paper for nibs? - WetCanvas: Online Living for Artists (2024)

MuaviTeri

Hello new friends!
I’m a big fan of dip pens, and I love playing with them. I got into them a while ago and I still have a ton of questions, but the biggest and most frustrating question I have is;

What paper is best to use for letter writing with dip pens?

I’ve had some success with hot press watercolor paper and some success with Vellum mixed media papers but most of them still catch the delicate nibs and spit at me. lol!
I’m wondering what everyone’s favorites for paper are and if there are any surefire ways to keep the pens from spitting?
looking forward to your advice!
MT

current Favorite mediums: Watercolor, Dip pens, soft pastels.

Anonymous

Hi MT, for dip pens the very best paper is Bristol board period.
This is because 1. it has a HARD surface,this means even the smallest & sharpest of nib types will not dig in & pick up fibers from the paper resulting faltering & spluttering lines .
2.It has a NON-ABSORBENT surface which means the pen will give a a fine line exactly as it was designed to give & leave a faithful record (in it’s width) of the exact pressure you applied when you were making it. This non-absorbancy also stops the ink “bleeding” (creeping or spreading out).
East or West Bristol board is best !

Umm…….. except if you want to add watercolor to the line work,you will be just fine with light washes of ink or water color on Bristol board but it will not handle the paint with the same degree of subtlety as if it was W/C paper. So now you must prioritize on which medium is most important in this particular work – the line work or the paint ? Obviously this comes down to your personal style & preferences. If you lean toward the W/C paint then use high quality W/C hot press. If you want the best compromise in both media use then use a much cheaper HP. paper with as hard a surface as you can find.

When making this choice of which paper to use if using W/C paint with ink always bear in mind that water color hardly needs the infinitely subtle graduation in tone when the blocks of it are mostly outlined in black !
Mike

RoadLessTaken, Sheila in Philadelphia

While I have dozens of pads of Bristol Board I prefer “Borden & Riley” Paris Paper for Pens. I have found that sometimes Bristol Board allows the ink to feather- depending on the ink. The Borden & Riley has always been sharp, smooth, and resistant to feathering and bleed proof. Also, it doesn’t cause dip pens to “skip”. The only problem I have is finding more of this kind of paper. They do have it on Amazon but I’ve been getting it at a local Blick.

When I’ve done watercolor with ink I’ve used Hot Press Arches but I have learned that this sucks up the ink causing my pens to run dry quickly. I hadn’t noticed that until someone mentioned it. We learn something new everyday!

Sheila

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.
-Helen Keller
The question is not what you look at, but what you see.
-Henry David Thoreau

Anonymous

Well yes Sheila you may have come to that conclusion though your own experience from using the combinations of paper & ink that you have tried – fine:thumbsup:
But the fact remains that Bristol board is the gold standard paper to use when using dip pens & has been for over a century. As time has past various manufacturers have offered a few different options some of which have been really good for certain purposes but if you have had bristol board on which the lines bled then it must have been very low quality or the ink you were using which had some alcohol in it as a preservative .
Bristol board on which the line bleeds on is not worthy of it’s name !
It might be wise to include the choice of ink in this discussion ?
Mike

MuaviTeri

Thank you Sheila and Mike, I appreciate the info.
I’m curious how Bristol board folds, ideally I’d like to be writing letters on the fancy paper I get.
Also, It’s a good thing amazon has the Paris paper it looks like Blick is discontinuing it?!
lastly, it seems like there are three finishes for Bristol; plate, smooth, and vellum. It also seems like plate and smooth are ‘better’ than vellum. Any opinions?
MT

current Favorite mediums: Watercolor, Dip pens, soft pastels.

Anonymous

Bristol paper folding ? – No chance, it is called Bristol BOARD for good reason, (115/250gsm weight) & stiff with it !
Vellum Bristol board has a texture stamped into it & is good for illustrators who need a really tough paper with a key for long involved pencil drawings. Plate is fairly smooth but might like water colors a little better than the ultimate dip pen line drawing choice of smooth. Really the two finishes of vellum & plate are very recent options. If you like the feeling of dip pens you haven’t lived until you use one on smooth Bristol board, it’s a marriage made in heaven !
Mike

Virginia (vmrs) Administrator

I don’t think Blicks is discontinuing the Paris paper? It is on sale right now though.

For writing letters, you should use calligraphy paper. You can find it all over in various weights and colors as well.

I use all sorts of papers and boards, you need to vary pressure though when using lower quality papers and keep a rag with a bit of alcohol on it handy for keeping your nib lint free. If you’re aware of it, you can adjust for it.

For best though, I prefer Crescent No. 200 hot press illustration board.

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indraneel

It also depends on the nib and the angle of attack. I hold the pen very lightly far away from the nib when using bad/terrible paper. But it might take a lot of practice for writing… I only do loose sketches, nib needs to move fast

RoadLessTaken, Sheila in Philadelphia

Thank you Sheila and Mike, I appreciate the info.
I’m curious how Bristol board folds, ideally I’d like to be writing letters on the fancy paper I get.
Also, It’s a good thing amazon has the Paris paper it looks like Blick is discontinuing it?!

MT

MT, Paris paper sells out then comes back in stock, goes on sale, sells out…. it’s a popular paper.

Bristol Board doesn’t fold at all unless you score it. But that’s not great. Sometimes I’ll cut it down to a size I need. It works pretty well for laminated signs I often need for work I do. If you prefer Bristol board stick with the smooth. I haven’t seen plate and it’s the vellum I dislike most. When Bristol Board is on sale at Blick I buy the big sizes and cut them down for signage. The bristol board is decent for markers too. I need good paper/paints/pigments to stand up to sun and atmosphere where I use it.

I think it took me years, and then some, to find my way with papers. I’d ask for suggestions but ultimately I needed to find what I liked best for different mediums and styles. I have found that Blick sells tiny little pads of Yupo paper and a few others- I mean 2 inches by three so people can experiment without breaking the bank however, pervious to my move to Philadelphia I had zero access to art stores and it was so difficult finding what I needed just by recommendations!

As PP mentioned, the type of ink you choose will also be affected by the paper. I use a Rotring pen with their ink on Paris paper. Rotring ink smudges when I add color so it’s mostly my go to writing. When I do illustration I use plain old India ink. But it’s totally unforgiving. Mistakes are forever! (That would make a good tattoo!) When I first started doing signs I used poster board from the 5 and dime and Testor Model paint. That was 40+ years ago! (I had patience back then!)

I can’t tell where you’re from now. You might want to ask at local art schools if they have any suggestions or samples of papers/inks for you to try. Utrecht used to give good samples to students.

Have fun!

Sheila

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.
-Helen Keller
The question is not what you look at, but what you see.
-Henry David Thoreau

John Peters

I recommend this Leda notebook if you’re seeking for high-quality yet distinctive paper for ink drawings and pens. My favorite feature is the cream hue of its pages, which makes your artworks appear rustic, rich, and classy.