Paper For Hand-Written Books

[Venger]

Howdy, FPN! I have passed through here a few times in search of calligraphy related questions I have had. But this time I wasn't able to find what I was specifically looking for. SoI figured it was time I joined and querried y'all with a quandry of mine own.

 

I have intent to write a book by hand. Several of them in fact, if my patients holds out. But so far the endeavor has ended before it has even begun! I am having a great deal of difficulty in finding the right kind of paper. You see, I am after soemthing that doesn't show through the otherside. I am experienced a small sampling of decent grade papers, and I am very happy with the results they give, but in all cases, I can clearly see the lettering from the other side of the paper. This isn't bleeding I am talking about, just an issue with paper translucency.

 

Will a higher weighted paper reduce this issue? I would be happy if it did, for it would spell a measure of hope in my search. But to be perfectly honest, I'd rather not use something like cardstock to write a book on. Not only would it be ridiculously heavy (which may not be a terrible idea actually), but it would leave the pages feeling too thick and too difficult to bend.

 

Is there a paper that will offer a compromise between thickness and translucency? Or is vellum the only way to go? Or perhaps my ink is too thin? Any tips, advice, knowledge, links, etc?

 

Thanks in advance,

Venger

Edited September 20, 2013 by Venger

[Centopar]

What you are experiencing is called ghosting - this is different from bleedthrough, where the ink actually seeps through the paper. Which papers have you sampled? I like Clairefontaine paper (which is the same paper Rhodia uses). With a fine nib I do not see any ghosting; with any of my wetter nibs (i.e. most of my pens - I love a wet nib) I have to write on one side only if I am feeling sensitive about ghosting. (My current travel journal is Clairefontane paper, I'm using gushy nibs, and I'm only using one side of the paper.)

 

I suspect you'll have better luck with a variety of papers if you vary your pens and nibs (and, possibly, your inks). And it may seem anathema at the moment, but try writing on both sides of paper you find you have minimal ghosting on. You may discover that the effect is not unlovely, and that you do not dislike it as much as you think you do.

Edited September 20, 2013 by Centopar

[smk]

Do you plan on writing on both sides? If so, you will be surprised at how little the writing from the other side shows through when both sides are written on. Even on the best of paper you will see some ghosting but in most cases it is light enough that writing on the other side renders it almost invisible.

 

Salman

[ac12]

Yes heavier paper will generally have less ghosting/shadowing.

Try 28 or 32 pound paper. The thicker paper blocks the view of the ink on the other side.

The problem that I have with the thicker paper, is that they are blank, no lines to help me keep my writing straight. I have to us a guide sheet under the paper to provide that. But as with shadowing, a guide sheet is VERY difficult to see with heavier paper. 28# is about my limit, I can barely see the guide sheet with 32# paper, and only if I have a good light overhead.

[smk]

Your guidelines will show up better if you light up your work from behind by using a light box (or by placing a lamp under a glass table).

 

A light box is a very useful tool that many calligraphers use on a regular basis. It is a bit pricey if you buy it but it might be worth it for you since you are going to be using it on a regular basis. You can make one yourself fairly easily - all you need is a translucent background with a light source behind it.

 

S.

 

ps. - lighting your work from behind also reduces the strain on your eyes compared to bright overhead lighting.

[Venger]

Of late I am using some 24 lb resume paper I got for free from a friend. It is rather nice to write on. There is no snagging of the fibers. The company's watermark that made the paper prevents the paper from being used on anything finale, but it does serve excellently for practice.

 

I have also used the obvious 20 lb prinint paper. Great but not grand, as we all know. I have several large sheets of what I think is some sort of vellum, though I am not 100% sure what it is. I got it several years ago, before I seriously took up calligraphy. Whatever it is, it is absolutely beautiful to write on.

I also have a reem of what i think is 24 lb paper as well, that I recieved as a gift from my mother. I believe she bought it through some sort of office supply store. It has a parchment look to it. Again, I use this primarily for practce, and am hapy with it.

 

In all cases, discounting the 20 lb printing paper, I do experience ghosting. I am glad to hear that higher weighted papers do reduce ghosting. It also makes sense to me that smaller nibs would see less ghosting. I'll give it a try. The point of not seeing the ghosting as much after both sides are written on also seems logical; it only sems predominant on the oppostite side because the paper is the only contrast to the ink.

 

I like the lighted background idea. I have been toying with the idea of making myself a calligraphy desk, with a tilting table, light box, and perhaps some specialized comparments for nibs, nib holders, and ink, etc. I guess the absolute need for the light box solidifies those ideas.

 

Thanks for the input. I know compared to most of you guys this is fairly routine advice passed out, and I apologoze for the repition, should it exist. But I was quickly becoming frustrated with Google, and the huge limitations and diversions my searching gave. I'll give your advice a go and tell you about it later.

 

Thanks again!

[kazoolaw]

I don't know whether you are looking for loose paper, or bound.

 

I have used these for years: note that they have 70 pound paper, which I've never had ghost through:

 

http://www.dickblick.com/products/cachet-wirebound-sketchbooks/

 

 

You might troll through the site for similar weight paper, watching the texture if you're going to use a fountain pen with a narrow/italic nib.

 

Good luck with your book,

 

gary

 

PS-Here's a page at the same site with some elementary paper info. If nothing else, use the terms to search on the net for further info: http://www.dickblick.com/productinfo/learn/paper/#question5

Edited September 21, 2013 by gary

[Venger]

Thanks for the links Gary. I'll give them a look-see.

 

Yes, I am after loose leaf paper preferrably. I'll be doing my own binding. And while I am not opposed to using regular 8 1/2" x 11" paper, then folding it in half for books pages, I WOULD like to get larger sheets if I can. Does any one know if higher grade paper, such as the 70 lb paper Gary suggested come in anything larger than the stanard A4 size?

 

One other thing I thought about after I read your post Gary; if I start using such heavy weight papers, such as 70 lb, won't this start to make things feel bulky? Particularly in page flipping. I have never held any weight paper over 24 pounds, except cardstoock mind you, so I don't know what to expect.

 

ADDITION: So after a bit more looking at specific papers, and from research here through FPN, I have found a couple variants of Strathmore that I have questions about. What is the difference between Strathmore's Calligraphy and Parchment papers? The pricing is about the same, Calligraphy is a bit high by about a dollar, but is there any significant difference in the quality/texture/etc.? Or is it simply a marketing thing?

Edited September 22, 2013 by Venger

[dcwaites]

Since you're in Aus, have a look at a couple of products from Officeworks.

1) Nu: Elite B5 or A4 PU covered notebooks, either Flexi or Wiro bound

2) Fuji Xerox Carbon Neutral Business paper (in A4 [FXBFSCA4RM] or A3 [FXBFSCA3RM]).

 

I have tried both products with a wide variety of inks and pens and found no feathering or bleedthrough. You might find a bit of ghosting if using a black ink in a wettish pen with the Fuji Xerox paper.

Don't be put off by the relatively cheap price of the Fuji paper, though. I have tried a number of their products from the cheap to the expensive, but the Carbon Neutral Business has the best ink performance of all of them.

 

You might also drop in to a print shop and see if they have any papers in A3 that might suit your needs.