Are cotton paper and rag paper the same?

The terms "rag" and "cotton" are often used interchangeably. However, rag specifically refers to papers made with cotton textile remnants. At one time, it was common for papers to consist of 100% cotton rag. However, over time, rag supply for use in papermaking became tighter as the use of synthetic fibers in textiles became more common. Today, most fine art papers are made from 100% cotton linters or a combination of cotton rag and cotton linters. Rag fibers are longer fibers compared to cotton linters so they do provide extra strength. Cotton linters are pure cellulose fibers that are byproducts of cotton processing. Although the cotton linters' fibers are shorter than textiles, they still offer outstanding strength and archival properties.

Our 500 Series Drawing, Bristol and Illustration Board surfaces are manufactured using a combination of rag and cotton linters. The ratio of approximately 3 parts rag to 1 part linters is the standard composition for these papers. This is the same fiber make-up that has been used since these grades were first manufactured in 1893.

We have two great tools available for download on our website - our Paper Selection Guides. The Dry Media Paper Guide and the Wet Media Paper Guide provide ratings by paper types for the full range of media. Papers that are suitable for a particular medium are rated as good, very good or excellent. It makes it easy for the artist to find the best surface to meet their specific needs. You can access the Paper Selection Guides on our website. Dry and Wet Media Paper Guides

These studies of snow geese at the Bell Museum of Natural History in Minneapolis, MN were created in a 7.5 x 6.5 inch journal made with Strathmore Aquarius II. ©2007 Roz Stendahl

Roz Stendahl shares here techniques for bookbinding in our Autumn 2010 artist eNewsletter.  Here's an excerpt from her article.

Consider Strathmore Aquarius II for your next project. Make a portrait, landscape, or even square book to binding suit your working preferences.  These two diagrams provide ideas on how to cut or tear down a full sheet of this paper to make a portrait or a landscape journal.

In each diagram the letter "A" designates one piece that will be folded as part of a signature. I gather four of these together for a nicely sized and non-bulky signature of 16 pages. Five of these pieces folded as indicated will create a 20-page signature which is also workable because the paper is not bulky. It is important to keep the grain direction with the fold of your signature. Play with different page heights by dividing the 30-inch length into different sizes. When working out the width of your page, remember that you need double that width measurement because it will be folded, e.g., if you want a 10-inch page width you can only get one piece from every 22-inch strip because 10 times two is 20 inches. (You'll have two inches of waste.)

Speaking of waste, don't toss that 6-inch strip of paper at the bottom of the first diagram (labeled waste)! That strip runs with the grain and can be folded into 3-inch wide pages of whatever height you decide would be fun. That's how Diane and I end up with some handy little books that are perfect for field work, with paper on which we enjoy working!

Roz Stendahl is a graphic designer, illustrator, and book binder who teaches bookbinding and journaling at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts. Roz has prepared a short online workshop as part of the Strathmore® Visual Journal Online Workshop Series. Her workshop will begin in May 2011. Registration for this free class is now open.

To read Roz's entire newsletter article, download our artist eNewsletter Autumn 2010.

Drawing and painting papers need to have excellent surface strength. That is what distinguishes fine art papers from other papers. For drawing surfaces, the surface needs to have enough strength so that the paper fibers do not break down during erasing, layering, blending, etc.

There is a simple test that you can use to compare the surface strength of papers. We call it a “tape pick test.” You will need standard household transparent tape such as Scotch Magic Transparent tape and a dark paper or surface.

1. 1. Apply two 6-inch strips of tape on the front side of the paper surface, one in a vertical direction and one in a horizontal direction on the page. Fold over the last ½" of the tape, creating a tab for removing the tape.
2. Rub the tape several times using a fair amount of pressure to the entire area.
3. Outline the tape area with a soft pencil (but avoid marking the tape since that will produce extra pressure in the “test area”).
4. Allow the tape to sit for 5 minutes.
5. Hold the paper flat against the table and remove the tape slowly by peeling the tab back parallel to the surface.
6. Place the tape on a dark paper or surface. Examine it to see if fibers lifted onto the tape. Examine the area you outlined on the sheet looking for surface damage.

For highest quality of surfaces, the tape should lift no fibers and the paper surfaces should not be disrupted by the tape.

What should I look for when selecting a Marker Paper?

We suggest that you look for a 100% cotton paper. Cotton fibers are stronger than wood pulp fibers. Cotton improves many of the working properties that are important, including the paper’s ability to accept heavy marker coverage without bleeding, and allows for the building of colors and blending of tones. Cotton also improves surface strength.

The paper should have some degree of transparency if you intend to “trace” from images. A nice white sheet provides the proper background reflection for marker pen colors. Look for a smooth finish which allows the marker to flow across the surface of the sheet with little resistance. This allows you to work at a quicker pace which reduces the likelihood of feathering. Smoothness also helps artists achieve sharper edges.

More information about 500 Series Marker Paper.

What is meant by "rag" paper?

Rag is a term used today to describe papers that contain cotton rags and linters. Rags come from the clippings used in the making of textiles and from the reprocessing of cotton garments. Linters are the by-product of the cotton gin process. They are shorter fibers that cling to the cotton seed after it is extracted by the cotton gin. This makes cotton rag a more environmentally-friendly option compared to tree-based papers.

There are also a number of other advantages to papers that are constructed of 100% cotton. First, cotton cellulose is up to 10 times stronger than wood cellulose. Cotton is also lignin free. Lignin that is left in tree-based papers will naturally turn yellow or brown over time.

Cotton paper has become the preference of many professional artists because of its purity, durability and permanence.

I’m a vegan. What is paper "sizing?" I’ve heard that some companies use animal products as part of their sizing process? Do you use animal products in your paper sizing?

Sizing is applied to paper in the papermaking process to make sheets less porous. Without sizing, paper would react to moisture like a blotter. The type and amount of sizing applied to paper varies with each type based on the desired working properties.

Drawing paper is sized for surface strength, helping protect the surface for erasing. Watercolor paper is sized to help produce a consistent wash as well as help the scrubbing and layering of colors. We do NOT use any animal products as part of our sizing process. We use plant-based and synthetic sizing.