An industry standard since 1893, the Strathmore 500 Series Bristol Vellum Pad is crafted from 100% cotton for exceptional strength, durability, and archival quality. Its distinctive vellum surface provides a subtle tooth that grips dry media beautifully while remaining smooth enough for ink and marker applications.
The 2-ply construction (152 lb / 250 gsm) offers a rigid, professional-grade surface that stands up to repeated layering, erasing, and mixed media techniques. Perfect for illustrators, fine artists, and designers, this paper excels with graphite, colored pencil, charcoal, pen and ink, soft pastel, oil pastel, markers, collage, and light washes.
Containing 15 sheets in a convenient 11" × 14" pad, it's an excellent choice for finished artwork as well as advanced studies.
Features
- 15-sheet glue-bound pad
- 11" × 14" sheet size
- 2-ply Bristol construction
- 152 lb (250 gsm) heavyweight paper
- Made from 100% cotton
- Vellum surface with a fine tooth
- Archival-quality professional paper
- Excellent durability for layering and erasing
- Suitable for a wide range of dry and mixed media
- Manufactured by Strathmore
Ideal For
- Graphite pencil
- Colored pencil
- Charcoal
- Sketching sticks
- Pen and ink
- Technical illustration
- Marker rendering
- Soft pastel
- Oil pastel
- Mixed media
- Collage
- Light washes
Not recommended for traditional watercolor techniques or heavy wet media applications.
Why Choose a Vellum Surface?
The vellum finish provides just enough texture to hold pigment while supporting crisp detail work. It's especially well suited for artists who want:
- Better colored pencil layering
- Enhanced graphite control
- Smooth charcoal application
- Reliable ink performance
- Marker compatibility with minimal feathering
This balance of tooth and smoothness makes it one of the most versatile Bristol surfaces available.
