SHORT ANSWER
For daily 1-hour practice sessions, plan on 2–3 pads per week. A 3-pack lasts about one week of serious daily practice. If you're doing heavy color work or shading, pads wear faster. For weekly 2–3 hour sessions, a 3-pack can last 2–3 weeks.
It depends on what you're practicing
Lining uses less surface area than color packing. Stencil work uses one pad per design. Shading drills can cover a full pad in one session. The more coverage-heavy your practice, the more pads you'll go through.
Rough estimates
Daily practice (1 hr/day): 2–3 pads/week, ~10–12 pads/month. Weekly practice (2–3 hrs/week): 1–2 pads/week, ~5–8 pads/month. Occasional practice: 1 pad/week or less.
When to replace a pad
Replace a pad when: the surface is too torn to hold a clean line, the stencil no longer transfers cleanly, or the ink bleeds on every pass regardless of technique. A well-used pad should look destroyed — that's the point.
The subscription option
If you're practicing regularly, the Practice Plan delivers a fresh 3-pack every 4 or 6 weeks at $40.50/delivery. Each delivery includes a digital practice drill to keep your sessions structured.