Calligraphy, commonly referred to as decoration writing, is a lost art. It was highly pursued in the convectional days. But, the number of people interested in it went down because of technological advancements. Luckily, calligraphy is coming back, and numerous people are trying to revive this art. You can only get excellent outcomes if you have the right stationery, like the best calligraphy paper.
Choosing the best paper for calligraphy is not a walk in the park, especially for the newbies. Thankfully, you are here. You will learn the top calligraphy papers in the market and a buyer’s guide to help you make the right solution when making purchases. Remember, going for the wrong paper will ruin your hard work. Please go through the details keenly to choose what suits you best.
The perfect calligraphy we recommend you buy from our list is Calligraphy Paper: 120 Sheet Pages: Calligraphy Practice Paper. It comes with great features that you will enjoy. Some include many sheets and high-quality papers with enough thickness to ensure the ink does not bleed.
Our Favorite Best Calligraphy Paper
Best Calligraphy Paper Comparison Table
| Products | Descriptions |
| U.S. Art Supply (Pack of 2 Pads) -9” X 12” Premium Calligraphic Practice Paper Pad | Sheet Size: 9 x 12 Inches Sheet Count: 50 Paper Weight: 1.7 Pounds |
| Calligraphy Paper: Hand Lettering Calligraphy Book- 160 Sheet Pad | Item Weight: 13.4 Ounces Paperback: 160 Pages Dimensions: (8.5 x 0.4 x 11) Inches |
| Calligraphy Paper- Practice Book: 60 Lightly Ruled Sheets | Paperback: 123 Pages Item Weight: 12 Ounces Dimensions: (8.5 x 0.3 x 11) Inches |
| Calligraphy Paper Pad- Brown Cover- 50 Sheets, 8” x 10”, 20.32 x 25.4 cm | Paperback: 100 Pages Item Weight: 7.7 Ounces Dimensions: (8 x 0.23 x 10) Inches |
| Calligraphy Paper Pad (2, Pack, 50 Sheets) | Item Weight: 2.3 Pounds Dimensions: (11.06 x 8.7 x 1.14) Inches Sheet Count: 50 |
| Calligraphy Paper: 150 Large Sheet Pad | Paperback: 150 Pages Item Weight: 13 ounces Dimensions: (8.5 x 0.34 x 11 Inches) |
| Calligraphy Paper: 120 Sheet Pages: Calligraphy Practice Paper | Item Weight: 11.7 Ounces Paperback: 120 Pages Dimensions: (8.5 x 0.3 x 11) Inches |
Top 7 Best Calligraphy Paper- Buying Guide
1. U.S. Art Supply-9” X 12” Premium Calligraphic Practice Paper Pad
If your major calligraphy tools are either pilot parallel pens or chiseled markers, U.S Art Supply Premium Calligraphic Paper is the best you need to get. It has excellent weight and thickness to hold light ink applications. Even though their thickness is not exactly what the best calligraphy paper ought to have, it is excellent when practicing with tools that do not dispense too much ink. You can also use fountain pens on it, but it only accommodates upstrokes and downstrokes, provided you apply them with light hand pressure.
Features
Texturized Surface- Its surface is a little of texture. Thus, it is advisable to use pens with italic nibs or rounded edges and flat tips. Such a surface allows you to write seamlessly without scratching it or getting caught on fibers’ tidbits.
Double-Sided Sheets- This helps you to keep practicing. Hence, you do not mind using many papers for your practice.
Slanted Lines Design- These lines serve as guidelines for precise writing. The grid lines resemble the Juvale paper pads, but they are broader and longer.
Pros
- Good for light-handed calligraphers
- Has slanted lines for writing accuracy
- Double-sided sheets without margins
Cons
- Not suitable for dip pens and heavy ink applications
2. Calligraphy Paper: Hand Lettering Calligraphy Book- 160 Sheet Pad
Whether you are a beginner or a calligraphy enthusiast, this is one of the perfect calligraphy papers you can get for lettering purposes. In addition to being sold at a rate that everybody can afford, you can use it as an excellent gift for all occasions such as Christmas stocking stuffers, anniversaries, and birthdays.
