Joseph's shiny new sketchbook

[RottenPocket]

I'm trying to lose the overly grainy look to my drawings, but I don't think i'm there yet.

I think it's just the medium, you have very clear edges but if you wanted a sharper, smoother look I think it's your paper. The texture is noticeable on the edges where I can see the charcoal skipping over it, and it's pretty consistent. What paper are you using? You may want to try a hot pressed paper.

 Thanks, and yeah I think you're kinda right. It's Strathmore charcoal paper, 300 series. Not sure on the other specs or anything. I'd like to try a smoother paper because it is annoying to fight those lines all the time. But the tooth is important to some extent to hold the charcoal I think.  I guess I don't mind it that much, it's probably just not intended to do super tight finish on, which normally I don't care about anyway.

I think part of it is also how I am in the habit of applying charcoal, using hatching lines with a pencil, and this creates a grainy effect as well. I'm trying some other techniques in the one I'm working on now, so we'll see if it makes a difference. LMK if you know of a brand of paper to try.

I do prefer cold pressed myself, and hot pressed can be easy to smear and often requires a fixative when you're finished, but that's why it makes a great base for using erasers and sponges - removing pigment and working on negative shapes.

Personally I've accumulated too many blocks and the only branded one I can identify is Paper house which is a decent budget brand in Aus, about $50-$60 for 100 sheets depending on size. I honestly have never tried charcoal specific paper, mostly just mixed media, anything that can take a lot of working into. I see a lot of watercolour paper being used by artists, probably for the same reason. 

Artists like Jono Dry use Arches 300gsm Aquarelle hot pressed paper and Allen Williams often uses the same, or smooth surfaces like clayboard and wets charcoal or graphite to apply by hand before brushing into it using dry paintbrushes and kneadable eraser. Jono's blacks are always pitch and smooth - Allen likes to create accidental shapes with the wet graphite and develop them with finer details. 

Arches can be pricey and it's available everywhere but paper is paper. If it's watercolour it will be able to withstand large drawing tools like charcoal and if it's hot pressed it will have a smooth and subtle bite to it.