Cheap paper for practice and experiments

I use plain lining wall paper leftover from some decorating.

I think you will find that standard chipboard will be close to the same thickness as some of the popular cotton-fiber papers many use. The following link is to the catalog page for cardboard from Uline. The .022” would be about the same thickness as 110# and the .050” would be similar to the 220#. The material is more dense that these paper stocks, but thickness would be critical in setting up your form and making ready.

see: https://www.uline.com/BL_1852/Chipboard-Pads?keywords=Chipboard+Sheets

Chipboard is readily available at your local paper merchant in bundles of 50lbs, and is really quite inexpensive hen compared to the cotton fiber papers.

I use end-of-roll newsprint paper from a local newspaper.

“local” “newspaper”

These things are tough to come by these days. In my city, both of the “local” newspapers (if that’s what you can call a bunch of generic syndicated content mixed with an article or two of local material and an editorial written locally to strict guidelines provided by head office) are printed in a city 4 hours away.

I do not think that newsprint is anywhere near 110lb to 220lb stock.

Rick

Watercolor paper is available in fairly large sheets in 25 or 50 sheet pads from most art supply stores and is pretty thick and stiff, though perhaps harder than Lettra or similar. I don’t know how the cost would compare.

Bob

The cost of watercolor paper would probably be prohibitive.

I also don’t know consistently accurate its thickness would be.

Rick

The cost of watercolor paper would probably be prohibitive.

I also don’t know consistently accurate its thickness would be.

Rick

Learn to print properly on bond. When you can do that, the transition to crushing soft thick paper is not difficult.

I have tons of overstocks in parent sheets. If you are still in need of some sheets of paper, let me know what you are looking for and I can give you a good price!