<\/span>Plain Paper<\/span><\/h2>If you’re an artist or a designer then there’s no doubt in my mind that you’re constantly carrying around a sketchpad of some sort. Plain paper is the default choice since it’s the cheapest to buy, the most common, and you’ve probably been using it to make butterfly blot paintings<\/a> ever since kiddy-school, but unless you’re using it to create finished work, it’s actually highly impractical.<\/p><\/span>Isometric Paper<\/span><\/h2>My first experience with a sketching medium (that wasn’t blank or lined) was isometric paper and I first encountered it in a high-school class called “technical drawingâ€. Isometric paper compiles a series of small equilateral triangles together in an effort to form rows of lines cross-crossing at 60° angles.<\/p>
Both those diagonal lines and also the vertical ones combined together offers a visual aid to help draw 3D objects with a clearer mental projection of scale, proportion and perspective.<\/p>
If you’ve ever seen the epic concept behind Monument Valley you’ll understand exactly what I’m talking about.<\/p>![\"paper-types-1\"](\"https:\/\/d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/2015\/07\/09000807\/paper-types-1.jpg.webp\")
<\/span>Paper Mockups<\/span><\/h2>If you’re a user interface designer then you will have definitely encountered the annoying issue of needing to sketch out device outlines before trying to conceptualise interface ideas; thankfully, you can buy paper device mockups<\/strong>. All you need to do is draw inside the pre-printed devices and viola!<\/p>Before I discovered printable paper mockups my user interface sketches were mostly badly-drawn squares and scribbles<\/em>.<\/p>Here’s an iPhone 6 example.<\/p>
<\/span>Graph Paper<\/span><\/h2>Graph paper can often vary in terms of complexity, where the most basic style consists of simple squares and the more intricate styles have multiple squares of differing sizes – this makes it an excellent budget choice for web and user interface designers who find paper device mockups too inaccessible.<\/p>
You can buy graph paper almost anywhere, whereas paper device mockups either have to be purchased online or printed out yourself; the downside is that you have to frequently draw out the devices, but at least you have straight lines as a guide!<\/p>
<\/span>Ruled Calligraphy Paper<\/span><\/h2>Calligraphy nuts (and I say that out of insane jealousy<\/em>, because I’m so bad at it!) often choose paper types depending on the applicant and desired result, but regardless, calligraphy is a difficult exercise and a talent that must be nurtured.<\/p>For that we have ruled<\/em> calligraphy paper, where the ascender line, x-height, baseline and descender line have already been defined, allowing the calligrapher to fine-tune their hand-lettering skills. If you need a custom-defined solution, here’s a smashing resource<\/a> for creating your own ruled calligraphy paper.<\/p><\/span>Stencil Paper<\/span><\/h2>Stencil paper also comes in many strengths and styles, but they’re always designed to be both pliable and<\/em> durable, since it’s likely that you’ll be cutting, spraying and applying the stencil onto some kind of surface.<\/p>If you’ve ever attempted to create a stencil with normal blank paper you’ll understand just how incredibly frustrating it really is – it will tear when being cut and crinkle when wet!<\/p>
<\/span>Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>It can be quite difficult to choose a specialist type of paper in the specific moment that you need it, if you don’t already have it at hand. Otherwise, you’ll simply end up scribbling on a guide-less blank canvas. Prepare yourself in anticipation of your next sketch-able idea, and have the right paper ready.<\/p>
What types of paper do you<\/em> use, and why? Are there any specific brands that would recommend to the community?<\/p>
Daniel<\/a> is a designer\/developer currently travelling the world with his wife, experiencing the best of the nomadic world. He’s also the founder, curator and editor of Airwalk Design<\/a>, creative director of Airwalk Studios<\/a> and lover of Sketch App.<\/em>
<\/span>Isometric Paper<\/span><\/h2>My first experience with a sketching medium (that wasn’t blank or lined) was isometric paper and I first encountered it in a high-school class called “technical drawingâ€. Isometric paper compiles a series of small equilateral triangles together in an effort to form rows of lines cross-crossing at 60° angles.<\/p>
Both those diagonal lines and also the vertical ones combined together offers a visual aid to help draw 3D objects with a clearer mental projection of scale, proportion and perspective.<\/p>
