Am I Using the Right Paper?
Today, I want to talk to you about paper! After investing in beautiful pens, brushes and nibs, you want to make them last and for them to perform beautifully every time you pick them up.
Using cheap copier paper is good for your bank balance but not great for your tools. If you want to get the best results, you need the right paper for the job. Brush pens will fray if you use rough paper and watercolours will soak through thin paper and cause it to curl. Nothing is more frustrating than pouring your heart out onto the page and for it to end up a soggy mess.
Watercolour paper is specially made to cope with (you guessed it) water. There is a huge array out there and this article will explain it all in much more detail. You need to consider:
- the quality,
- production method,
- content,
- weight,
- texture,
- tinting/bleaching,
- form (sheets, block, pad, board ...),
- acid-free,
- archival quality,
- and your budget.
Standard printer paper will become soggy very quickly and disintegrate. In general, our budget dictates which watercolour papers we choose until we find a favourite.
"Cheap copier paper is good for your bank balance but not for your tools."
When working with brush pens or dip pens, you need exceptionally smooth paper to avoid damaging the brush tips and nibs. Smooth paper will also allow your ink to flow. When working on lettering drills (practising the shapes that make up the letters), I like to use a pad with dots or squares to help guide my letter formation.
My favourite is the iconic Rhodia paper produced by Clairefontaine in France. Rhodia paper is extra-white and ultrasmooth; ideal for use with delicate tools. As it is 80 gsm, there will be ghosting (able to see your work through to the other side), but only the juiciest pens should cause bleeding (ink leaking through to the other side of the paper).
[collection=rhodia]
Want to combine your love of lettering with your love of journaling? For watercolours and markers, I recommend journals as the 160 gsm is almost bomb proof. I've yet to find a pen or paint that causes ghosting or bleeding (apart from alcohol markers, which need special paper).
[collection=archer-olive]
