» Your Preference for Paper Color
I’ve always been more of a fan of writing on off-white paper than white. I think the off-white is easier on the eyes for long writing sessions, but I do like the intensity of a white page for brainstorming, mind-maps, and event planning. Fans of fountain pens love to use the plethora of available ink colors and while I know that white paper will really show them in their glory, I don’t mind the nice warm hue that the off-white paper adds to my favorite ink colors.
Which color paper do you prefer and why?
Comments
It really depends on the day, the mood and the purpose–I like both.
Off-white or cream. Most of the stark white paper I’ve tried has either a pinkish or bluish hue around the edges while I write, which is very distracting. I’ve never had this problem with cream colored paper.
Doesn’t it depend on the ink? I love the way a bright paper can make a blue or purple “pop” – but then I also like browns and greens on cream paper…
Choosing between two colors of the exact same paper, I would choose bright white or ivory (slightly off white, no hint of yellow). But if a wonderful paper was produced only in pale yellow, I’d use it, for the quality of the paper itself.
White. Both for the purity of the ink color, but also because it’s more restful for my eyes. The yellow undertones of the off-white make my eyes tired when I’m transcribing many pages, especially under incandescent bulbs. It’s one of the reasons I don’t use yellowish greens, as they seem to fade away to my straining eyes, especially after dark. Whereas the white provides better contrast to my vision.
I like off white when using Cafe des Iles ink (brown) by J. Herbin. I just love the way it looks! Private Reserve Ultra Black also looks especially nice.
When I want to see ink shading, I prefer the bright white of Clairefontaine paper.
So I guess my answer is: both.
I have always preferred ivory or offwhite pages, probably due to my horrible eyesight. White pages may present ink colors better, but the warming effects on ivory papers are irresistible.
I’m for off-white. As mentioned by others, it’s easier on my degrading eyesight. I also prefer green and brown ink colours and I find these tend to show better on off-white paper.
Off white is my favorite as I feel that white is too common, too readily available. The same note, using the same ink, pen and words will bring a completely different impact with off white.
I enjoy the white paper best because the contrast is more profound with any ink. Brighter contrasts seem fresher and more exciting. Rhodia’s white with grid lines is also very appealing to the eye.
Has to be white for me.
Wish Rhodia webbies were all in bright white paper.
I think for me it depends no the ink more than anything. I like how the Herbin Violette Pensee pops off the page on a bright white page — it’s like writing with a liquid amethyst. However, Larme De Cassis is more of a mauve-y color and I like the way it looks on an off white page because it’s more of a colonial or antique color. you can’t tell I love purple ink, can you? :)
White paper to a subtle ivory. Because I work with a lot of color, I prefer papers that don’t change the shade of the inks I’m using. But I’ll use a notebook with yellow-ish paper if the paper itself is high quality.
Bright white is my favourite because I like to use a lot of different coloured pens when I write and bright white, I find, shows the colours off better.
Natural white, off-white or cream/ivory. “Bright white” paper has optical brightening agents, essentially fluorescent dyes that convert UV to blue. They may make the paper whiter initially, but fade over time.
I prefer white just about all the time, but for correspondence, I do like off-white from time to time. I like white because it gives me a ‘truer’ color for my inks, and as many of you know, I’m definitely an ink freak. That said, I would argue that a lot of people really like off-white paper, at least that’s what I’m told by a lot of the pen fans I talk to.
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