--- title: "Strathmore 400 Series Drawing Pad: 80 lb, 24 Sheets" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/strathmore-400-drawing-pad/" description: "Strathmore 400 Series Drawing pad explained: 80 lb (130 g/m²) cream paper, medium or smooth surface, 24-sheet pads from 4 × 6 to 18 × 24 in, media and origin." category: "Paper" type: "Sketch & art pad" published: 2026-10-22 updated: 2026-10-22 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 8 products: - name: "Strathmore 400 Series Drawing Pad, 9 x 12 in, 80 lb, medium surface, 24 sheets (400-4)" brand: "Strathmore" brand_origin: "United States" made_in: "United States" material: "80 lb (130 g/m²) cream drawing paper, medium surface; micro-perforated sheets; wire binding" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per ream or pad, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Strathmore Artist Papers, a division of Dixon Ticonderoga (F.I.L.A. Group); owned by Pacon Corporation from 2006 until F.I.L.A. bought Pacon in 2018" model: "400-4" mpn: "P400-4" gtin: "012017440090" url: "https://www.strathmoreartist.com/draw-sketch/400-series-drawing" --- # Strathmore 400 Series Drawing Pad: 80 lb, 24 Sheets > The Strathmore 400 Series Drawing pad is a wire-bound pad of 80 lb (130 g/m²) cream drawing paper for finished work in graphite, colored pencil, charcoal, ink and marker. Every pad holds 24 micro-perforated sheets; the popular 9 × 12 in medium-surface pad is item 400-4. Strathmore also makes smooth and 100 lb heavyweight versions. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/strathmore-400-drawing-pad/ - Category: Paper - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-22 - Updated: 2026-10-22 ![Strathmore 400 Series Drawing pad, 9 by 12 in, opened to a shaded pencil drawing of a pear](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/strathmore-400-drawing-pad-16x9.png) *The 9 × 12 in pad closed and open, drawn to scale; the cover artwork is simplified.* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Strathmore 400 Series Drawing Pad, 9 x 12 in, 80 lb, medium surface, 24 sheets (400-4) | Strathmore (by Strathmore Artist Papers, a division of Dixon Ticonderoga (F.I.L.A. Group); owned by Pacon Corporation from 2006 until F.I.L.A. bought Pacon in 2018) | United States | United States | 80 lb (130 g/m²) cream drawing paper, medium surface; micro-perforated sheets; wire binding | – | $$: $5–20 per ream or pad | - Made in (Strathmore 400 Series Drawing Pad, 9 x 12 in, 80 lb, medium surface, 24 sheets (400-4)): United States. The Amazon US listing for the 400 Series Drawing pad (18 × 24 in, 400-8) says Made in US, and Zoro lists the United States as country of origin for a 400 Series drawing pad (see our Strathmore 400 Sketch guide). Strathmore's product page and Dixon's 2025 price list don't state the country. Source: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000A7JJG4 ## Key takeaways - Strathmore lists the paper at 80 lb (130 g/m²), cream, in a medium or a smooth surface. - Every 400 Series Drawing pad has 24 sheets; medium-surface pads run from 4 × 6 in (400-1) to 18 × 24 in (400-8). - Dixon's 2025 fine-art price list gives the 9 × 12 in medium pad (P400-4) UPC 012017440090 and a list price of US$10.85. - A Heavyweight Drawing version uses 100 lb (163 g/m²) paper, and a recycled version uses bright white paper with 30% post-consumer fiber. - The Amazon US listing for the 18 × 24 in pad says made in US, and had 4,758 ratings averaging 4.8 stars on October 22, 2026. ## What is the Strathmore 400 Series Drawing pad? **It is Strathmore's step-up drawing paper for finished work: a heavier, cream 80 lb sheet in wire-bound pads of 24.** Strathmore calls it one of its most versatile papers, "ideal for sketching, drawing, and most finished work". It is one of the best-selling art pads in the US. On October 22, 2026 the 18 × 24 in pad ranked #26 in Amazon's Sketchbooks & Notebooks best sellers, with 700+ bought in the past month and 4,758 ratings averaging 4.8 stars. ## Strathmore 400 Drawing 9 × 12 in specs | Spec | Strathmore 400 Series Drawing, 9 × 12 in (400-4) | |---|---| | Size | 9 × 12 in (229 × 305 mm) | | Sheets | 24, micro-perforated | | Paper | 80 lb, 130 g/m², cream | | Surface | Medium (smooth version: 400-104) | | Binding | Wire, along the 9 in side | | UPC | 012017440090 | | List price (US) | US$10.85 (Dixon 2025 price list) | Strathmore's own page gives the paper, surfaces and pad sizes; the UPC and list price come from the 2025 fine-art price list of Dixon Ticonderoga, Strathmore's parent. ## Drawing or sketch pad: which Strathmore 400 do you need? **Use the Sketch pad for practice and studies, and the Drawing pad for work you want to keep.** The Drawing paper is about half as heavy again as the Sketch paper, with a quarter of the sheets per pad. | | 400 Series Drawing | [400 Series Sketch](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/strathmore-400-sketch-pad/) | |---|---|---| | Weight | 80 lb, 130 g/m² | 60 lb, 89 g/m² | | Color | Cream | Not stated by Strathmore | | Sheets (9 × 12 in pad) | 24 | 100 | | Surface | Medium or smooth | Fine tooth | | Price band | $$ | $$ | For toned paper in the same series, see the [Strathmore 400 Toned Tan pad](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/strathmore-400-toned-tan-sketch-pad/); for ink and marker on very smooth board, the [Strathmore 300 Bristol pad](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/strathmore-300-bristol-pad/). ## Medium or smooth surface? **Pick medium for pencil, charcoal and pastel, and smooth for ink, technical pens and detailed line work.