Whatman: sizes and colors

Whatman paper can be useful not only for people of technical professions, but also for everyone who wants to realize their creative ideas. How to correctly determine the size of whatman paper and what color palette it is, we will tell you in this article.

What it is?

Whatman paper is a premium thick paper, the main characteristics of which are:

lack of a well-defined texture,
high strength;
the presence of surface sizing;
abrasion resistance.

Whatman is referred to as drawing paper.

Kinds

In stores, you can see several types of this paper:

Universal - suitable for use in various fields.
Primed - has a primed surface on which it is convenient to draw with any paints, as well as with a pencil, pastel, charcoal. This type of Whatman paper is very expensive, for this reason it is rarely seen in stores in our country, but it is very convenient to use.
Heavily glued paper... In order to make such paper, a dense base is well spilled with special compounds, which are very similar to those used in the manufacture of watercolor paper. This type of whatman paper is tough, resistant to high humidity and oil paint bases. It is heavier in weight than a regular Whatman paper.

A bit of history and purpose

After in the mid-1750s, James Watman, who invented whatman, set up his paper production, this paper quickly gained widespread popularity.

Artists were the first to become interested in this type of paper. Later it was used for printing books. The quality of the paper was also highly appreciated by people of technical professions.

In everyday life, it is often offered to kids who are just learning to draw. In addition, various wall newspapers and posters are made on it. Often with its help, backgrounds for photographs, wish cards, original congratulations with gifts are made out.

Watercolor drawing paper is an excellent basis for painting. It successfully withstands high humidity without slipping. The paints do not spread over the dense sheet, which gives the artist the opportunity to create original color overflows and combinations. The finished work dries quickly, this process does not spoil the image quality. This paper is suitable for painting with gouache or watercolor.

Whatman brand A is used for drawing. Drawing paper is ideal for drawing and graphic works with pencils, ink, watercolors or gouache. As a result of frequent erasing, the sheet does not change its properties.

The size

The standard format is called the Whatman A1 format, which is also called training. This is how it differs from ordinary paper - its standard is the A0 format. The A1 format used to be called the 24 paper size.

According to European international standards of formats, the size of a sheet of Whatman A1 should be 59.4 * 84.1 cm, but the popular Goznak paper differs in its dimensions. Whatman format A1 of this manufacturer has dimensions 61 * 86 cm.

Cutting in half a sheet of Whatman paper from Goznak, you will not get the standard A2 format, the parameters of which should be 42 * 52.4 cm, since it is slightly larger than European sizes. The same standard for the A2 format is adopted in our country.

Whatman sheet A3 is the largest format that can be used in printers and copiers for the average consumer. Its standard width and length are 29.7 * 42 cm. You can get it by cutting the A2 format in half.

A4 sheets of Whatman paper are considered standard in everyday life, unless a different size has been agreed in advance. This format is most often used in printers and copiers, office work. The size of this sheet is 21 * 29.7 cm. It can be obtained by cutting the A3 format in half.

By cutting an A4 sheet, the A5 format is obtained, which is most suitable for printing various brochures. Its parameters are 14.8 * 21 cm.

These are the most popular sizes. However, whatman paper comes in other formats. You can get acquainted with them in the table, where series A means that the area of a sheet of maximum size is 1 sq. m., series B - the length of the short side of a sheet of maximum size is 1 m, series C is an envelope format, for series A.

You can also purchase a rolled Whatman paper. On sale, it is less common, but it is a more economical and convenient option. From it, you can make a sheet of a non-standard format that you need for work.

Colors

In stores, you can now find white and colored Whatman paper, with a wide color palette and various formats. In fact, this colored paper is very similar to Whatman paper, it is quite thick, it is convenient to work on it with pencils and various paints. But in fact, this is not a Whatman paper at all, because it is customary to call it premium white paper.

How to pull on a tablet?

A tablet is called a square-shaped board, the sizes of which can be different. It is made of plywood fixed to the frame. The frame base provides rigidity and remains smooth even in contact with liquid. A tablet may be required for an artist or an architect.

In order to cover the tablet with a Whatman paper, you will need:

Whatman paper, the size of which will exceed the size of the tablet by about 5 cm on all sides;
the tablet;
buttons with which we will fasten the sheet, or a furniture stapler;
water (this can be a can of water and a sponge, a shower jet, etc.).

