Need Material To Place Under Small, Thin, Loose Paper

[lamder]

Recently I lucked into a bunch of vintage 4in x 6in memo pad refills in an estate sale. The paper is very light (almost onionskin) and is divine to write on. I did encounter a few problems however. Since the paper is so thin and smooth, using it on my work table (which is hard and smooth) feels almost like I am writing _directly_ on the table, which cannot be good for my nibs. More importantly, because the paper is rather small, I have a hard time holding it in place. I have seen it move and buckle as I write on several occassions already.

 

I reckon one solution to all these problems would be to find some kind of semi-hard, non-slip and thin sheet of material to place between the paper and my table surface, both to provide a bit of cushion to the paper and to hold the paper in place. I have experimented with a couple of ideas, none of which worked:

 

- back of letter pad, cardboard cover of sketch pad, cutting mat (too smooth, still get slippage)

- front and back of a 2mm thick piece of cow hide leather (non-slip enough, but is too soft, causing the pen to deboss into the paper)

 

Does anyone have better ideas? (*)

 

Sam

 

(*) It is entirely possible I am asking the wrong question and there is a simpler way to go about doing this, so feel free to set me straight too.

But no, getting a new table would be an enticing but unfortunately unjustifiable solution :-)

[USMCMom]

I have a desk blotter and use that. Unfortunately, sheets of blotter paper are difficult to find.

[jbb]

I like to use blotter paper under my writing paper. Recently I've been using a sheet of Canson watercolor paper http://www.dickblick.com/products/canson-mi-teintes-drawing-papers/ on my desk. That's a little more readily available than blotter paper. It's not absorbent like blotter paper but it might work for what you need... and it comes in some delicious colors.

 

I also adore writing on onionskin.

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/classifieds/item/10653-onionskin-paper/

 

Canson paper as a desk blotter:

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5113/7432459568_14800df50c_o.jpg

[stonezebra]

Or you could just cut a piece of blotter paper to size and slip it behind each page as you write. I keep a cut-to-fit piece in each my journals and notepads to act as blotter/bookmark.

[DanF]

The Canson paper is actually made for pastel, not watercolor.

 

Dan

[jbb]

The Canson paper is actually made for pastel, not watercolor.

 

Dan

I only use it as a desk blotter but here's its description:

 

This classic French paper has a "vellum" texture on the top side and a flat surface on the reverse, both equally suitable for pastel, oil pastel, chalk, pencil, watercolor, and acrylic. It is a heavy, 98 lb (160 gsm) sheet, with a high rag content (66%) to ensure long life without deterioration. The entire range of 42 shades are colored in the pulp to be highly light-resistant and acid-free.

[lamder]

Thanks for the suggestions all. I don't know how the general concept of putting paper under paper escaped me

 

(On the Canson paper)

Jill, not questioning (since it obviously worked well for you), but just curious:

Do you put the smooth side up against the writing paper and use the textured surface to provide some friction against the table? From the paper's description it looks like at least one side may be too smooth to grip onto anything really smooth as well.

[jbb]

Thanks for the suggestions all. I don't know how the general concept of putting paper under paper escaped me

 

(On the Canson paper)

Jill, not questioning (since it obviously worked well for you), but just curious:

Do you put the smooth side up against the writing paper and use the textured surface to provide some friction against the table? From the paper's description it looks like at least one side may be too smooth to grip onto anything really smooth as well.

I seem to have the rough side up -- but that was not consciously done. Mostly I use blotter paper. I bought the Canson just to try it and because I love that shade of yellow.

[jbb]

I just did a test of writing on lightweight 9 lb. onionskin over the Canson paper, blotter paper & plain old cardboard. They all work. Cardboard... like the kind that backs a pad of paper, is perfectly usable.

[lamder]

So today I got the following from Daiso (the japanese thrift store and solution to many of Life's problems):

 

 

(top to bottom)

1. Soft plastic document case
   
2. Smooth and tough particle board
   
3. . Square ornamental blank greeting 'board'
   

I had high hopes for 2 or 3 because they look smooth and rather durable, but turned out they are not quite smooth enough. The winner, at least for what I am trying to accomplish, it 1. It is very smooth, just tough enough that my pen nib does not sink into it, and grips onto both the paper and the table surface.

 

I am still having problems with the paper buckling when I flex too hard on my downstrokes when writing near the top edge of the paper. But that is probably just the nature of the beast.

 

Sam

[KenD]

How about a piece of posterboard?

[marcomillions]

Hello Sam,

 

All of the major office supply stores sell "desk pads." (Levenger used to sell a great rollable plastic pad for their editor's desk. It was great: it was very "sticky" in relation to wood, so the pad wouldn't move on your desk. It was still a little sticky with respect to paper, so it sort of gripped the sheet you were writing on, but not objectionably so. It was very cushiony while writing, maybe it would have been too cushiony for onion skin. They don't offer it any more. They only want to sell leather pads--much more expensive, and,frankly, I don't like writing on leather.) If you go to oone of the big stores' web site and search for "desk pads," you'll get lots of possibilities, including some attractive ones around $15-%18. I don't think I'd buy one without going to look at and feel it in a store, though. Some of them are said by users to slip around on the desk. Others might hve the same defect but not have it reported yet. Good luck.

 

Marc