** Strathmore lists graphite, colored pencil, charcoal, sketching stick, pen and ink, marker, soft pastel, mixed media and oil pastel for the medium surface. For the smooth surface it lists graphite, colored pencil, pen and ink and marker, and says its non-reflective finish suits line drawing and technical work. The smooth pads come in fewer sizes: 9 × 12, 11 × 14, 14 × 17 and 18 × 24 in. ## What sizes does the 400 Drawing pad come in? **Eight medium-surface sizes, from 4 × 6 in to 18 × 24 in, all with 24 sheets.** The 9 × 12 in pad is the usual classroom and home size. ![Eight Strathmore 400 Series Drawing pad sizes from 4 by 6 to 18 by 24 in, nested to scale](https://stationerytimes.com/images/strathmore-400-drawing-pad-sizes.svg) *All eight medium-surface pads at 14 px per inch.* Strathmore also sells the paper as 19 × 24 in sheets in packs of 50 and as a 42 in × 10 yd smooth roll, and a Heavyweight Drawing pad (100 lb, 163 g/m²) in 8 × 10 to 18 × 24 in. Our [best sketchbooks](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-sketchbooks/) roundup covers bound alternatives. ## How much does a Strathmore 400 Drawing pad cost? **The 9 × 12 in pad sits in our $$ band ($5–20 per pad).** Dixon's 2025 price list gives it a list price of US$10.85, the same as the smooth 9 × 12 in pad (400-104). The big pads cost more: the list price is US$30.95 for the 18 × 24 in medium pad (400-8), which falls in our $$$ band. Per sheet, the Drawing pad costs more than twice as much as the 100-sheet 9 × 12 in Sketch pad (list price US$19.50), because each sheet is heavier and there are only 24. ## Where is the Strathmore 400 Drawing pad made? **In the United States: the Amazon US listing for the 400 Series Drawing pad says made in US.** Zoro also lists the United States as the country of origin for a 400 Series drawing pad. Strathmore began as a paper mill in 1892 and is now a division of Dixon Ticonderoga, part of Italy's F.I.L.A. Group. Neither Strathmore's page nor Dixon's price list states where the pads are made. ## Frequently asked questions ### What gsm is Strathmore 400 drawing paper? 130 g/m² (130 gsm), which Strathmore lists as 80 lb on a 24 × 36 in, 500-sheet basis. The Heavyweight Drawing paper is 163 g/m² (100 lb). ### How many sheets are in a Strathmore 400 drawing pad? 24 sheets in every size, from the 4 × 6 in pad to the 18 × 24 in pad, per Strathmore and Dixon's price list. ### Can you use markers on Strathmore 400 drawing paper? Strathmore lists marker as a suitable medium for both the medium and the smooth surface. For alcohol markers that bleed, a dedicated marker pad is the safer choice. ### Is Strathmore 400 drawing paper cream or white? Cream. Strathmore makes a separate 400 Series Recycled Drawing paper in bright white, with 30% post-consumer fiber. ### Can you use watercolor on Strathmore 400 drawing paper? Strathmore doesn't list watercolor or wet media for it; the list stops at dry media, ink and marker. For washes, use a mixed-media or 140 lb watercolor pad. ### Are the sheets in a Strathmore drawing pad perforated? Yes, micro-perforated so they tear out at their true size, except the two smallest pads, 400-1 (4 × 6 in) and 400-2 (6 × 8 in), which tear out at the wire. ## Sources - [Strathmore: 400 Series Drawing (80 lb, 24 × 36 in × 500 basis, 130 g/m²; cream; smooth and medium surfaces; media lists; pad items 400-1 to 400-8 and 400-104 to 400-108, 24 sheets; Heavyweight 100 lb, 163 g/m²) — full page read October 22, 2026](https://www.strathmoreartist.com/draw-sketch/400-series-drawing) - [Dixon Ticonderoga / F.I.L.A.: Fine Art Price List 2025 (Strathmore 400 Drawing P400-1 to P400-108 with UPCs and MSRPs; P400-4 012017440090, US$10.85; Recycled Drawing P443; Heavyweight Drawing P400-208 to P400-218)](https://dixonticonderogacompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Fila-FINE-ART-PRICE-LIST-2025.pdf) - [Strathmore: 400 Series Sketch (60 lb, 89 g/m², for comparison)](https://www.strathmoreartist.com/draw-sketch/400-series-sketch) - [Strathmore: History (1892 mill; 400 Series; Pacon purchase 2006)](https://www.strathmoreartist.com/about) - [Amazon.com: Strathmore 400-8 400 Series Drawing Pad, 18 × 24 in, Ivory/Cream, 24 Sheets, Medium (Made in US; 4,758 ratings, 4.8 stars; 700+ bought in past month; #26 in Sketchbooks & Notebooks; October 22, 2026)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000A7JJG4) - [Amazon.com Best Sellers: Sketchbooks & Notebooks (checked October 22, 2026)](https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Arts-Crafts-Sewing-Sketchbooks-Notebooks/zgbs/arts-crafts/8090734011) - [Zoro: Strathmore 400 Series drawing pad, smooth, 6 × 8 in, 6-pack, P400-2-06 (country of origin United States)](https://www.zoro.com/strathmore-400-series-drawing-pad-smooth-finish-wire-binding-24-sheet-6x8-inch-6pk-p400-2-06/i/G021733410/) - [School Specialty: Strathmore 400 Series drawing pad, 9 × 12 in, 80 lb, 24 sheets (UPC 012017440090)](https://www.schoolspecialty.com/drawing-pad-409525)