First, you need to wet a sheet of Whatman paper with water on both sides. This can be done by taking a shower, using a sponge and a jar of water, or by dipping the leaf into a large container (such as a tub). Whatman paper should get very wet. Be very careful when doing this - a wet leaf breaks very easily.

Next, you need to put a sheet of Whatman paper on the table. Without waiting for it to dry, place the tablet on the Whatman paper exactly in the middle and start securing the paper. To do this, bend it on one side and attach it to the tablet using buttons or a furniture stapler. Fasten the other sides of the Whatman paper in the same way.

The next stage will be very important. It is necessary to fix the corners of the Whatman paper. Crumple the corner with your hands and carefully place it with the ear up. In this case, the crumpled paper must be turned first to the side and then up.

When all the corners are secured, use a few more paper clips to secure the Whatman paper to the frame between the center and the corners. All you have to do is dry the Whatman paper. Drying should be in a strictly horizontal position.

Do not put the tablet for drying next to heating devices: the sheets can become limp and crack in the place where the water drained from it.

The result of a job well done is a perfectly flat sheet of Whatman paper stretched over a tablet. If suddenly, after drying, there are torn corners, you have pulled the paper too tight. If you see waves, this is the result of poor attachment of the Whatman paper to the tablet.

How to smooth?

It happens that there are situations when it is necessary to spread a sheet of Whatman paper. You may need to straighten a rolled sheet or straighten a wrinkled document. You can try to deal with such situations yourself. There are several ways to do this. Let's take a closer look.

Press

Spray water from a distance of at least 30 cm onto the sheet or slightly dampen it with a wet towel. Use only distilled water: simple water is not suitable in this case, as it contains minerals that can make the paper hard and brittle. The water will soften the damaged fibers and make them smooth. Place a damp Whatman paper under a press and let it dry and smooth out. It usually takes 2 to 5 days.

Instead of a press, you can also use layers of absorbent material (blotting paper, wool felt or other absorbent material). You can even use a paper towel as it, but embossing it can leave an imprint on the sheet. You will need to replace the absorbent material as needed.

Be careful if your sheet has work done with watercolors, chalk, pastels, or water-based inks. To prevent water from washing them out, it is necessary to spray the leaf from the back.

Iron

Using an iron for these purposes is quite risky, because with strong heating, the sheet can turn yellow if you keep the iron in one place for a long time, and ink can also fade or tears can form. It is best to test on a small piece of paper first.

Spread out whatman paper and cover it with a towel. It is necessary to start ironing from the lowest temperatures. After 1 minute of ironing, check the sheet and add temperature if necessary.

If the leaf is too hot, it is necessary to moisten it by lightly spraying with distilled water. You can also use steam on an iron for these purposes. Do not spray the sheet over watercolors, chalk, pastels or other water-based materials.

Rolling the sheet on the edge of the table

This method can be used if you need to straighten the sheet very urgently and there is no time to wait for it to dry out. It is only suitable for aligning large folds. You will need to roll the sheet over the edge of the table repeatedly.

Roll up

In this way, you can try to straighten a sheet of Whatman paper, which has been rolled up for a long time and is now being curled. You can try to roll the Whatman paper back into a roll and let it lie down. Of course, no one can give guarantees that this method will be effective in your case, but it's worth trying.

If you accidentally crumple an important document, then you shouldn't try to straighten it yourself. It will be safer to give it to a restoration workshop, where professionals will work with it.

Optional accessories

You may need various accessories to handle and store Whatman paper.

A cover is required to transport the Whatman paper. It is very convenient to protect your work done on a Whatman paper from bad weather in a compact case. Which one you choose depends only on your personal preference. It can be a plastic tube, the diameter and length of which should be selected based on the number of transported sheets and their format.

Folders are usually made of thick and durable fabric. The sheets are fixed in them with elastic bands. A rigid, stable frame is attached to it by a bar running along the bottom.

The bag is more suitable for one-time transportation of small format sheets. It is not very convenient to use it all the time.

Easels and sketchbooks are drawer-shaped portable stands that can hold paints, brushes, and other supplies. They are necessary for artists who paint. Holders and screws allow you to attach the drawing paper to the drawer lid in different ways. The cover can be fixed at different angles. They can be with or without a tripod. All these nuances depend on the specific model.

Also sometimes a drawing board is used - a device for drawing a pantograph system. It is made in the form of a board that can be installed vertically or at an angle.