Rubber Stamping Resource Page

Paper Information

January 25, 2000
This page is not a complete listing of all paper types available. It is just the beginning resource
for you to find out about the different types of papers. If you are a dealer of paper and
would like to add anything to this page, please e-mail me.
Jan@bydonovan.com

Four Categories of Paper

Coated Papers: Papers which have a very smooth surface on one or both sides of the sheet and are available in matt or glossy finishes. Excellent for cards, sculptures, collages, or other similar porjects.

Hanmade Papers: Paper most often made from cotton, linen or other natural rags in which the fibers occur in random patterns. Works well for watercolor and etching.

Specialty Papers: Papers which fall outside the other three types of paper.

Uncoated Papers: Papers which do not have some type of coating or sizing. The fibers align in one direction making it an excellent choice for folding.

All of these types of papers are excellent for papercrafts.

Types of Commercial Coated Papers

Art and Printing Paper: Heavy weight paper of high-quality which is coated in either a glossy or matt finish. Available in a range of colors. Works well for weaving, collage, papercuts, pop-ups, and paper sculpture.

Cover Paper: Heavy weight paper which is firm, light and flexible coated cardboard. It is available in range of colors. Works well for weaving, collage, papercuts, pop-ups, and paper sculpture.

Types of Commercial Uncoated Paper

Art Paper: Medium weight fine paper used by artist. available in a range of colors and textures. Works well for weaving, collage, papercuts, pop-ups, papermaking, and paper sculpture.

Bond Paper: Medium weight everyday paper which is used for typing, photocopying, and writing. Comes in a variety of colors. Works well for weaving, collage, papercuts, origami, papermaking, papier mache and paper sculpture.

Bristol Paper: Heavy weight papers of good-quality. Good choice for paper construction or bookmaking. Works well for collage, pop-ups, papermaking, and paper sculpture.

Cover Weight: Medium weight papers which are used for booklets, folders and cards. Available in a range of colors. Work well for weaving, collage, papercuts, pop-ups, papermaking and paper sculpture.

Drawing Paper: Medium weight paper which is stronger, more opaque bond type used in sketchbooks. Available in a range of colors. Works well for collage, pop-ups, papermaking, and paper sculpture.

Kraft Paper: Medium weight paper which is strong and inexpensive to use. It comes in a range of light browns. Works well for weaving, collage, papercuts, papermaking, papier mache and paper sculpture.

Newsprint Paper: Standard weight paper which is coarse and weak. It is used in the printing of newspapers and for rough sketching by artists. Works well for weaving, collage, papercuts, papermaking, papier mache and origami.

Parchment Paper: Medium weight paper which is of fine quality artwork paper. Available in a range of pale colors. Works well for weaving, collage, papercuts, pop-ups, papermaking, papier mache and paper sculpture.

Pastboard Paper: Heavy weight paper which is stiff and thick. Comes in shades of gray. Works well for collage, pop-ups and papermaking.

Recycled Paper: Medium weight machine-made papers are available in a range of pale colors normally. Works well for weaving, collage, papercuts, pop-ups, papermaking, papier mache, and paper sculpture.

Types of Handmade Papers

Chinese Handmade or Lace Paper: Variable weight of superior paper. Works well for weaving, collage, papercuts, papermaking, papier mache , origami and paper sculpture.

Handmade Rag Heavy: Heavy weight paper which is a heavier version of the light rage paper. It is of fine quality and is strong and durable. Works well for collage, pop-ups, papermaking, and paper sculpture.

Handmade Rag Light: Heavy weight paper of a fine quality which is strong and durable. It is available in whites, cold-pressed, hot-pressed and rough finishes. Works well for weaving, collage, papercuts, papermaking, papier mache and paper sculpture.

Handmade With Embedded Objects: Variable weight paper which is unique. It contains embedded items such as flower petals, plant parts, fibers, etc. Works well for weaving, collage, papercuts, papier mache and paper sculpture.

Types of Specialty Papers

Corrugated Paper: Standard weight paper which is light and strong. Often used in packing materials for fragile materials. Comes in a range of colors. Works well for weaving, collage, pop-ups, papermaking and paper sculpture.

Crepe Paper: Standard weight paper which is thin and rinkled in texture and appearence. Comes in a wide range of colors. Works well for weaving, collage, papermaking, and papier mache.

Rice Paper: Standard weight paper which is very thin and made from rice grass. Usually available in white or natural white. Works well for weaving, collage, papermaking and papier mache.

Sugar Paper: Standard weight inexpensive paper which is plain. It comes in a range of colors. Works well for collage and weaving.

Tissue Paper: Standard weight paper which is of fine quality and easily managed. Comes in a wide range of colors and prints. Works well for weaving, collage, papermaking, papier mache and paper sculpture.

Tracing Paper: Light to medium weight paper which is very transparent and comes in a range of thickness. Sutable for weaving, collage, origami and paper sculpture.

Types of Special Handmade and Mould-made Papers

Abaca Papers: Hanmade papers with an unusually hight tensile strength from the Philippines. Over 300 different types of fibers are used.

Antika Paper: Mould-made papers from Germany of premium quality in a range of colors and textures. Works well for all types of paper crafts.

Banana Stalk Paper: Handmade papers made for the stalks of bananas in Costa Rica. It is sun-dried which makes it stronger than papers dried by rapid methods.

Ebru Papers: Handmade marble papers from Turkey. Each one is unique.

Matuvi Paper: Paper made from elephant waste mixed with pulp from recycled office papre and cardboard from Zambia, Africa.

Paste-Painted Paper: Pigment is put into a starch medium and then painted onto the surface of the paper to create the desired color and texture.

SAA Paper of Thailand: Handmade paper from the bark and branches of the poh tree, more commonly know as the mulberry tree or giving tree. It is naturally pH neutral and durable.

Tapa Paper: Not a true paper. It falls into the same category as rice paper, parchment, papyrus, vellum, amate and huun. The inner bark of the tree is beaten and layers are felted together to form a single sheet. From the South Pacific.

Tree-Free Papers: Papers made from non-tree materials. These handmade papers, from India, are made entirely from waste materials of silk, cotton and wool from the garment makers and sugar cane, coconut and banana fibers from growers. There are over 150 different handmade paper products.

Vellum Papers: True vellum is made from the inner linings of calf or goat skins that have been cleaned, stretche and scraped free of hair. The vellum we buy and use for paper crafts is parchment or vellum like paper with a smooth and rough side.

[Projects][Templates][Shapes][Sayings][Tricks and Tips][Search][Track It!][Kitchen][Travel][Holiday fun][Workshop][Livingroom][Swaps][Links][Message Board][Vendors Page][Definitions & Explinations][Paper Information][Paper Sources]

This Website Designed by copyright 2000