Vegan drawing papers

Most likely you don't know that I've been a vegetarian for about 25 years now and on my way to being a vegan...I'd already be there but that darn tasty cheese keeps tripping me up!! My last hold out. 

I am also an animal right advocate...have been since my early 20s. You won't find leather or products from companies that test on animals in my home. 

If there is an animal in distress, such as being left in a car with the windows rolled up (twice this summer), I go and find the owner. 

Never once tho did I think that art supplies would contain animal products in them!! But thanks to my friend Katherine Kean, my eyes were opened in her early 2011 post, Vegan Art Supplies. 

Since then I've done a lot of research on the type of sizing used in papers. If in doubt about a paper you use just contact the company, they gladly write you back and let you know.

~here are my findings~

For years I used and loved Arches, but it's derived from collagen obtained from various animal by-products, so I no longer use it. 

Can't use Lanaquarelle, a 300 lb beautiful soft watercolor paper because it also uses a gelatin sizing in their paper.

As for the good papers I love that use a plant based sizing:

Strathmore (love their bristol board) 
Fabriano (a very ethical company!!) 
Canson Mi Tientes colored papers 
(using it now with my tiger)
Daler-Rowney Canford papers

And a new paper that has come to my attention by my friend Lissa Rachelle. TerraSkin, which is neither plant or animal based. It is made with calcium carbonate (rocks) and HDPE (plastic). I've never used it before, but plan on buying some very soon on CheapJoes (their only supplier so far).

So there you go! Hope that helps next time you're in your cherished art store looking for cruelty-free, plant based sized paper for  your next masterpiece!!


*Please feel free to add any of your favorite papers or general art supplies that you know are animal free products in the comments section.*