My favorite tools and craft materials 01
PAPERS
It is not an exaggeration when I say that I have loved working with paper since I was a child.
When I was 8-9 years old, it was an unforgettable summer when we made paper dolls with lots of clothes with the neighboring girls. Then we built a paper dollhouse, fully furnished. The whole summer was spent with this, not a single minute was boring.
The biggest problem was when we ran out of liquid glue and since that happened a long time ago, I can’t tell you how many years ago, the paper store wasn’t open on weekends and there were no shopping centers yet. (Well, I grew up in Hungary, we were a bit “late.”)
Later, when drawing study drawings and portraits, I experienced how much better it is to draw on high-quality paper.
As a graphic designer, I treasure the paper sample books of the major paper companies. Touching, caressing the paper. I am attracted to paper thickness above 300 gsm.
I have paper samples from them:
https://www.arcticpaper.com/brands/munken/
https://www.gfsmith.com
http://www.fedrigoni.com
https://www.conqueror-paper.co.uk/
https://www.koehlerpaper.com
https://www.jamescropper.com/
There is still a lot of paper around me. I work with paper. Today, when choosing paper, apart from its quality and color, an important consideration is that it is compatible with the Cricut cutting machine. The composition of the paper determines how well it can be cut with the Cricut Maker without tearing or creasing. It can withstand the cutting out of small details, it can even be suitable for a lace-like result.
Since I use a lot of paper to make test versions, mock-ups, and models, it is important that the quality is also affordable.
The speed of acquisition also matters. It’s no surprise that I order a lot of paper from Amazon, it’s an indispensable source of purchase today. I mostly use Canson papers, but I also buy House of Card papers too:
Canson Iris Vivaldi A3 185 GSM Smooth Colour Paper
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JMD091G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
Canson Imagine A4 200g White Mixed Media Paper
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00B2NUL2G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
House of Card & Paper A3/297 x 420 mm 220 GSM Coloured Card
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01M07HKMN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Dalton Manor A4 160GM Card
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07DFGNPFM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
A4 Metallic Shimmer Paper, Nacre Red Stationery Paper Sheets for Arts and Crafts
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08ZRVMDWX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Daler-Rowney creative craft paper
I am also a frequent customer of Hobbycraft, Ryman, and Tindalls stores.
https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/
https://www.ryman.co.uk/
https://www.tindalls.co.uk/
I like these selections because of their rich color range:
https://www.tindalls.co.uk/1540-murano-pastel-pads
https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/red-coloured-paper-pad-a4-24-pack/6509601002.html
https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/aqua-coloured-paper-pad-a4-24-pack/6608501000.html