ITO BINDERY’s Drawing Pad Kraft is a classic drawing pad that has been part of our collection since its introduction in 2009.The kraft paper we use is unbleached and made with long fibers. Originally used for packaging and industrial purposes, it is a durable material known for its strength. Its toughness and natural texture are among the reasons we chose this paper.
Compared with smooth white or grey fine papers, kraft paper is less smooth and has a slight surface texture. Its surface smoothness is slightly reduced, so when writing or drawing with a pencil or pen, you may feel a slight resistance on the paper. Yet within that subtle resistance lies the unique texture and character of the material. We believe this natural tactility is one of the charms of kraft paper. This paper is used not only for sketches and drawings, but also for a wide range of artistic expressions when combined with other materials.
Artist Charlie Bonallack, based in Montpellier, France, used ITO BINDERY’s Drawing Pad A4 Kraft to create one drawing a day for 364 days.
The completed 364 works were later projected onto a screen installed on a lake and presented together with music. The images, painted and drawn on paper, gradually transformed into light and spread across the surface of the water.
The Drawing Pad was not created as a finished product, but as a place where something can begin. A simple material like kraft paper, meeting water, oil, and time in a distant studio in France, gradually transforms into new forms of expression.
Seeing this, we are reminded once again of the possibilities of paper as a material. From the beginning, we have wanted to create tools for makers— not a finished object, but a place where ideas can start.