A pdf is available for download here.
An excel spreadsheet is available for download here.
| Paper | Fiber | Surface | Format | Dimensions | Weight | Color | Sizing | ph (7 is neutral) | Soaking Time (varies based on relative humidity and personal preference) | Hand, Machine or Mould Made | Edges | Grain Direction | Relief: Hand printing | Relief: Press Printing | Intaglio & Collagraph | Screen Print | Lithograph | Letterpress | Chine Colle | Monotype | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acquerello by MagnaniAcquerello by Magnani | 100% cotton | medium texture cold press, smooth hot press | sheet & pad | 22x30 inch sheet; 4.5x9 to 14x20 inch pad | 550 (300 discontinued by mill) | white | light internal & surface | acid free & neutral ph | 30 minutes-1 hour | mould made | 4 deckles (sheet), cut (pad) | Long | xx | xx (hot press surface) | xx | Originally a watercolor paper, intaglio artists find it prints well. | |||||
| Arches 88 | cotton linters | smooth | sheet | 22x30 inches & 30x42 inches | 300 & 350 | bright white | waterleaf | neutral | Mist & immediately blot | cylinder mould | 4 deckles (2 natural, 2 tear) | 22x30: long, 30x42: short | x | xx | xxx | xx | x | xxx | Excellent professional screen print paper. Crisp white, dimensionally stable, smooth surface. Delicate, unforgiving surface as unsized. Excellent for Akua inks for monotype and intaglio. | ||
| Arches Cover | cotton linters | lightly textured, cold pressed | sheet & roll | 19.5x22.5, 22x30, 29x41, 31.5x47.25 inch sheet sizes, 42 inch wide roll | 160 to 400 | white, cream & black | internal with minimal surface sizing | neutral | 1-2 hours | mould made | 4 deckles (2 natural, 2 tear) | 19.5x 25.5: short, 22x 30: long, 24.75x 35: short, 29x41: short, 30x44 short, 31.5x47: short | x | xx | xx | xx | x | xx | Anecdotally, some printmakers report the black paper has poor bending strength, cracking after 2+ folds | ||
| Arnhem 1618 (Speedball) | 100% rag | semi-smooth vellum texture | sheet, pad & roll | 8.5x11, 22x30, 26x40, 30x44, 38x50 inch sheet; 5x7, 8.5x11, 11x14 inch pad; 50"x150yd roll (white) | 245 (90 lb); white also available in 320 (120 lb) | white, warm white, black, gray & craft | internal & surface | acid free | 30 minutes-1 hour | 2 deckles | xx | xxx | xx | xx | xx | xxx | Excellent beginning printmaking paper. Works well with Akua inks. | ||||
| Copperplate (Zerkall) | 25% cotton | medium texture | sheet | 22x30, 30x42 inches | 250 | white (slight pink cast) | waterleaf | neutral | Mist & immediately blot | mould made | 4 deckles (natural) | xxx | xx | xx | xx | xxx | Excellent for intaglio. | ||||
| Coventry Rag (Legion) | 100% cotton | available in either medium texture/vellum/wove & smooth/hot press | sheet & roll | 23x30, 26x40, 22x30, 30x44, 38x50, 35x44, 38x50, 44x60, 55x40 inch sheet; 60"x50yd roll | 235, 250, 290, 320, 335 | white | internal & modest surface | neutral | machine made | cut | long, except 44x60 | x | xxx | xx | Good proofing or introduction to printmaking paper. Very good for screen printing. | ||||||
| Domestic Etching (Legion) | 50% cotton, 50% sulphite | smooth side & slightly textured vellum side | sheet | 26x40 inches | 175 (80 lb) | off white | gentle size | neutral | Spray or dip in water or soak no more than 20 minutes & immediately blot | machine made | cut | x | x | x | x | x | Good, inexpensive proofing paper. High shrinkage. | ||||
| French Paper | varies, many are recycled | varies | sheet | 8.5x11, 11x17, 12x18, 12.5x19, 13x19, 25x19, 25x38 inches | 24-100 lb | 100+ colors | acid free offered | NA | cut | xx | xx | xx | Excellent for introduction level screen printing and very good for relief printing. | ||||||||
| Gampi | 100% gampi | smooth | sheet | varies based on type and gsm: from 15x20 to 25x37 inches | 16-50 | natural, Echizen Shikibu is available in 18 colors | none | neutral | Mist & immediately blot | hand made | 4 deckles | xx (with damp backing sheet) | xxx | Excellent for chine collé, extraordinarily strong paper. | |||||||
| German Etching (Hahnemuhle) | 75% cotton & 25% alpha cellulose | medium texture | sheet | 22x30 inches | 310 | white (slight yellow cast) | waterleaf | acid free | Mist & immediately blot | mould made | 4 deckles | long | xxx | xx | xx | xx | Excellent for intaglio. | ||||