Features
Slanted Lined Graph Paper– This feature in this paper makes sure you achieve accurate penmanship.
Sheets- It has 160 sheets, all sold at an affordable rate. This offers an excellent value of money because the sheets are large. In addition, they give you room to practice and enhance your calligraphy and lettering skills.
Great for Beginners- The paper grade is high quality and possesses specific letter-by-letter instruction. Therefore, it is an excellent book for newbies and anyone who has forgotten this writing style.
Pros
- Affordable
- Lined excellently
- Comes with instructions
Cons
- Ink bleeds in this paper
3. Calligraphy Paper- Practice Book: 60 Lightly Ruled Sheets
As the name implies, this book contains calligraphy papers to learn and improve your calligraphy and lettering skills. This means it can be used by hand-lettering and calligraphy artists. It is compatible with copperplate, Spencerian, and other script styles.
Features
It is sized at 9 x 11 Inches of Perfect Bound- It also has a premium softcover. This non-perforated book sized at 9 x 11 inches gives you big space to write on. Additionally, it is a perfect size that you can carry from one place to another because it can fit into a bag.
Sheets- This book contains 60 sheets of calligraphy paper. This gives you an ideal chance to practice and enhance your calligraphy and hand lettering skills.
Lightly Ruled Pages- The papers have lightly ruled pages with slant lines that help you practice calligraphy excellently. Also, these allow you to build consistency in your lettering.
Perfect 3:2:3 grid ratio-t comes with an ideal 3:2:3 grid ratio and 550 slant lines. The light rules grid makes your calligraphy practice to be more accessible. Additionally, the slant lines assist you in writing with a consistent slant naturally.
Pros
- Calligraphy paper for beginners
- Builds and enhances lettering confidence
- Portable
Cons
- Ink bleeds
4. Calligraphy Paper Pad- Brown Cover- 50 Sheets, 8” x 10”, 20.32 x 25.4 cm
Calligraphy Paper Pad- Brown Cover- 50 Sheets is another calligraphy book containing 50 sheets of calligraphy paper you can consider for your needs. It is a good book worth the price. Luckily, you can draw or write on both sides of the sheets. Also, you can travel with them anywhere you want because they are lightweight.
Features
Cover- This calligraphy book comes with a brown cover that is soft and durable.
Sheets– Inside this calligraphy book, you will come across 50 sheets that you can use on either side to do your calligraphy work. This means having this book allows you to use 100 pages for your calligraphy work.
Size– The size of these sheets is 8 by 0.23 by 10 inches. In general, this is close to the size of an A4 paper. This is crucial because it only occupies a little space.
Weight- The general weight of this book is 7.7 ounces. This is lightweight that guarantees its portability. Hence, regardless of whether you are going, you do not have to worry about what to use when carrying it.
Pros
- Affordable
- Durable cover
- Many sheets
Cons
- Ink bleeds on the paper
5. Calligraphy Paper Pad (2, Pack, 50 Sheets)
Many calligraphy beginners find it challenging to keep the letters in italic style. However, this is not an issue because there is a solution. Most calligraphy pads have been designed to have pre-printed grids that help newbies achieve the right slanted writings. With that in mind, Calligraphy Paper Pad (2 Pack, 50 Sheets) is ideal for your writing and hand lettering practice.
Features
Sheets- The pad contains 50 sheets measuring 9 inches by 11 inches. This is a general size of a copy paper. A pack is available in two pads. Therefore, in total, you will have 100 sheets. Even though it is a glue-bound pad, you can easily tear each page.
Texture- These papers are not overly rough or too smooth. Its finish is perfect because it can handle the transition of strokes and varied lines. It works best with brush pens. Nevertheless, you can also work with varying sorts of calligraphy pens. Also, dip pens can do best in these papers only when you go lightly with downstrokes.
