# Paper and pens and ink (oh my!)



## Adelio Altomar (Apr 29, 2008)

When I do a little calligraphy, I like to use a good sturdy paper. However, I don't know where to get such paper. What do some of you use when you're inking your artwork and such? I could really use a little help on info about various brands and weights.


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## Dyluck (Apr 29, 2008)

Adelio Altomar said:


> When I do a little calligraphy, I like to use a good sturdy paper. However, I don't know where to get such paper. What do some of you use when you're inking your artwork and such? I could really use a little help on info about various brands and weights.



Your best bet is just to try an art supply store. I get all of my art supplies from a place called Utrecht, and they're always knowledgeable and helpful in regards to whatever I need to buy.

Also, some people use watercolour paper for inks because the paper is absorbent, but there are probably better things to choose from among actual calligraphy papers.


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## shiftyfox (Apr 30, 2008)

I personally like using the flimsy smooth stuff more.  My nibs always seem to dig in too much with the rough stuff.  I don't know anything about paper though so I cant really help you out as far as specifics go.  I guess so far my favorite paper has come out of a cheapo bienfang sketchbook with 50lb weight (dont know what that means exactly)  Its also numbered 601 if that helps.


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## Dyluck (Apr 30, 2008)

Oh, shit, right. Depending on whether you're using a pen or brush, you're probably going to need a different type of paper. I immediately assumed brush when you said calligraphy.


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## Adelio Altomar (Apr 30, 2008)

I would assume the title would've made ya think, atleast. And that's one of the things when I'm using a certain pen, like Speedball, for example. Writes really well with it's smaller nibs, but with a Leonardt dip pen, that's a good choice for larger posters and such.


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## Dyluck (Apr 30, 2008)

Adelio Altomar said:


> I would assume the title would've made ya think, atleast.



Who, me? 8U


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## shiftyfox (May 1, 2008)

ya, I suppose the paper really depends on the type of nib your using too.  I've never done calligraphy so I don't really know what kind of paper works well with that kind of nib.  I'm using speedball right now, never heard of Leonardt.  

Btw, I just bought a shit ton of tracing paper on sale and I'm liking it a lot, you should give that stuff a try.


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## Marurun (May 1, 2008)

A good paper for caligraphy is sturdy parchment paper which they usually sell at art stores in large sheets. Although they do sell pads of the stuff online, too. Another good paper for any form of inking is smooth bristol since it's used mostly for ink drafting. Another type of paper that is really sturdy and absorbant is scrapbooking paper.


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## Adelio Altomar (May 1, 2008)

Yeah, David M. Awesome Aw'm tawkin' to yoo!

And I recently discovered today that those huge giant sticky notes you can buy at Home Depot ( or Office Depot, they register the same to me) actually work really and hold the ink quite nicely. They do not bleed the ink, even when that damn Leonardt pen dropped huge blobs of it on just one letter, thus causing me redip for another stroke of a letter, and they didn't deform the lettering! 

I might buy one myself!


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## Shark_the_raptor (May 4, 2008)

Try Hobby Lobby.  As far as what paper I use, I use 8.5"x11" inkjet paper.


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## Acisej (May 19, 2008)

Most people I know have fallen in love with the cheap, Wal-mart MEAD sketchbook paper. I think it's called "academe", and it's REALLY good. The paper is a bit awkward-sized, but other than that, it's PERFECT for inking, especially if you have the right pens. People think all my drawings are printed out because of the way the paper and ink blend. xD;
What's really nice too is that it's somewhat thick, so you don't have to worry about bleeding through. Also, if you do any pencil work (with the exception of the first few pages) it doesn't smudge easily when the pages rub together. =3


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## Inky Neko (Jun 1, 2008)

Strathmoore Smooth Bristol is my paper of choice. It's very versatile, I've had it take color pencil, marker, ink, watercolor, and acrylic all pretty well. I've found at at a great many art supply stores, including Micheals and A.C. Moore.


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## Kyoo (Jun 5, 2008)

Inky Neko said:


> Strathmoore Smooth Bristol is my paper of choice. It's very versatile, I've had it take color pencil, marker, ink, watercolor, and acrylic all pretty well. I've found at at a great many art supply stores, including Micheals and A.C. Moore.



I can second that. Bristol comes in both smooth and regular, the regular has a bit more "tooth" or texture. it is 100 lb weight, which means it is nice and thick like a business card. It is acid free so it won't discolor with age as other papers will. Any art store should carry it.


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## koutoni (Jun 6, 2008)

i like good ol' bristol board, or a nice illustration board if i'm working with gouache.

i recommend going to a good artist's supply store.  not Michaels or A.C. Moore (if yer in the States).  they're bollocks.


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## Adelio Altomar (Jun 6, 2008)

Acisej said:


> Most people I know have fallen in love with the cheap, Wal-mart MEAD sketchbook paper. I think it's called "academe", and it's REALLY good. The paper is a bit awkward-sized, but other than that, it's PERFECT for inking, especially if you have the right pens. People think all my drawings are printed out because of the way the paper and ink blend. xD;
> What's really nice too is that it's somewhat thick, so you don't have to worry about bleeding through. Also, if you do any pencil work (with the exception of the first few pages) it doesn't smudge easily when the pages rub together. =3


 

Yeah. I used to have one of those a few years back. I remember I, too, fell in love with it when I discovered it's sturdy hold of the ink without bleeding.

And yesterday as I visited Hobby Lobby, I became curious about parchment and bought some. I does alright but I expected a little more than that. It bled some with the Leonardt pen I bought.


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