Smooth White Cardstock for Artist Tiles and Practice Art
Art tiles cost a few dollars each at the art store. You can cut your own from 80lb smooth white cardstock for a fraction of that, and the surface holds up to ink and graphite. Sheila did this and stopped buying pre-made tiles. Her review and a simple how-to are below.
Why our smooth white cardstock works for art tiles
80lb cover weight gives you a stiff sheet that takes pencil and ink without buckling. The smooth face keeps your lines clean, so pen work and lettering stay sharp.
Sheila switched to ours for her tiles:
"These are wonderful for artist tiles. I was going to use them for practice tiles, but these are thick enough to use for actual art tiles. Awesome value compared to buying the regular art tiles."
She planned to practice on them. They held up well enough to keep as finished work. That is the test of a good art surface.
How to cut your own tiles
Mark your size with a ruler and a pencil. Artist trading cards are 2.5 by 3.5 inches. Cut with a paper trimmer for straight edges, or run the sheet through a Cricut with the cardstock setting. One 8.5 by 11 sheet gives you six cards with little waste.
Want the cuts done for you? We cut White Smooth Cardstock to more than 30 sizes, so you can order close to your tile size and skip the trimming.
Which pens and pencils hold best
Graphite and archival ink sit well on the smooth face. Give marker and ink a few seconds to dry before you stack tiles. Heavy alcohol markers can soak through thin sheets, so test one tile first if you work in Copic or Ohuhu.
FAQ
What size are artist trading cards?
2.5 by 3.5 inches. One letter sheet makes six.
Does graphite smudge on smooth cardstock?
Less than on glossy paper. A light fixative helps if you handle them often.
Start your next set of tiles
Order White Smooth 80lb Cardstock in a size close to your tiles. Shipping is free over $100, and every order ships flat with chipboard backing. See more in our Art Projects collection.
Colton Carnley
thunderboltpaper.com
