Drawing Paper Pad Clairefontaine Derwent Black A3 200 g/m² 20 sheets

Clairefontaine Derwent Black A3 drawing paper pad contains 20 sheets of 200 g/m² black paper designed for artists who work with light-on-dark techniques. The dark ground enhances highlights and tonal contrasts, making it suitable for sketches, illustrations and accent work. The pad format keeps sheets protected and flat while providing a consistent surface texture suitable for a variety of dry media and mixed-media accents.

Advantages

The heavyweight 200 g/m² paper provides rigidity and resistance to abrasion from repeated erasing and layering. The black surface improves visibility of light pencils, gel pens and pastel pencils, producing strong contrasts without the need for priming. The sheets are sized in A3 format, offering a large working area for detailed compositions while the pad construction protects unused sheets and keeps them flat during storage and transport.

Suitable for

• Sketching with white, metallic or colored pencils on a dark ground
• Pastel pencil, chalk and charcoal accents on black paper
• Mixed-media highlights using gel pens and opaque markers
• Contrast-rich illustrations, tonal studies and concept art

Key specifications

• Paper colour: black
• Sheet size: A3
• Weight: 200 g/m²
• Number of sheets: 20
• Surface: fine-textured drawing paper suitable for dry media

How to use

Work directly on the black sheets with white or light-coloured pencils, pastel pencils, chalks, white charcoal or opaque gel pens to build highlights and midtones. For layered effects, start with softer strokes for broad tonal areas and gradually add firmer lines for detail. When using pastel or chalk, consider applying a fixative between layers if additional protection is required. Remove sheets from the pad as needed and keep unused sheets flat inside the pad to avoid warping.

Usage recommendations

Use tools that produce opaque marks on a dark surface — white charcoal, pastel pencils, metallic or opaque gel pens and hard/soft graphite pencils for subtle tonal work. Avoid heavy applications of wet media that may not adhere well to the paper; when combining with wet inks or washes, test compatibility on a spare sheet first.