Monday, March 31, 2014

Paper Comparison - Brands, Whiteness & Initial Impressions

Below is the list of papers I am going to be using for the comparison ~ 15 in all.  I know this selection of paper brands isn't everything out there but it is a compilation of papers I had on hand, papers that were suggested and papers that Victoria sent me to add to my comparison!  Thanks Victoria!!  Just FYI the two most requested were Georgia Pacific and Neenah.

For the first part of the Paper Comparison I am only using "white" cardstock/index type paper.  (Note: I have a few different watercolor papers I'll be putting to the test later on.).


 Now you see why I put "white" in quotes.  I never realized how many shades of white there actually are until they are side by side!


The brands included in this comparison are (in alpha order):

Bazzill Basics - The Card Shoppe - Marshmallow 100lb
Canson Mixed Media Stock 98lbs
CC Designs - Copic Quality White 80lbs
Copic Xpress It 80lb
Crafters Companion Ultra Smooth Premium White 80lb
Georgia Pacific Cardstock (Index?) 110lb
HP Photo Paper - Glossy (coated) side
HP Photo Paper - Matte (uncoated) side
JudiKins MatteKote 
La Blanche Specialty Stamping Paper
Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 80lb
Neenah Exact Index White 110lb
Ranger Specialty Stamping Paper 
Simon Says Stamp Cardstock 120lb
Strathmore Smooth Surface Bristol 100lb

Brightness:

Now I have no actual scientific way to measure brightness of a piece of cardstock but to the naked eye in sunlight the whitest cardstocks were (in alpha order):

CC Designs
Crafter's Companion
Neenah 80lb CS
Neenah Index CS
Simon Says Stamp CS

The following were the yellowest of the whites:

Bazzill Marshmallow
JudiKins MatteKote
Strathmore Bristol 

Initial Impressions:

A few of the papers are coated - with what I'm not sure but the HP Photo Paper (glossy side), JudiKins MatteKote, La Blanche Specialty Paper and Ranger's Specialty Papers are all coated. 

La Blanche and Ranger's papers are extremely similar in look and feel.  

Copic's Xpress It cardstock is the smoothest/softest feeling cardstock.

Simon Says Stamp's cardstock is amazingly thick...love the feel of it.

Georgia Pacific's cardstock is a little rougher texture than the Neenah cardstock.

Neenah Classic Crest is 97 in brightness ($30 - 40.00 for 250 sheets) and  Neenah Exact Index is 94 ($10.00 for 250 sheets) - I honestly can't tell the difference - they look and feel the same to me.


1 comment:

  1. wow, I didn't know there was such a difference in paper colors. It's fun to see them side by side.

    Thanks

    Sandy

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your thoughts and comments!