Review: Testing 11 paper samples from Legion Paper (2024)

FAQs

Is Legion Stonehenge paper archival? ›

Stonehenge is an affordable paper that offers archival qualities at a machine-made price. Made in the USA from buffered, acid-free 100% cotton, this versatile paper has a smooth, flawless vellum surface with a slight tooth and a fine, even grain.

Stonehenge Paper – This paper will hold up to ink and graphite, but it's slightly pricey. Printer paper – This paper is good for rough sketches and working out your ideas. Daler-Rowney Artists' Sketch Pads – These are heavy-weight papers that work well with both pens and pencils.

Stonehenge is a traditional fine art paper with a smooth, flawless surface that is slightly mottled to resemble actual vellum. Use it for watercolor, printmaking, pen-and-ink, pencil, or pastel. Stonehenge is machine-made in the United States, from 100% cotton fibers. It's acid-free.

It's sized internally and externally with synthetic sizing. Each sheet has 2 deckled edges and 2 cut edges. This fine art paper is suitable not only for watercolor but also for silkscreen, pastel, charcoal, graphite, colored pencil, pen and ink, calligraphy, and letterpress.

This specialty paper manufacturer become part of one of the largest paper manufacturing groups when in 2002 it was acquired by Fedrigoni S.p.A headquartered in Verona, Italy.

So, what exactly is archival paper? Archival paper is a permanent, durable, acid-free paper, intended to last a very long time. It is typically broken down into two categories, conservation-grade and archival-grade.

Cartridge Paper

'Cartridge' is the standard type of paper that artists use for graphite drawing. It has just enough tooth (grain), to produce a pleasing slightly textured pencil line. Most sketch pads are white but some brands produce an off-white which is warmer.

In general, hot-press watercolor paper works fantastically well with colored pencils – and is usually heavy enough for solvents and most wet media – so feel free to try some other brands. Next is Legion Stonehenge Paper, which is available in single sheets and pads.

Stonehenge comes in many different colors. It is made in the USA and is an excellent paper to be used by the artist community.

Is Stonehenge paper hot press? ›

Stonehenge Aqua Watercolor Pad, 140lb, Hot Press, 7 x 10 Inches, White, 15 Sheets.

Cotton Paper: Watercolor paper made from cotton is the standard among professional watercolorists. Cotton is less susceptible to warping while also providing a much more consistent texture to the surface. Cotton paper can be mold made (machine made) or handmade.

As one might expect, rough surface paper is the roughest texture paper available. It is pressed between sheets of textured felt during the drying process, which is why it has a felt like texture. The heavier ingrain of texture means that granulating (irregular colour application) effects are enhanced.

In general, watercolour papers are made from one of two materials; cotton or wood pulp. 100% cotton papers are professional quality, and are considered to offer the very best painting surface. Cotton gives incomparable stability and ensures that you work will stand the test of time.

Fine art papers are usually made in the range of 120gsm to 850gsm. Oriental papers tend to be lighter weight. Drawing papers are more commonly 130gsm weight but the heavier weight Snowdon Cartridge 300gsm is immensely popular. Thicker paper can cope with more erasing and mark making.

Vellum. This is a translucent paper with many different uses for fine art and craft projects. It can be used to protect artwork, used with cards and letters to add decorative elements, and used as a tracing paper. It accepts pastels, chalk, colored pencils, graphite, and markers.

Generally speaking, good quality paper stored in good conditions (cooler temperatures; 30-40% relative humidity) are able to last a long time -- even hundreds of years.

Acid-free papers are made using alkaline paper making technology. This means the pH of the pulp that is used to form the paper is above 7 (neutral). The paper is also buffered with an alkaline reserve, such as calcium carbonate, to neutralize acid compounds absorbed from the atmosphere or formed through natural aging.

Pigment inkjet prints on archival quality paper could last with no visible fading for 75 - 400+ years, depending on quality of framing and display conditions. Silver gelatin fiber prints properly processed, framed, and displayed could last several hundred years or more.

