Lightweight Paper for Printmaking

Lightweight paper is a popular choice for printmaking, especially when hand printing without a press, as it transfers ink cleanly and allows fine details to be captured with minimal pressure. Easy to handle and versatile, it works well for techniques such as lino printing, block printing and monoprinting, making it ideal for beginners and experienced printmakers alike. Its thinner profile also makes it suitable for layering, collage or experimenting with multiple prints, giving artists plenty of creative flexibility.

• Very lightweight papers: around 20–50 gsm. These are often traditional Japanese washi papers such as mulberry or kozo. They’re extremely thin but surprisingly strong, and they transfer ink beautifully when burnished by hand.
• Lightweight range for Western use: about 60–90 gsm. These are often marketed as sketching, rice or lightweight printmaking papers. This is typically considered the upper limit of what’s still comfortably “lightweight” for hand printing.
• Above 90–100 gsm: Papers start edging into “medium” weight. They can still be printed by hand but require noticeably more pressure and may not pick up very fine detail as easily without a press.

For lino hand printing, lightweight usually means anything up to around 90 gsm, with 70–80 gsm being a very common sweet spot.