Printmaking Paper, Sketchbooks & Rolls
Choose printmaking paper to suit your block or plate, ink and printing method. Our range includes lightweight Japanese washi, printmaking pads and heavier cotton papers, alongside sketchbooks for developing ideas. Start with the technique you use, then compare the surface, sheet size and paper weight. A sheet that works well for a hand-burnished lino print may behave differently under an etching press. Explore the options below, and use the buying guidance to choose paper for proofs, finished prints or your next experiment.
Fabriano WHITE WHITE: 300GSM Pad Sketchbook
£9.23 £15.53Price range: £9.23 through £15.53
How to choose printmaking paper
Match the paper to your printing method
For hand-printed lino and woodblock work, compare our lightweight printmaking papers. Awagami Kozo Natural Select 46gsm is a pliable washi option; Strathmore 300 Series 120gsm is designed for relief printing, practice and proofing. Make a test impression with your own ink and printing tool before choosing paper for a full run.
For intaglio or other press work, look for a paper made for the technique. Magnani Pescia 300gsm is a smooth, 100% cotton paper suitable for etching, aquatint and other traditional printmaking processes. Follow the paper's preparation guidance when your method calls for dampening.
Compare weight, surface and size
Gsm means grams per square metre: it describes paper weight rather than an exact thickness. Compare the surface and fibre as well as the number. The paper's colour and texture become part of the print, so check how fine lines and solid areas appear in a proof.
Choose a sheet larger than your image if you want a border for handling, signing or mounting. Check the actual dimensions, sheet count and selected pack option; inch-sized pads do not always match A-series sizes. Allow for test prints as well as finished impressions.
Helpful guides
Read our guide to paper for lino printing and paper weights and printmaking guide for more help choosing a surface.