Thickness– Comes with a weight of 140 gsm. Luckily, the thickness of these papers is ideal because the ink does not bleed or seep through. This helps keep your work neat and free from smears and messy ink blotches.
Pros
- Works excellently with brush pens
- Great thickness that prevents bleeding
- Allows you to produce perfect styles of strokes and lines
Cons
- Not good for flexible and sharp nibs
6. Calligraphy Paper: 150 Large Sheet Pad
If you want to build your skills in calligraphy like lettering, take your time to choose this artist-grade calligraphy paper pad. It is comfortable to use it because it is mainly ruled for practice. Additionally, these pads have a printed grid for slanted lettering.
Features
Sheets- Comes with 150 sheets of high-quality calligraphy paper. Therefore, you have enough papers to practice because calligraphy needs dedicated practice.
Size- Large paper pad measuring 11” by 9”. This gives you larger space to do intricate lettering.
Quality Paper- Whether you are using ink or pencil, you will get quality outcomes. Besides, it has diagonal lines that help you achieve the right angle for figures and letters.
Texture- This lined paper for calligraphy have smooth pages. Hence practicing calligraphy on it feels great. When using your dip pen, it will glide smoothly. Each page comes with light lines, slashes, and lines to help you separate each letter.
Pros
- Great for practicing calligraphy
- Ink does not bleed
- Smooth pages
Cons
- Not very thick
7. Calligraphy Paper: 120 Sheet Pages: Calligraphy Practice Paper
This best paper to practice calligraphy is good for intricate lettering and frequent practicing. A detailed layout of grid lines alongside blocks will guarantee you this because they will help you achieve the perfect form in each stroke. Additionally, they have lines in medium gray to ensure the patterns will not be too distractive to write on.
Features
Sheets- With this, you will have 120 sheets to do your practice on. This is an advantage because you will have more than enough to handle your practices.
Texture- This high-quality paper with a nice texture ensures effortless writing. Even though it is not very smooth, it works pretty well with brush pens.
Thickness comes with sufficient and solid thickness that holds ink and keeps it intact. But, when the ink is too much, it can bleed. Hence, you have to be careful.
Pros
- Good for beginners
- Has grid lines and blocks for intricate lettering
- It can help you enhance letter formation and writing style
Cons
- Heavy application of ink can cause bleeding
Best Calligraphy Paper Buying Guide
The kind of calligraphy practice paper you use can affect your progress speed and the lifespan of your nibs and brush pen. Thus, it is important to make sure you take your time to find the right one. Choosing the ideal one does not mean investing plenty of your money in them because some are sold at an affordable rate, and their qualities are high. To help you choose the best one, use the following tips during your search.
Thickness
One of the crucial factors you need to consider when working with inks is the thickness of the paper. This is because too thin paper can make the ink bleed to your table. You can measure the thickness of a paper by weight in grams or lbs. The most accurate is using grams. This is because the sample size is the same across the board.
Smoothness
The amount of evenness on the paper surface is paper smoothness. It can be determined by the material type used to make the paper and the surface treatment in the production’s later phases. A smooth paper can be critical if you use nibs and brush pens since the abrasion caused by a rough surface can damage your calligraphy tools permanently.
Acid-Free
When you say that a paper is acid-free, you refer to a paper infused in water and yield a basic PH of 7 or slightly higher. Such a paper can address the issues of preserving documents and artwork for a long time. An acid-free paper cannot get yellow or look old because of a change in PH balance.
Finish
Finishing a paper finish is the surface treatment some papers have. These treatments can make paper gloss, matte and high gloss. Such finish later impacts the smoothness and absorbency of the paper.
Price
If you want a calligraphy paper for practice, consider choosing a high-quality paper sold at a not too high rate. Remember, expensive does not always mean quality. Therefore, take time to find a calligraphy tracing paper that suits you best in terms of quality and budget.
