Strathmore 500 Series Bristol | 2-Ply | 15 Sheets

The Strathmore 500 Series 2-Ply Bristol Vellum Pad brings professional-grade paper to artists ready for serious work. Strathmore has manufactured artist papers for over 125 years, and the 500 Series sits at the top of their line — the paper choice for artists who trust their materials to match the ambition of their work.

The vellum surface is the distinguishing feature. Unlike the smooth finish of the 300 Series (suited for marker, pen, and mechanical drawing), the 500 Series vellum surface has just enough tooth to grip dry media beautifully. That texture opens up the full range of realistic blending and shading techniques that pencil, charcoal, and sketching sticks demand. Charcoal lays down with rich tonal range, graphite builds smoothly from light tones to deep darks, and blending stumps glide across the surface without lifting previous passes.

The 2-ply weight delivers a substantial sheet that handles aggressive erasing, multiple medium applications, and heavy ink work without buckling. Comic and graphic novel artists particularly favor this series for its ability to take pencil roughs, ink over them cleanly with pen or marker, and hold up to the mechanical abuse of repeated erasing between stages. The surface is equally suited to airbrush work, where consistent absorption and clean edges matter.

The paper is acid-free, which means your finished work stays bright and stable for decades rather than yellowing the way cheaper papers do. Tape-bound construction holds sheets flat during work and releases them cleanly when you finish a piece. Each pad contains 15 sheets at 11 x 14 inches.

Note: the vellum surface is excellent for dry media and ink but is not recommended for traditional watercolor techniques, which require a heavier, sized paper designed to handle saturated wet work.

Key Features

• 500 Series professional-grade paper from Strathmore's top-tier line.
• 2-ply vellum surface delivers tooth for realistic blending and shading.
• Heavyweight construction withstands aggressive erasing and multiple medium layers.
• Ideal for pencil, charcoal, sketching sticks, airbrush, pen, ink, and marker.
• Perfect for comic and graphic novel work across pencil-and-ink workflows.
• Acid-free paper resists yellowing and keeps work archival.
• Tape-bound pad holds sheets flat for working and releases cleanly.
• 15 sheets per pad at 11 x 14 inches.

Product Details