Bristol board (also referred to as Bristol paper) is a heavyweight paper used for
technical drawing,
illustration, and other two-dimensional art forms. Its bulk thickness is .006 inches or higher. Bristol board is rated by the number of
plys it contains.The original bristol board was made in
Bristol, England and was a pasted board made of paper containing rags.Bristol board provides two working surfaces, front and back. This quality separates it from illustration board, which has only a front working surface. The surface texture can vary for different applications, including a smooth plate finish and a medium
vellum. Artists working with friction-based media, such as crayon, chalks, or charcoal would use a rougher texture. Smooth finishes are generally more suited to other types of media, such as inks.
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