to be pasted together. Bristol papers generally have two types of surfaces: smooth and vellum.

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Strathmore Writing Video - Celebrate the Art of Writing

This year we introduced our full line of Writing products to Celebrate thoughtful communication, the timeless art of calligraphy, and the physical act of putting tangible ink to beautiful paper. Who doesn't love getting a real letter or seeing characters artfully formed on a page? It carries with it a special charm, authenticity, and nostalgia.

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The 365 Project - Angela Staehling

written by Artist Angela Staehling:

I am thrilled to be creating this new line of imagery with the Strathmore 500 Series Mixed Media Art Journals. This collection of journal entries captures a different painting every day. As part of a larger 365 Project, I decided to categorize each month to reflect a different theme based on nature.

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7 Tips to Help You Start a Plein Air Painting Practice

Summer is the perfect time to get outside for some Plein Air painting. This pastime is a wonderful way to improve your studio skills while enjoying the great outdoors. Here’s a few tips to get you started in your own Plein Air practice.

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How to Make a Paper Flower Bouquet

Many of the papers in our line work beautifully for shaping, molding, and creating 3D pieces of art. Recently a bride asked us about how to make a paper flower bouquet for her wedding, and we thought it sounded like a great idea! Many of our papers provide interesting textures and colors along with the appropriate weights that are needed to hold up to molding and shaping the paper. Also, using acid free, high quality paper is important to make sure the paper will last over time and won’t fade or deteriorate.

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Shading Techniques & Selecting Paper for Graphite

The selection of paper for shading techniques is influenced by the type of pencil used, the degree of darkness desired, the shading technique used, and the expression of the shading technique desired.

The key is to select a paper surface (medium or smooth) based upon the effects you’re looking to achieve. As a general rule, a medium or textured surface will be able to produce a more even, luminescent shade than a smooth surface.

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