| Hahnemuhle Copperplate | 100% alpha cellulose | medium texture | sheet | 22x30.7 & 31.7x47.2 inches | 300 | white & warm white | minimal internal & no surface | neutral ph | Mist or soak no more than 5 minutes & immediately blot | mould made | 4 deckles | 22x30: long, 31x47: short | xxx | xx | xx | xx | Excellent for intaglio, inexpensive. | ||||
| Hosho Student & Hosho Professional | 100% sulfite | professional is smoother, student is heavier with a coarser texture | sheet | 19x24 inches | 85 | white | Mist & immediately blot | hand made | 4 deckles | xxx | xxx | x (professional) | Professional is extraordinarily strong and can be used for chine collé. | ||||||||
| Ingres (Fabriano) | 100% wood free pulp | laid | sheet | 27x39 inches | 90 & 160 | yellow (gialletto), ivory (avorio), white (bianco), ash (cenere) & ice (ghiaccio) | medium | acid free | NA | machine made | cut | long | x (90 gsm) | xx | xx | xx | Economical paper with wide range of colors and unique laid texture. | ||||
| Johannot | 75% cotton & 25% esparto | light texture | sheet | 19.5x25 & 22x30 inches | 125 (19.5x25.5 size) & 240 (22x30 size) | white | lightly sized | acid free & neutral ph | cylinder mould | 4 deckles (2 natural, 2 tear) | xx | xx | xx | xx | xx | xx | Very good for intaglio. | ||||
| Kitakata (Awagami) | 80% gampi, 10% alpha cellulose | laid pattern | sheet | 16.5x20.5 inch sheet; 38 inch roll | 36 | warm buff and green white | no sizing, gampi has inherent sizing properties | neutral (6-7) | Mist & immediately blot | hand processed fibers, cylinder mould | 4 deckles | xx | xx | x (with damp backing sheet) | xxx | xxx | x | Excellent chiné colle paper, extraordinarily strong. | |||
| Kozo (Awagami) | 80% kozo, 20% alpha cellulose | laid texture | sheet | 16.5x20.5 inches | 46 | warm white | no sizing | neutral (6-7) | Mist & immediately blot | hand processed fibers, cylinder mould | 4 deckles | xx | xx | x (with damp backing sheet) | x | xx | xx | x | Inexpensive kozo can be purchased and is very good for beginning relief. | ||
| Lenox 100 | 100% cotton | medium texture, vellum surface | sheet & roll | 22x30, 26x40, 48x50 inch sheet; 60 & 72 inch roll | 250 | off white | neutral | 30 minutes | machine made | cut | long | xx | xx | xxx | xx | xx | xxx | Very good general use paper, inexpensive. | |||
| Masa | 100% sulphite | smooth side, rough side | sheet | 21x31 inch sheet; 43 inch roll | 77 | bright white | medium sizing | acid free | Mist & immediately blot | machine made | xxx | xxx | x (with damp backing sheet) | x | xx | xx | x | Excellent and affordable for beginning relief printing. | |||
| Mohawk Superfine | from 100% virgin pulp to up to 30% post-consumer waste fiber | smooth and eggshell | sheet | 8.5x11 to 26x40 inches | various text and cover weights | ultrawhite, white, softwhite | varies by selection | acid free & archival | NA | machine made | cut | xxx | xxx | ||||||||
| Mulberry | 80% thai kozo, 20% sulphite | laid | sheet & roll | 25x33.5 inch sheet; 27 & 38 inch roll | 45 | natural | no sizing | acid free | Mist & immediately blot | machine made | 4 deckles | xxx | xxx | x (with damp backing sheet) | x | xx | xx | x | High wet strength makes it a good option for damp printing intaglio, lithography and monotype. | ||
| Okawara | 100% kozo (Handmade); kozo & sulfite (Student and Pro) | subtle texture | sheet | 12x16 (Handmade) & 38.5x73 (Professional) inches | 51 | white & natural | light sizing | neutral (6-7) | Mist & immediately blot | Okawara Machine Made is machine made; Okawara Student and Okawara Handmade are handmade | 4 deckles (Handmade & Student), 2 deckles (Pro) | xxx | xxx | x (with damp backing sheet) | xx | xx | xxx | x | |||
| Pescia (Cartiere Magnani) | 100% cotton | smooth texture | sheet & pad | 22x30 inch sheet; 9x12 & 12x18 inch pad | 300 | white, soft white, gray, cream, light blue | internal sizing & very little surface sizing | acid free & neutral ph | 30 minutes-1 hour | mould made | 4 deckles | long | xx | xxx | xx | xx | xxx | xxx | Old Pescia stock was excellent with consistent quality, ideal for intaglio. Mid-2010s a new mill started production and the new paper stock may be inconsistent in quality. | ||
