White paper or toned gray paper?

Hello there! Welcome back to another post on this blog! Today's theme is white paper or toned gray? Is white paper really that bad? ; Which one should you use? ; Which one is the best one? etc.

So, at the moment I don't have the Strathmore Toned Gray sketchbook (I am planing to get one and join @h.art.j's #graycult. If you don't know she is amazing artist that posts her artwork on instagram, so you should check it out by clicking here (link doesn't work for some reason, so just search up h.art.j on Instagram or copy paste this link to your search bar instagram.com/h.art.j/)) as I can not purchase one due to the Corona crisis, but I am using a very similar alternative that I bought at the local bookshop. 

On the left will be the toned gray and on the right will be the classic white paper from standard sketchbook. Using prismacolor as an art medium. For white paper I am using Arto hardcover sketchbook, but sadly I could not find it on Amazon to link it.

	Toned Gray	Classic White
Price	7.94$	4$
Availability	Online and in some stores	Online and almost every book/art shop
Blednding	Blends amazingly with all colors	Blends well, you have to apply much more pressure to get rid of "white spaces"
Layering	Can hold many layers with out tearing the paper	Can hold many layers if you don't press too much, tears up easily.
White PC	White prismacolor stands out more	White prismacolor doesn't stand out as much, as the paper is already white
Erasing	You can erase some parts, but hardly if you don't have a good eraser.	You can not erase prismacolors, paper tears up very easily + colors just smudge.
Graphite	Harder to see when you are sketching, less visible when erasing.	Easy to see when sketching, but can leave traces if you put too much pressure.

Overall, I would recommend using toned gray with prismacolors, and classic white when sketching with graphite pencils, drawing with ink or charcoal. Difference in the price is almost 4$, but I don't find it drastic if you are really going to make use of it.

       

That is all for today! See you next Sunday at 2 p.m. CET! Baiiii! ❤