Which paper is the strongest? ›

Because of its strength and durability, scrim paper is used to wrap heavy materials including lumber and steel. Scrim in the paper reinforces it to avoid rips and tears that would occur with regular paper when sharp edges or corners come into contact with the packaging.

Alkaline paper has a life expectancy of over 1,000 years for the best paper and 500 years for average grades. The making of alkaline paper has several other advantages in addition to the preservation benefits afforded to the publications and documents printed on it.

Japanese paper is going to be your highest-quality paper to pick from.

It leaves a black trace of writing on paper because it consists of layers of carbon atoms that: A.

You can reuse graphite paper a few times before the graphite wears out, so it's economical to save a sheet and use it a few times!

Molecules Make the Mark

Each tiny piece of pencil lead is made up of many molecules of graphite. Graphite molecules are flat groups of carbon atoms that are stacked in layers. The layers slide against each other and allow the lead to slide off the pencil point and onto the paper.

Writing and drawing with graphite pencils

Anyone with more experience in writing and drawing will usually choose a pencil with the medium degree of hardness HB; some feel most comfortable with the degree of hardness F. People who want to express themselves artistically use soft pencils of hardness grades 2B to 8B.

Trace paper is used by many architects on a daily basis when designing and sketching by hand — Bob Borson of Life of an Architect swears by it. It's very useful to be able to overlay plans, sections and elevational compositions on top of each other. Trace paper is great for detail or rough sketch work.

While a drawing may take dozens of hours if done on paper, it may take significantly less than 10 if done on a digital drawing tablet.

Baby Oil - Baby oil has always been a popular choice for blending colored pencils. The oil dissolves the binder of the pencil allowing it to be spread easily over the surface. Baby oil is safe, odorless, and easily spread with a soft brush.

What fixative is best for colored pencils? ›

Winsor & Newton Artists' Fixative

This workable fixative is an excellent choice for artists who work in graphite, pastel, pencil, and chalk. It offers great smudge and dust protection after you spray over a layer, drying quite rapidly so you can lay down the next layer.

You can color with the side of the pencil, without pressing down too hard, in the shape of a circle. Draw a shadow coming from the ball. Apply strokes in layers to try and achieve a gradual transition of tones from light to dark (from highlight to shadow).

I work exclusively on watercolor paper now, a big challenge was finding the right paper for the kind of work I wanted to do. Getting very dark tones in graphite is very tricky.

Great paper for painting! I tested 6 kinds of paper for painting and Canson was the best, imo. It is all I buy now. This pad is textured like canvas, heavy in weight, doesn't dry paint too quickly and is a great value.

It just depends if you're looking to have extra texture and character added to your piece, then it's best to use cold pressed paper. But if you want a more smooth and versatile surface that can also be with pen, ink and graphite, it's best to use hot pressed watercolour paper.

In a nutshell, the terms “hot press” and “cold press” refer to the paper's surface finish or texture. Cold pressed paper has a slightly bumpy, textured surface. But hot pressed paper has a smooth surface finish. You will also hear artists talking about the tooth of the paper.

What is a Good Weight for Watercolor Paper. For me (and a lot of other watercolor artists) the best watercolor paper weight is: 140 lb / 300 gsm. This weight is not too thin and not too thick.

Most watercolor papers come in three different weights- 90lb., 140lb., and 300lb. 90lb sheet is better for drawing techniques but not ideal for heavy watercolor. 140lb is most commonly used, but may buckle without stretching. 300lb could withstand more water and is better when using a heavy wash or soaking the sheet.

What should you not do in watercolor? ›

Watercolour is hard due to its unpredictable nature. Watery pigment flows wherever it wants, which makes it difficult to control. And since watercolour is translucent and appears lighter once the pigment has dried, it's hard to fix mistakes because they show through the layers.

Most watercolor paper needs to be stretched before it can be used as a good painting surface and to ensure that it won't crinkle when your paints dry. You can stretch the paper a day in advance for a perfect, smooth finish, or if you're in a hurry, wet the paper a few minutes before you start painting.

