Canson Recycled Bristol Smooth Vellum Review

I don't know what's up with this paper, other Bristol boxes don't bleed, this one (ZiG, Micron etc.) bleeds a lot! Other Canson XL products with a vellum or smooth finish work well, only this double-sided recycled paper doesn't respond well to my ink. I gifted it to my teenage daughter who loves to draw in pencil just to use it.

I've had smaller versions of the exact same product and the binding never came off for me. I've had Bristol boards from other manufacturers that were relatively cheaper, were the same size, and didn't fall apart on me. I opened it up and used it for the first time since I ordered it and the glue on the binding just came off! I like when the glue stays in place and holds my papers together. Now I have to find a place to keep them so they don't go bad.

I am a professional illustrator, typically working with pen, watercolor and Micron watercolor pencils on hot pressed watercolor card stock. I'm trying Bristol for classes. This paper erases well and the texture is fine for my purposes BUT. I love processed foods but there are tiny dark spots on the scan. If it suits you, try this. Otherwise, check out Fabriano Bristol Plus, which is all white and (for my purposes) takes watercolor better.

Excited and ready to take my Bristol notebook to class, it broke inside and out. It's frustrating because it has to be new and I know it says 'recycle' but I didn't think it would be weakened when it arrived. The glue that holds the papers together was not applied to the book at all, the back of the cover is held by a thread, and the stack of papers was removed entirely. I fasten papers with bulldog clips; Maybe just go to the store to find that size and style of drawing pad.

I find this paper a great choice for detailed portraits in pencil. It offers two different textures, one side is a smoother Bristol board and the other is a more textured surface. The smoothest side is great for pencil drawings where you need a light blend of colors to create drawings that are close to photorealism. It's also a good heavyweight paper that gives a drawing that has more substance than bookweight paper. It's also a very reasonable price. If I had any suggestions, I'd like it to be