Graph Paper for WRITING?

[wvbeetlebug]

I work in engineering consulting. Lucky for me calculation pads are abundant. They're great for doodling as well. You can color in the squares.

[agpatel]

I work in engineering consulting. Lucky for me calculation pads are abundant. They're great for doodling as well. You can color in the squares.

 

Haha, funny you say that, that is actually what I end up doing during classes that get a bit boring. I end up making some interesting look pattern with colored in squares and triangles.

[HDoug]

This link doesn't seem to have shown up on this thread yet, so take a look at the pdf graph paper generators at http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/. Includes axonometric grids. You can set your own parameters and it will generate the grid. Really very cool. And free.

 

I use their Cornell ruling for taking notes.

 

Doug

[nkk]

I work in engineering consulting. Lucky for me calculation pads are abundant. They're great for doodling as well. You can color in the squares.

 

Haha, funny you say that, that is actually what I end up doing during classes that get a bit boring. I end up making some interesting look pattern with colored in squares and triangles.

 

I do that, too.

 

-Nkk

[Conan the Grammarian]

 

When taking notes, I indent sub-topics, sub-sub-topics, and sub-sub-sub-topics. Graph paper makes it easier to keep track of which level I am on and at which level my next notation belongs.

 

[mucephei]

If I'm not mistaken, many continental Europeans use graph paper for writing. Why that is so, I don't know.

 

 

I believe you are right - in France they do, which is why I think the French write the number "9" with a dog-leg, ie to fit into the square. French FPN-ers please would you confirm?

 

I suppose this is to help children write neatly.

 

But in England where I was educated, I recall learning to write only on lined paper. Graph paper with was for maths.

[tnmike1]

When taking notes, I indent sub-topics, sub-sub-topics, and sub-sub-sub-topics. Graph paper makes it easier to keep track of which level I am on and at which level my next notation belongs.

 

 

WOW what a greaat idea. I'm composing some classes from research books and never thought of this. What a concept. Thanks for the tip. Might make life a whole lot easier

[ilovemyducatis]

I use graph paper at work all the time for taking notes. We use a lot of expense account numbers and accounting stuff, so graph paper does the trick.

[lovemy51]

i mostly write on blank paper, only because i use hammermill laser 28lb copy paper (which i like very much) in my circa notebook.

 

hdoug's link is pretty cool if i want to get the graph or lines!!

[xeth3r41x]

i write small, so quad graph paper makes it look nice

[sph33r]

I've been wondering the same thing. I looked at Rhodia tablets earlier today and the graph paper turned me off to them but not as much as the top open does. I plan on trying a Field Notes soon to see if I like it. I guess I can see the benefits to the vertical lines but at the moment, writing on straight lined paper is all that appeals to me.

[blackranger63]

I just like writing on Graph Paper My handwriting has improved exponentially through the use of fountain pens and even more so when teamed with graph versus regular ruled paper. Don't know why. I guess the graph paper and the fountain pens remind me of my happy youth. I'm equally happy now, but those pleasant memories mean so much.

 

I actually got into fountain pens because my Biology II teacher required us to use dip pens with India Ink. I really liked the look of the dark ink, especially when we were allowed (not often) to use graph paper. We usually could only use blank paper. My tiny handwriting started getting better. I am sure that once I get a cursive italic writer I will be writing with the best of them (only after lots more practice of course). :roflmho:

[Johnny Appleseed]

I believe you are right - in France they do, which is why I think the French write the number "9" with a dog-leg, ie to fit into the square. French FPN-ers please would you confirm?

 

Not French myself, but I believe there is a style of paper known as "French Ruled" where there are verticle lines spaced about 5x the distance of the horizontal, making a sort of rectangular grid. From what I understand it is to better line up writing.

 

I prefer unlined or lined paper for journaling and letter-writing, but use grid-pads for note-taking at work, anything involving list-making, and any sort of writing sample or practice.

 

John

 

[Aristarco]

I wrote my first novel (the 30 chapters of it) in 5mm grid paper, or graph paper or whatever you call it. Here in México, we just call the notebooks 'Cuadernos de cuadros', Notebooks with squares. 7mm is the national standard for elementary school. I was surprised 3 years ago when they asked my son to have a big-square graph paper notebook 'cause I'd never seen such a gargantuan square to write, about 12mm. But he learnt to write easier on it than in ruled and double-ruled paper.