Inking before watercolor saves time. I find that the ink from a pen dries much faster and I can add watercolor in just a few minutes. However, waiting for watercolor to dry before adding ink can take a while.

Cold press allows for some lifting of the paint once it has dried; hot press allows for more lifting and alteration. Because of the way that light refracts on the two textures, cold press paintings aren't as vivid as hot press paintings. Cold press is absorbent and dries quickly.

Most standard paper uses recycled wood shavings alone or mixed with a small amount of cotton – to create it's super fine and thin appearance. However, watercolor paper – since it uses water – needs to be more absorbent than traditional paper. This is why watercolor paper uses cotton intertwined in it's fibers.

Stonehenge fine art papers are 100% cotton, with a smooth, flawless, slightly mottled surface to resemble vellum. They are acid-free, buffered with calcium carbonate to help protect artwork from contaminated environments.

Stonehenge comes in many different colors. It is made in the USA and is an excellent paper to be used by the artist community. You can use this paper for hand lithography, intaglio, letterpress, offset, pen and ink, pastels, charcoal, relief printing, silkscreen, watercolor and stationery.

Many people seem to think that acid-free paper and archival papers are the same thing, but that is in fact wrong! Acid-free papers are made with the same technology that make alkaline paper, but this doesn't necessarily mean they are the same.

Stonehenge is a traditional fine art paper with a smooth, flawless surface that is slightly mottled to resemble actual vellum. Suitable for watercolour, printmaking, pen-and-ink, pencil or pastel. Stonehenge is machine-made in the United States, from 100% cotton fibres. It's acid free.

Does Hobby Lobby have acid-free tissue paper? ›

18" x 24" White XL Heavyweight Mixed Media Paper is an acid-free, heavyweight paper that is great to use with a variety of mediums such as, acrylic, watercolor, pen and pencil. Fine in texture, this paper allows for easy erasability and seamless blending. Use with both wet and dry media!

Acid free archival paper can last more than 1000 years and is used in situations where art or documents require a longer life without becoming yellow or breaking down. It's also used commonly in the long term archival storage of art, documents and textiles.

But should you use Sharpies to draw on rocks? It depends. If you're just looking for a quick fun rock craft to do with kids, then Regular Sharpies will work. But if you want to make painted rocks that last without fading and can be placed outside, you'll be way better off using one of the other markers above.

Well, acrylics are one type of paint that tick pretty much all the boxes when it comes to appropriate surfaces on which you can paint: canvas, board, paper, and even some more obscure options like leather – you name it, acrylic can paint on it.

Acrylic paint works well for: paper, poster board, paper maché, Styrofoam, primed metal, terracotta, bisque, plaster, resin, wood, canvas, and more. Acrylics are often used for tole painting and stenciling. Enamel paints work better than acrylic on glass and other non-porous surfaces.

Alkaline paper has a life expectancy of over 1,000 years for the best paper and 500 years for average grades. The making of alkaline paper has several other advantages in addition to the preservation benefits afforded to the publications and documents printed on it.

From an elementary chemical point of view, if acid is causing decomposition, the solution is to deacidify it. This involves washing paper in a bath of mild alkali such as calcium hydroxide, calcium hydrogen carbonate or magnesium hydrogen carbonate.

Acidic papers have a pH below 7.0. Think of your newspaper, for example, which is based on the lower pH levels. Carefully stored, it can have a life expectancy of up to 20 years. Left to light and air which trigger its deterioration, it may last only a few weeks.

Stonehenge was created in 1972 specifically as a 100% cotton deckled paper for the printmaking community, made to rival the more expensive European mouldmade papers. It was quickly adopted not just by printmakers, but by artists across working in a broad spectrum of media.

Kent paper is paper that derives its name from the Kent region in England. In most cases it is made entirely from chemical pulp. It is very smooth, has a moderate amount of elasticity and thickness, and is well-suited for many drawing materials and writing instruments, including pencils, pens, and water-soluble paints.

What is the best drawing paper? ›