Ampad Gold Fibre Planning Pad

[blueiris]

Just a stupid question: why is it so common to use yellow paper writing pads in America? Most of us of the other side of the pond use white paper. Is there a reason that can be explained to an ignorant inquisitive mind?

Hola Ramon,

 

I don't know if it's a stupid question, but it's a question I, myself, asked a long time ago. I was told that the tradition of using yellow paper originated many decades ago after research linked certain colors with certain emotional responses. It was (is) believed that yellow stimulates intellectual activity and, as a result of customer requests, paper companies began to make yellow writing pads. These were adopted by lawyers and are now almost universal in the legal profession. Many famous authors, including Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald swore by them and used them exclusively.

 

That's all I know about it but I would like to know more.

 

Phil

I don't know about the history, but there is a practical reason (for me, at least) for using yellow paper writing pads. It might not be a coincidence that Phil mentioned the legal profession using yellow writing pads. I am a lawyer, and my office desk is often piled with documents that are printed on or phptocopied on white paper. Using a yellow writing pad, I can easily find my own handwritten notes amidst the mass of white documents. In general, though, I try to avoid using yellow writing pads, because I prefer white.

[rpajares]

Thanks Phil, JohnS-MI and blueiris for your answers. BTW it's amazing of FPN how a question posted exactly two months ago still gets replies!

 

I see that this yellow paper matter falls into this sort of traditions that consolitate with no apparent reason, just as biological genes express themselves differently in populations that are isolated one from another.

 

Another similar case that strikes me is that of "blueprints", which were blue some decades ago in America, while I think were not blue at the same time in Europe. Any explanation for this one as well?

[JohnS-MI]

Came from the copying process. The original drawing was India ink or dark pencil on white paper or translucent film.

 

The original copy process was a reversal process (made a negative) and the photosensitive material turned dark blue, so blueprint was a dark blue background with white drawing lines and text. A later process (around 60's or 70's) was positive but still blue, dark blue lines and text on a white (or light blue) background. By then, everyone used pencil, not India ink, so master had less contrast, and contrast setting on machine was a bit fussy.

 

With full introduction of CAD, of course they are printed directly from computer, black on white. But they will probably always be blueprints here.

[Tweel]

why is it so common to use yellow paper writing pads in America?

Other than the odd notebook with paper in pastel colors, the only yellow pads I can think of here in the US are legal pads, specifically. Most paper is white.

 

Regarding Gold Fibre products, I like them generally, but have noticed a lot of variability in the paper across the line -- I'm not sure what makes them all "Gold Fibre". Some are coarse and bleedy, others smooth. My favorite is the "Personal Notebook" (#20-802), which I actually use for personal letters. I also use a lot of the "Jr. Legal Pad" (#20-018)... in white .

 

Brian

[Guinness]

Just a stupid question: why is it so common to use yellow paper writing pads in America? Most of us of the other side of the pond use white paper. Is there a reason that can be explained to an ignorant inquisitive mind?

 

I believe the reason is that yellow is (supposedly) easier on the eyes and not as bright as white.

[vibin247]

I've been using the Ampad Evidence Dual Pads for a while, and I haven't found any feathering or bleed-through problems yet, even with Aurora Black which is a very wet ink. I used white pads before, but I found the yellow pads more to my liking, as I find it better for the eyes when you're reviewing what you wrote, and much more pleasing to eyes especially with black ink.

[FLZapped]

QUOTE (Guinness @ Jan 8 2007, 11:20 PM)

QUOTE Just a stupid question: why is it so common to use yellow paper writing pads in America? Most of us of the other side of the pond use white paper. Is there a reason that can be explained to an ignorant inquisitive mind?   I believe the reason is that yellow is (supposedly) easier on the eyes and not as bright as white. I had a med student tell me that yellow draws the Vitamin A out of the eye...and therefore it is bad.....who knows.   -Bruce

[bwnewton]

I really appreciate this pad. I've experienced no feathering with Lamy Black, Lamy Blue, Private Reserve Velvet Black and Noodler's Lexington Gray. I had not feather with the Lamy inks but just a bit from the others. I very much like the dual-purposesness of it: grid on one side, lined on the other.

 

I plan to get more of these pads.

[bwnewton]

I really appreciate this pad. I've experienced no feathering with Lamy Black, Lamy Blue, Private Reserve Velvet Black and Noodler's Lexington Gray. I had not feather with the Lamy inks but just a bit from the others. I very much like the dual-purposesness of it: grid on one side, lined on the other.

 

I plan to get more of these pads.

 

I recently purchased three more of these pads and I still appreciate the design and quality. They take Lamy Blue-Black, Blue and Black, Sheaffer Skrip Blue-Black and Black, Waterman Havana and Noodler's Lexington Gray with no feathering whatsoever. There is only very slight bleed-through with the Noodler's Lex. Gray.

[Tweel]

I've been using them on an ongoing basis for a few years now, and don't experience feathering or bleeding, buuut... I only use bulletproof Black on the pages, as it happens. I'm glad to hear they work with other inks as well.

 

I really wish Ampad still made their mini (3-1/2 X 5-1/4) legal pads. The only ones I can find now are the Staples house brand, and they're pretty feathery.

 

-- Brian

[79spitfire]

I've used these at work for taking notes, I've never noticed any feathering more or less than any other pads. As far as the Yellow pads, I think it was just to help differentiate between different notes, to help prioritize. The yellow is easier to see in a "pile" of papers. Hurst corporation newspapers were printed with a yellow "top page" in the '20s for the same reason, thus coining the phrase "yellow paper journalism".

[Margana]

The original review was written in October, 2006. The paper used for these pads today is likely from a different batch and so may perform differently. Hopefully, Ampad has improved the product.

[ThirdeYe]

This is an older thread... but I wanted to post my thoughts on the Ampad Gold Fibre paper. I bought a wire-bound Ampad Gold Fibre notepad a little over a month ago and it is terrible in terms of feathering. It would probably work fine with pencil/ballpoint, but all of my fountain pen inks feather like crazy with it. I mainly contributed this because the post above me suggests that it may have changed... not in my experience.

Edited April 4, 2011 by ThirdeYe

[ldbrown1000]

I have used the wire bound writing pads, the white planning pads and the project notebooks. The paper is inconsistent, though generally better than most general use paper. The planning pads are by and the far the least consistent with the most show through and bleed through.