Size
A small calligraphy paper is the best for on-the-going sketching or thumbnail creation. However, it is best to choose a large paper for practice purposes. Therefore, it is wise to pay attention to how big the pad or ream is to serve you better. This is a factor you should not overlook when buying printable calligraphy paper.
How to Use Calligraphy Paper
You are likely to be surprised after learning how simple it is to use calligraphy paper. It is the same as using regular papers. However, there are several tips you need to consider when using this paper. Following are a number of them.
Place the Paper on a Suitable Surface
This is the number one important factor you need to consider. Take note of the surface where you will place the paper. This is because decorative handwriting papers are usually fragile and require careful handling.
Here, you are advised to use a bump-free pad that matches the size of your paper. Doing this helps to ensure the nib does not slip while working. Additionally, make sure that the paper is away from water and anything else that can damage it. You can do this by cleaning your table or other surfaces you will be working on.
Do not Use your Pen Roughly
This is a tip that is mainly given to a newbie. This is because if you force your pen excessively, it may lead to ink leakage or tearing of your paper. Rather, it is wise to maintain a light and neutral grip. This will help prevent your calligraphy paper from being damaged.
How to Remove Calligraphy Ink from Paper
Making calligraphy mistakes on paper is not exciting. This is because it is not like the electronic device where you use the no command + Z. You can use ways to remove the ink from the paper.
Use an X-Acto Knife
Doing this will help you to scrape off unwanted strokes or ink spatters. You can use the knife tip to dig out any tiny ink spatters. Also, you can use it to erase a portion of letters. However, you can only do this after waiting for the ink to dry. Afterward, use the tip of your X-Actor knife to scrape back and forth over the unwanted stroke. The primary goal of this is to remove the top layer of the paper.
This method of removing calligraphy ink is usually noticeable because the paper texture will be a bit off.
Use Sand Eraser
Tombow makes a sand eraser gentler on paper than an X-Acto Knife. This is the best you can use for significant mistakes. However, this is mainly when the ink has not sunk deep in the paper. All you need to do is rub the ink gently with the sand eraser. If you are too aggressive, the paper area you erased will have a noticeably different texture.
Paint Over the Mistake
Painting the ink over it is the best way to consider if scraping it off will not work. If your calligraphy paper is black cardstock, it is worth considering a thick black ink or dark acrylic paint to fix errors. Remember, painting over an error will make a noticeable texture difference on the paper. But, this method is only adequate for minor mistakes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Which Paper Is Best for Calligraphy?
A: Cardstock is the best you can use for calligraphy. It weighs 65lbs. Even though it is denser, the paper material is more absorbent than usual.
Q: What Gsm Paper Is Best for Calligraphy?
A: A paper with 175 GSM weight is ideal for calligraphy purposes. Such a paper can also be used in drawing, creativity, light washes, and decoration.
Q: How Thick Should Calligraphy Paper Be?
A: The best calligraphy paper should have a thickness of 150 gsm. This size is the best because it helps prevent bleed-through even with heavy ink. A smooth finish keeps nibs from snagging the surface of the paper. This, in return, helps to ensure clean strokes and prolongs your writing tools’ life.
Q: Can You Do Calligraphy on Regular Paper?
A: You can use any paper for your calligraphy work. However, it is wise to experience a little bit to help you find the right ink for the project.
Q: Is Vellum Paper Suitable for Calligraphy?
A: A high-grade vellum paper is very smooth. If specs alone are what you are considering, the best vellum paper to get weighs 80gsm. Such paper withstands any ink you want to splotch on it. Additionally, the ink will not bleed.
Conclusion
Nowadays, you will only find a few physical stores selling calligraphy papers. This is because most of these papers are highly sold online. Hence, you need to take the time to choose the perfect ones. Luckily, we have analyzed several high-quality calligraphy papers in this article. This makes searching for the best calligraphy paper for your project or practice simple.
To make sure the one you choose fits your objectives, it is essential to consider your specific needs when making purchases. Note that your calligraphy skills are not enough without the right calligraphy paper. This is because it will showcase your decorative handwriting talent perfectly.