Strathmore 300 Bristol Pad: Smooth vs Vellum Paper
The Strathmore 300 Series Bristol pad is a tape-bound pad of 20 sheets of heavy 100 lb (270 gsm), acid-free Bristol. Smooth suits ink, markers and comics; vellum has more texture for pencil and dry media. The main pads run from 9 × 12 in to 19 × 24 in, and retailers label them made in the USA.
On this page
Product facts
- Product
- Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Pad, Smooth, 9 x 12 in, 100 lb, 20 sheets
- Brand
- Strathmore
- Brand origin
- United States
- Made in
- United States*
- Material
- 100 lb (270 g/m²) acid-free Bristol, smooth surface, tape binding
- Price range
- $$$5–20 per ream or pad
Notes on these facts
- Made by Strathmore Artist Papers, a division of Dixon Ticonderoga (F.I.L.A. Group); owned by Pacon Corporation from 2006. Made in United States: Fred Meyer's listing for the 9 × 12 in pad says made in the USA, and Staples labels 300 Series Bristol and vellum pads made in America. Strathmore's product page and Dixon's 2025 price list don't state the country. Source. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Each pad holds 20 sheets of 100 lb (270 gsm) acid-free Bristol, per School Specialty, Dick Blick and Fred Meyer listings.
- Strathmore lists 20-sheet pads at 4 × 6, 9 × 12, 11 × 14, 14 × 17 and 19 × 24 in in smooth or vellum, plus a 10-sheet 22 × 30 in vellum pad.
- The 9 × 12 in pad has about 13,100 Amazon ratings averaging 4.8 stars and ranks first in Bristol Paper, per AS INSIGHT and retailer snapshots.
- At 270 gsm, a sheet is about three times the weight of the 89 gsm Strathmore 400 Series sketch paper.
- Fred Meyer and Staples label the 300 Series Bristol pads made in the USA; Strathmore is now a division of Dixon Ticonderoga, which bought Pacon, Strathmore's owner since 2006.
What is the Strathmore 300 Series Bristol pad?
It is a tape-bound pad of 20 sheets of heavy, acid-free Bristol, 100 lb (270 gsm), in a smooth or a vellum surface. Bristol is a stiff drawing paper for finished pieces: comics, illustration, technical drawing and marker work.
It is the best-known Bristol pad in the US. AS INSIGHT’s Amazon data shows the 9 × 12 in pad with about 13,100 ratings averaging 4.8 stars, and a retailer snapshot ranks it first in Bristol Paper.
Strathmore 300 Series Bristol specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | Strathmore (300 Series) |
| Paper weight | 100 lb (270 gsm); basis 500 sheets of 20 × 26 in |
| Surfaces | Smooth or vellum |
| Archival | Acid-free |
| Binding | Tape bound |
| Sheets | 20 per pad |
| Sizes | 4 × 6, 9 × 12, 11 × 14, 14 × 17, 19 × 24 in; 22 × 30 in (vellum, 10 sheets) |
| Item (9 × 12 in) | 342-9 smooth · 342-109 vellum |
| UPC (smooth, 9 × 12 in) | 012017365096 |
| Made in | United States (retailer labels) |
Weight, surfaces, binding, sizes and item numbers come from Strathmore’s product page; the UPC from Dixon’s 2025 price list, which matches School Specialty and Fred Meyer. Acid-free is from retailers such as Dick Blick.
Smooth or vellum: which surface should you choose?
Choose smooth for ink, markers and comics, and vellum for pencil, colored pencil and other dry media. Both are the same 100 lb (270 gsm) weight.
| Smooth | Vellum | |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | Slick, even | Medium texture |
| Best for | Pen and ink, markers, comics, technical pens | Graphite, colored pencil, charcoal, pastel |
| Why | Crisp lines, little tooth to catch the nib | Strathmore: “peaks and valleys” grab dry media |
If you mostly draw with fineliners such as the Sakura Pigma Micron, smooth is the usual choice.
What sizes does the pad come in?
Four main sizes from 9 × 12 in to 19 × 24 in, each with 20 sheets. Strathmore also lists a small 4 × 6 in pad (20 sheets) and a 22 × 30 in vellum pad (10 sheets).
| Size (in) | Size (cm) | Sheets |
|---|---|---|
| 9 × 12 | 22.9 × 30.5 | 20 |
| 11 × 14 | 27.9 × 35.6 | 20 |
| 14 × 17 | 35.6 × 43.2 | 20 |
| 19 × 24 | 48.3 × 61.0 | 20 |
Sizes come from Strathmore’s product page; centimeters are converted from inches. For comic pages, Dick Blick also sells a 300 Sequential Series Bristol pad: 11 × 17 in, smooth, 24 sheets.
How heavy is Bristol compared with other art papers?