 

I prefer 5mm squares because, as most of the people in this forum might guess, I'm an engineer, and when laying out circuit boards, it's almost a 0.2" grid, which is helpful for pin spacing on integrated circuits and some components.

 

I use ruled paper from time to time but for lenghty notes or new stories for another novel, I'll always prefer graph paper. Besides, as one of the colleagues around here stated, it's easier or looks better with small handwriting, and mine looks like the size used for clauses in credit card contracts :roflmho: !!

 

I also make notebooks, since one of my hobbies is bookbinding, and the only non-blank paper available here in large (24" x 32" or larger) format is, yes, graph paper.

 

Graph to the bone, man!

[someonesdad]

Engineers and scientists become accustomed to using it. Lab notebooks at companies usually contain graph paper. Before CAD was available, people usually designed and drew on vellum so bluelines could be made from them (I love drawing and writing on vellum). For decades I used those light green engineering pads with 0.2 inch divisions on them. The main reason they were useful to me was because it was easy to make scaled drawings of things on them. All the companies I worked at handed that stuff out for free; recently I was in an office supply store and they wanted something like $5-$6 for a pad of that stuff! And it's crummy compared to the stuff from 20-30 years ago. Now, when I want a piece of graph paper, I just write a quickie program to make my own, then print it on the laser printer.

[Titivillus]

Engineers and scientists become accustomed to using it. Lab notebooks at companies usually contain graph paper. Before CAD was available, people usually designed and drew on vellum so bluelines could be made from them (I love drawing and writing on vellum). For decades I used those light green engineering pads with 0.2 inch divisions on them. The main reason they were useful to me was because it was easy to make scaled drawings of things on them. All the companies I worked at handed that stuff out for free; recently I was in an office supply store and they wanted something like $5-$6 for a pad of that stuff! And it's crummy compared to the stuff from 20-30 years ago. Now, when I want a piece of graph paper, I just write a quickie program to make my own, then print it on the laser printer.

 

 

I got a roll of tracing paper which is very close to vellum and pretty cheap to boot

[KevinD]

About 15 yrs ago when I was in college I determined that it would be a lot more economical and convenient to purchase reams of blank paper for my classes than notebooks (the per page cost was much less even for decent 24 lb paper, and it was easier to carry around a few sheets of blank paper than several notebooks). I've never gone back to lined or graph paper or even notebooks. I may have to if I get a job where these are necessary for IP issues (damn antiquated PTO) but then I'll fight to use a thin sketchbook (hate writing near the center margin or having my wrist hang over the edge when I write near the bottom of the page). I use a lot of equations / charts / circuit diagrams in my work so writing "straight" isn't really an issue, although after all these years I do tend to write straight just out of habit.

 

In fact now I don't even like lined or graph paper ... when I see something on graph paper I feel like I'm looking at something through a window screen. Not to mention that a lot of times the lines get confused with "real" lines on a circuit diagram, etc. And it's difficult to write a ratio without writing really small to fit between the lines or writing the rest of the line "on the printed line" if you know what I mean to keep everything together. On a weirder note I don't like someone telling me where I should write something. On a much more weirder note I feel like the paper is "used". Yep, I'm an outlier on this topic.

[BerneseMtDogEatsArco]

Yup. Engineers use it. It's standard fare, but pretty sturdy. IMO it's expensive, but I buy my yellow pads for about 10 for 10 at Costco, so who am I to speak?

 

[fuchsiaprincess]

I've been wondering the same thing. I looked at Rhodia tablets earlier today and the graph paper turned me off to them but not as much as the top open does. I plan on trying a Field Notes soon to see if I like it. I guess I can see the benefits to the vertical lines but at the moment, writing on straight lined paper is all that appeals to me.

 

 

Hi Brad,

 

Rhodia makes plain white paper too. However, I don't know why, but I prefer the graph paper.

 

Regards,

Soki

 

 

[Titivillus]

In fact now I don't even like lined or graph paper ... when I see something on graph paper I feel like I'm looking at something through a window screen. Not to mention that a lot of times the lines get confused with "real" lines on a circuit diagram, etc. And it's difficult to write a ratio without writing really small to fit between the lines or writing the rest of the line "on the printed line" if you know what I mean to keep everything together. On a weirder note I don't like someone telling me where I should write something. On a much more weirder note I feel like the paper is "used". Yep, I'm an outlier on this topic.

 

Take a look at engineering paper the lines are printed on the back of the page so you see them through the paper ( means they don't photocopy as well!) And the great man Tufte suggests doing graphs on the back of the page for similar reasons.