Paper

Alpha Cellulose: Pure form of wood pulp that is considered to have the same longevity as cotton.

Antique Finish: Uneven finish created on the “felt side” of paper. Rougher than vellum.

Bible paper: Thin, opaque printing paper used for publications such as Bibles, dictionaries or high-quality publicity publications. The term denotes at least 25 percent cotton.

Blotting paper: A very absorbent, bulky paper.

Bristol: Heavy-grade papers that may have a smooth or vellum finish. Originally made from rags in Bristol, England, contemporary bristol may be made from wood or cotton pulp.

Buffering: Addition of an acid neutralizing agent to pulp. It protects from acid in the paper and/or pollution from the environment.

Calendered: A process of pressing paper between rollers, under pressure, to create a smooth surface (hot press) Excellent for pen and ink or applications where fine detail is desired.

Cellulose: Tissue extracted from plants. Raw cotton contains about 91 percent and is the purest form of cellulose. Hemp contains about 77 percent, soft and hard woods 57 percent-65 percent and kozo 66-77 percent.

Coated paper: Clay or pigment and adhesive mixture applied to the surface of paper to give it smoothness and opacity. Coated papers are often used for catalogs and other printed materials. They may be favored for technical drawing.

Cold Pressed: An intermediate surface (medium) between Rough and Hot press. It is created by pressing paper between cold cylinders. Also referred to as Kid, Vellum, Matte or Slightly Grained. Cold Pressed is the most popular watercolor paper surface.

Cotton Linter: Fibers that adhere to cottonseed after ginning. Used as raw materials for cotton fiber papers.

Cover Stock: A heavy paper used for its strength, brochures, cards, folders. It may run through copiers and computer printers.

Decorative Paper: Non-traditional papers that have unique finishes, textures, inclusions, patterns. Many are imported from Japan, Nepal, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, India or Egypt. Uses are unlimited and include collage, bookbinding, rubberstamping, card making, lampshades, screens and photo backgrounds.

Deckle edge: The natural, feathered outer edge on a sheet of handmade paper: it may be simulated by “water-cutting paper,” specialty scissors, or tearing paper along a ruler with an irregular edge.

Embossed: A repetitive surface texture, or pattern impressed into paper

Felt Finish: Felt pads with distinctive patterns are used to create textures on the finished sheet. The ”felt side” is often termed the “right side.” A watermark reads correctly from the felt side.

Glassine: A thin, translucent paper glazed and polished on both sides. Most often wood-free or acid-free often used as a divider sheet between paper-born artwork. Envelopes are made from glassine for stamp or collectible storage. Noted for its moisture-resistant quality.

Grain Direction: The direction a majority of the fibers lie in a finished sheet of paper. Fibers align parallel with the movement of the pulp. Machine-made papers have a defined grain direction. Handmade papers have a far more random grain. Paper folds and tears easiest “with the grain.”

Handmade paper: Sheets of paper made one by one with a hand mould. The wet, newly formed sheet of paper can be dried against blankets, hot pressed, cold pressed or air-dried. Some are very irregular in thickness. They may not be sized. Many “decorative papers” are handmade.

Hosho: Japanese paper made from sulphite pulp. Acid free

Hot Pressed: A very smooth surface produced by pressing the paper between hot cylinders. Also refereed to as high, plate and calendered. This is an excellent paper for fine pen and ink work or when precise control is desired. Does not hold charcoal or pastel well.

Kozo: Long, rough fiber from the mulberry. Produces strong, absorbent papers and is the most common fiber in Japanese papers. Naturally acid-free and lignin-free.

Parchment: A type of paper made from animal skin. The term is also used for pulp papers manufactured to simulate traditional parchment.

Plate: Paper that has been run through hot rollers to create a very smooth surface. Excellent for pen and ink, or detailed drawing.

Ply: A single layer of paper. If a paper is 2 or 3 ply, it means that sheets have been bonded together to provide a more rigid surface. Bristol and mat boards are such examples.

Rice Paper: a generic term for Oriental or Japanese papers.

Sizing: The addition of gelatin, animal glue or synthetic materials to control the amount of absorption of ink or paint.

Text paper: Paper used in the body of a print job. Lighter than cover, but can come in different textures such as antique, laid chain, vellum, smooth.

Tooth: The arrangement of fibers in the surface of paper forming little peaks and depressions that actually scrape the lead or media used on them. The more “tooth”, the rough, bulkier and more absorbent the surface.

Vellum: Two meanings 1)a slight toothy surface, 2) a highly translucent paper.

Washi: Japanese paper, handmade or not.

Waterleaf: Unsized paper that is very absorbent

Watermark: The translucent design or name visible by holding a sheet up to the light. The design is sewn onto the papermaking screen with raised wire so that the pulp settles in a thinner layer over the design.

Wire side: The reverse to the felt side, often referred to as the “wrong side.”

Yuzen: Silk-screen printed papers depicting intricate patterns from traditional Japanese kimonos or modern designs.