At 270 gsm, Strathmore 300 Bristol is about three times the weight of sketch paper and close to watercolor paper.
| Pad | Weight | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Strathmore 400 Sketch | 60 lb (89 gsm) | Dry-media sketching |
| Canson XL Mix Media | 98 lb (160 gsm) | Markers, ink, light washes |
| Strathmore 300 Bristol | 100 lb (270 gsm) | Ink, markers, finished drawings |
| Canson XL Watercolor | 140 lb (300 gsm) | Watercolor |
The pound figures aren’t comparable across paper types, because each type uses a different basis sheet. That is why 100 lb Bristol outweighs 98 lb mixed-media paper by so much; compare grams per square meter instead.
What does “300 Series” mean?
Strathmore grades its papers in series from 100 to 500, and the 300 Series sits one step below the 400 Series. Strathmore says it created the 300 Series in 1974 and describes it as better-quality paper for beginning or student artists; our Strathmore 400 Series guide covers the grading in more detail. The top grade, the 500 Series Bristol, is 2-ply, 100% cotton board in 15-sheet pads.
Where is Strathmore 300 Bristol made?
Retailers label the 300 Series Bristol pads made in the USA. Fred Meyer’s listing for the 9 × 12 in pad says so, and Staples shows a Made in America label on 300 Series pads.
Strathmore’s own page doesn’t state the country. Pacon Corporation bought Strathmore in 2006, and Strathmore’s site now calls it a division of Dixon Ticonderoga, based in Appleton, Wisconsin. Check the back of the pad.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bristol paper used for?
Bristol is a heavy, stiff drawing paper for finished work. Strathmore recommends its smooth 300 Series Bristol for pen and ink, mechanical pencil, airbrush and markers, and the vellum surface for graphite, colored pencil, charcoal, pastel and crayon.
What is the difference between smooth and vellum Bristol?
Smooth Bristol has a slick surface for crisp ink lines and markers. Vellum has what Strathmore calls peaks and valleys that grab dry media such as graphite. Both are 100 lb (270 gsm) in the 300 Series.
How heavy is Strathmore 300 Series Bristol?
100 lb, which is 270 gsm. That is heavier than mixed-media paper such as the 160 gsm Canson XL Mix Media and close to 140 lb (300 gsm) watercolor paper.
How many sheets are in a Strathmore 300 Bristol pad?
20 sheets in the 4 × 6, 9 × 12, 11 × 14, 14 × 17 and 19 × 24 in pads, and 10 sheets in the 22 × 30 in vellum pad, per Strathmore. A 300 Series Sequential Art Bristol pad has 24 sheets at 11 × 17 in for comics.
Can you use alcohol markers on Bristol board?
Retailers list the smooth surface for markers. Alcohol markers soak deep into any paper, so expect some color on the back; we haven't tested how much on this pad yet.
Is Strathmore 300 Bristol acid-free?
Yes, per Dick Blick, Drafting Supplies Dew, Fred Meyer and School Specialty, and Dixon's 2025 price list calls the matching 300 Series Bristol sheets acid free. Strathmore's own pad page doesn't mention it.
Where is Strathmore Bristol made?
Fred Meyer and Staples label the 300 Series Bristol pads made in the USA. Strathmore itself doesn't say on its product page; it is now a division of Dixon Ticonderoga, based in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Sources
- Strathmore: 300 Series Bristol (100 lb, 20 × 26 in × 500 basis, 270 g/m²; smooth and vellum; pad items 342-4 to 342-22)
- Strathmore: History (1892 mill; 1974 300 Series; Pacon purchase 2006)
- Strathmore: The Strathmore Series (300 Series: better quality paper for beginning or student artists)
- Dixon Ticonderoga / F.I.L.A.: Fine Art price list 2025 (Strathmore P342-9, UPC 012017365096, MSRP US$13.15; Strathmore mark used under license from Mohawk)
- Ticonderoga: Tracing Our Roots (Dixon's acquisitions include Pacon and Strathmore)
- Fred Meyer: Strathmore Bristol 300 Series art paper (100 lb / 270 gsm, smooth and vellum, acid-free, made in the USA; UPC 012017365096)
- School Specialty: Strathmore 300 Series Smooth Bristol Pad, 9 x 12 in, 100 lb, 20 sheets, tape bound
- Dick Blick: Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Board Pads (100 lb / 270 gsm, smooth and vellum)
- Dick Blick: Strathmore 300 Sequential Series Bristol Pad, 11 x 17 in, smooth, 24 sheets
- Drafting Supplies Dew: Strathmore 300 Series Bristol, vellum surface (100 lb, 270 g/m², tape bound, 20 sheets)
- Staples: Strathmore 300 Series 11 x 17 in tape-bound vellum pad (made in America label)
- Walmart: Bristol paper (Strathmore 300 Series smooth pads, 11 x 14, 14 x 17 and 19 x 24 in, 20 sheets)
- Kaartist: Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Paper Pad, smooth surface
- AS INSIGHT: Best-selling Strathmore products on Amazon US (300 Series Bristol 9 x 12 in, about 13,100 ratings, 4.8 stars)
- AS INSIGHT: Best-selling Strathmore Bristol on Amazon US (July 2026)
- Desertcart: Strathmore 300 Series Bristol pad listing (first in Bristol Paper)
- Parka Blogs: Strathmore series grading, 100 to 500
- Universities of Wisconsin: Strathmore, a division of Pacon Corporation, Appleton