Whether you are an acrylic artist looking to take your studio beyond the four walls and paint plein air, or simply seeking a new surface to paint on, paper can make an excellent choice.

But here's the deal:

You can't just use any type of paper.

Instead, you need paper that can withstand the weight of acrylic paint.

As you likely know, acrylic dries both incredibly fast and hard. To prevent cracking in your finished piece, you must carefully select the right paper surface for your acrylics.

In this article, we'll cover some excellent papers for acrylic paints and discuss necessary prep work to ensure your acrylics lay smoothly and you don't waste paint on overly absorbent surfaces.

Before we dive into details, here's why you might consider paper as your preferred surface for acrylic paints:

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Key Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using Acrylic On Paper

While canvas reigns supreme for major oil and acrylic pieces, paper serves as a great intermediary surface for testing techniques, exploring subjects, or saving money on your artistic budget.

The benefits extend beyond cost savings. For artists in dense urban areas like NYC or those with limited studio space, paper is a huge space saver compared to stretched canvas.

While paper's compact, lightweight form is appealing, we should note some key drawbacks:

With acrylic paints on paper, you MUST select the right weight - this cannot be overstated.

Why? Too heavy paper wastes money in two ways:

Heavy-weight paper costs significantly more than lighter options
It wastes acrylic paint as overly absorbent papers soak up paint faster than primed canvas

For artists who paint outdoors:

Paper surfaces are excellent for plein air painting due to their light weight. However, you'll need these essential supplies:

A board to keep paper flat while painting
Tape or clamps to secure your paper (trust us - we learned this the hard way)

Once you understand these characteristics of painting with acrylics on paper, you'll be ready to create your best work.

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Is Prep Work Necessary When Using Acrylic Paint On Paper?

The answer depends on your desired results.

If you want a highly absorbent surface that locks paint in place, no prep is needed. However, absorbency primarily affects bleeding.

Artists pushing boundaries with cartridge or watercolor paper may need to prime it to prevent:

Fiber deterioration
Wrinkling or warping
Cracking as the piece dries

We recommend testing new surfaces with quick paintings before committing to major works.

Beyond absorbency, some artists seek specific textures resembling traditional canvas. For this, we recommend:

A simple coating of gesso on both sides of the paper prevents bleeding while providing excellent texture. Purchase gesso from art supply stores - avoid hardware store primers which may require respirators and aren't designed for art applications.

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Types of Paper For Acrylic Painting

Here are common surfaces acrylic artists use:

Drawing / Cartridge Paper

Standard drawing paper (called cartridge paper in the UK and Australia) typically won't support acrylic paint well.

The key factor is weight, measured in lbs or gsm (grams per square meter). For acrylics, we recommend papers of at least 185lbs (400 gsm). Lighter papers require primer to maintain surface structure.

Synthetic Paper

An excellent alternative is synthetic paper, like Yupo's watercolor paper.

This 100% polypropylene surface:

Minimizes paint waste with low absorbency
Resists tears and wrinkling
Offers long-term preservation (pH-neutral)

The main drawback is price (around $5 per board), which may exceed some artists' budgets.

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Cardboard

At the opposite price extreme (essentially free), cardboard makes a viable surface. Cut to size with a box cutter, preferably without bends or wrinkles.

Apply gesso to both sides to:

Increase rigidity
Reduce paint waste

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Heavy Watercolor Paper

Watercolor paper's texture catches acrylic paint beautifully. Its high absorbency prevents bleeding without requiring primer.

As with drawing paper, choose heavier weights for best acrylic performance.

Acrylic Paper

Yes, paper specifically for acrylics exists! Manufacturers like Canson produce acrylic paper pads highly recommended by artists.

Canson's acrylic paper offers:

Affordable pricing
Excellent results (no deterioration or wrinkling)

While sometimes hard to find locally, you can purchase Canson Acrylic Paper Pads online.

Is That Really All For Paper Surfaces You Can Use With Acrylic?

We've covered the most popular paper surfaces used by 99% of artists. New synthetic options and DIY solutions emerge regularly. If you'd like to suggest additions to this list, please send us a note.