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I’m confused about the term vellum as it relates to paper. Can you explain what it means?
There is always confusion with the term vellum. Vellum is not one but two distinct paper terms: vellum as a Paper and vellum as a Finish.
Traditional vellum, like parchment, was an early writing surface. Traditional vellum was made from the skin of calves, goats and lambs. The vellum was prepared by a lengthy exposure to a lime bath and then the skins were scraped down with a rounded knife and rubbed smooth with a pumice stone. Vellum was known as a better quality of parchment with grain and hair marks producing a somewhat irregular surface.
Over time vellum was used to describe a high rag paper, usually with a creamy white color and smooth surface that imitated traditional vellum. It was used for the printing of diplomas and certificates. Today the term vellum is often used with a very clear translucent paper with a smooth surface.
Vellum finish is used to describe a somewhat toothy finish on drawing paper or bristol. Over time several like terms have been used to describe this toothy finish: vellum, medium, regular and kid.
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