| Revere (Cartiere Magnani) | 100% cotton | silk (smooth), suede (medium) and felt (rough) surface available | sheet | 22x30, 30x40 & 42x56.5 inches | 250-330 (book weight also available) | polar white, standard white, warm white, ivory, bisque & black | acid free | mould made | 4 deckles | xx | xxx | xx | xxx | xx | xxx | Excellent paper for multiple printmaking processes. | |||||
| Rives BFK | 100% cotton | smooth with soft texture | sheet & roll (white only) | 19.5x25.5, 22x30, 24.75x35.25, 29x41, 30x44, 31.5x47.25 inch sheets; 42 inch wide rolls | 180, 250, 270, 280, 300 | white, cream, grey, off white, tan | soft internal, moderately sized | acid free & neutral ph | 1-2 hours (new BFK may require a shorter soak time) | cylinder mould | dependent on sheet size, many with 4 deckles (2 natural, 2 tear) | 22x30: long, all other sheet sizes: short | xx | xxx | xx | xxx | xx | xxx | Excellent for most printmaking applications, dimensionally stable and can withstand multiple runs and layers. Requires a long soak to print full detail in intaglio. | ||
| Rives Lightweight & Heavyweight | 100% cotton | smooth with soft texture | sheet | 19x26 & 26x40 inches | 115 (Lightweight) & 175 (Heavyweight) | white & cream | internally sized with soft surface sizing | acid free & neutral ph | 5-30 minutes (lightweight may need a shorter soak time) | 19x26 inch sheet has 2 natural deckles, 1 tear deckle and 1 cut edge; 26x40 inch sheet has 4 deckles (2 natural, 2 torn) | 19x26: short, 26x40: long | x (Lightweight only) | xx | xx | xx | xxx | Rives lightweight is very a general beginning printmaking paper, and is very good for litho. | ||||
| Rosaspina (Fabriano) | 60% cotton, 40% alpha cellulose | wove surface | sheet | 20x27 & 27.5x39 inches | 220, 285 | white and ivory (pinkish hue) | soft internal with no surface sizing | neutral | 30 minutes | cylinder mould | 2 deckles | xx | xxx | x | xx | x | xx | Excellent for intaglio. | |||
| Sekishu | kozo and sulphite, mix varies by paper from 100% kozo, to 50% kozo 50% sulphite | laid, smooth to soft texture | sheet & roll | 21x28.5 & 25x38 inch sheet depending on gsm; 38 inch wide roll by 5 or 60 meters | 10-33 | white & natural | none | acid free | Mist & immediately blot | machine or hand-beaten kozo fibers, handmade | 4 deckles | xxx | xx | x (with damp backing sheet) | xx | xx | x | xxx | x (with damp backing sheet) | Works well for multiple processes and combining print media. | |
| Somerset | 100% cotton | satin (smooth), velvet (light texture) & textured | sheet & roll | 22z30, 30x44, 35x46.7 inch sheet, 60 inch roll | 250-410 | radiant white, white, soft white, cream, antique, buff, newsprint gray, black | soft internal | acid free & neutral ph | Mist or soak no more than 5 minutes & immediately blot | cylinder mould | 4 deckles | long, except for 35x46.75 | xx | xxx | xx | xx | xxx | xx | Very good for aquatint. | ||
| Stonehenge | cotton linters | smooth texture | sheet, pad & roll | 22x30, 26x40, 30x44, 38x50 inch sheet; wide range of pad sizes from 2.5x3.75 to 18x24 inches; 50 inch wide roll | 135 & 250 | wide range of soft colors and black | internal & minimal surface size | acid free & neutral ph | 45 minutes-2 hours | machine made | 2 deckles | long | xx | xx | xxx | xx | xx | xx | Good all around printmaking paper for beginning printmakers. Sometimes does not print subtle intaglio details well. | ||
| Strathmore 400 Series Heavyweight Printmaking | high alpha cellulose | medium texture, soft | sheet & pad | 22x30 inch sheet; 5x7, 8x10, 11x14 & 18x24 inch pad | 280 | white | acid free | 15-30 minutes | (note, Strathmore 300 can hand print relief with firm pressure) | xx | x | xx | xx | xx | xx | Good all around printmaking paper for beginning printmakers. | |||||
| Zerkall Book | 10% cotton, 90% high alpha cellulose | laid, medium texture/vellum/wove & smooth/hot press | sheet | 20.75x30 & 24x34 inches | 100, 125 & 145 | white & ivory | acid free & neutral ph | NA | mould made | 4 deckles | x (100gsm) | xx | x | xx | Superior folding and binding characteristics, excellent choice for bookmaking. | ||||||
| Zerkall Litho | 100% high alpha cellulose | smooth | sheet | 22x30 & 30x42 inches | 270 | white | neutral | NA | mould made | 4 deckles | 22x30: long, 30x42: short | xxx | Smooth paper, prints black and white litho beautifully. May need to lightly calender before multi-color printing. Can print 6-7 colors well before becoming slick. |
