We are finally starting to see some Spring weather in New York.. just in time for the National Stationery Show coming up in only 12 days!
I is for Iris Germanica, May Day Studio, Saunders Waterford 140lb HP
U is for Underwater, Blackbird Letterpress, Pescia White 300gsm
B is for Bee, Maginating & Defrance Printing, Arturo Soft White 600gsm
L is for Lake, Paisley Tree Press, Artistico HP Extra White 140#
Legion recieved an inquiry from a potential eager zero-profit corp looking for their perfect paper. The purpose is all profit going to programs that support the arts, specifically those that teach art as a healing component, and to redirect troubled youth. They plan to create earning opportunties for those with barriers to employment (e.g. disabilities, seniors).
What were they looking for? A paper that has some tooth to it (e.g.stonehenge or artagain paper, both being perfect for colored pencils), but is sized externally and internally to handle ink, moderate watercolor washes and markers. Essentially, an all media paper that is the same on both sides, in a compact 90# weight or so, perfect for sketchbooks.
Our answer: You mentioned Stonehenge, which is a paper I created in 1971 for a bunch of various applications; primarily printmaking & serigraphy back then, but now the grade has become a real “go to” paper for all mediums, especially colored pencil.
You mentioned 90# - I am assuming you mean cover weight not text or book weight.
You also mention you want a paper that has texture and is the same on both sides: Stonehenge is relatively smooth and has very little texture or roughness – I did this deliberately when I produced it because the market wanted a semi-smooth (not hot press) surface.
With regards to the surface being the same on both sides, you will not be able to achieve that with a machine-made paper, i.e. Stonehenge, Lenox, Coventry Rag by virtue of manufacturing – machine-made papers will always give you a two-sidedness.
Take a look at some watercolor papers:
1.Waterford CP & HP (has some texture) surfaces – 180gsm & 300gsm
2. Legion Multi-media Aquarelle - 300gsm CP (has a medium texture), internally & externally sized, even though it is machine-made it is less two-sided
3.Lanaquarelle CP & HP – 300gsm
Ask an expert for your perfect paper.
The following is blatantly pinched from For Print Only, because they write better than we do:
Designer Lionel Scholtes could not resist the temptation to design his daughter’s birth announcements and have them letterpress printed...these announcements feature Brownstone’s soft monoline strokes and decorative swash characters with bold colors to achieve a nontraditional, ornamental but unfussy girly feeling that the designer and printer were going for.
Printed on Saunders Waterford
Pinted by Elegante Press
With 32 different chips, the BINGO FOR TWO project allows for fantastic designs on a variety of fine art papers. There was only one parameter: The chips must be designed within a 2"x2" frame - everything else was fair-game.
These set of chips courtesy of:
Shed Letterpress, Hot Foil Stamped on Plike Orange, 330gsm
Farewell Paperie, Letterpress on Saunders Waterford White CP 300lb
Lady Pilot Letterpress, Letterpress on Boutique So...Wool White Merinos, 350gsm
Printerette Press, Letterpress on Somerset Satin Radiant White, 500gsm