If you’ve ever seen the epic concept behind Monument Valley you’ll understand exactly what I’m talking about.<\/p>
<\/span>Paper Mockups<\/span><\/h2>If you’re a user interface designer then you will have definitely encountered the annoying issue of needing to sketch out device outlines before trying to conceptualise interface ideas; thankfully, you can buy paper device mockups<\/strong>. All you need to do is draw inside the pre-printed devices and viola!<\/p>Before I discovered printable paper mockups my user interface sketches were mostly badly-drawn squares and scribbles<\/em>.<\/p>Here’s an iPhone 6 example.<\/p>
<\/span>Graph Paper<\/span><\/h2>Graph paper can often vary in terms of complexity, where the most basic style consists of simple squares and the more intricate styles have multiple squares of differing sizes – this makes it an excellent budget choice for web and user interface designers who find paper device mockups too inaccessible.<\/p>
You can buy graph paper almost anywhere, whereas paper device mockups either have to be purchased online or printed out yourself; the downside is that you have to frequently draw out the devices, but at least you have straight lines as a guide!<\/p>
<\/span>Ruled Calligraphy Paper<\/span><\/h2>Calligraphy nuts (and I say that out of insane jealousy<\/em>, because I’m so bad at it!) often choose paper types depending on the applicant and desired result, but regardless, calligraphy is a difficult exercise and a talent that must be nurtured.<\/p>For that we have ruled<\/em> calligraphy paper, where the ascender line, x-height, baseline and descender line have already been defined, allowing the calligrapher to fine-tune their hand-lettering skills. If you need a custom-defined solution, here’s a smashing resource<\/a> for creating your own ruled calligraphy paper.<\/p><\/span>Stencil Paper<\/span><\/h2>Stencil paper also comes in many strengths and styles, but they’re always designed to be both pliable and<\/em> durable, since it’s likely that you’ll be cutting, spraying and applying the stencil onto some kind of surface.<\/p>If you’ve ever attempted to create a stencil with normal blank paper you’ll understand just how incredibly frustrating it really is – it will tear when being cut and crinkle when wet!<\/p>
<\/span>Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>It can be quite difficult to choose a specialist type of paper in the specific moment that you need it, if you don’t already have it at hand. Otherwise, you’ll simply end up scribbling on a guide-less blank canvas. Prepare yourself in anticipation of your next sketch-able idea, and have the right paper ready.<\/p>
What types of paper do you<\/em> use, and why? Are there any specific brands that would recommend to the community?<\/p>
Daniel<\/a> is a designer\/developer currently travelling the world with his wife, experiencing the best of the nomadic world. He’s also the founder, curator and editor of Airwalk Design<\/a>, creative director of Airwalk Studios<\/a> and lover of Sketch App.<\/em>
If you’re a user interface designer then you will have definitely encountered the annoying issue of needing to sketch out device outlines before trying to conceptualise interface ideas; thankfully, you can buy paper device mockups<\/strong>. All you need to do is draw inside the pre-printed devices and viola!<\/p> Before I discovered printable paper mockups my user interface sketches were mostly badly-drawn squares and scribbles<\/em>.<\/p> Here’s an iPhone 6 example.<\/p> Graph paper can often vary in terms of complexity, where the most basic style consists of simple squares and the more intricate styles have multiple squares of differing sizes – this makes it an excellent budget choice for web and user interface designers who find paper device mockups too inaccessible.<\/p> You can buy graph paper almost anywhere, whereas paper device mockups either have to be purchased online or printed out yourself; the downside is that you have to frequently draw out the devices, but at least you have straight lines as a guide!<\/p> Calligraphy nuts (and I say that out of insane jealousy<\/em>, because I’m so bad at it!) often choose paper types depending on the applicant and desired result, but regardless, calligraphy is a difficult exercise and a talent that must be nurtured.<\/p> For that we have ruled<\/em> calligraphy paper, where the ascender line, x-height, baseline and descender line have already been defined, allowing the calligrapher to fine-tune their hand-lettering skills. If you need a custom-defined solution, here’s a smashing resource<\/a> for creating your own ruled calligraphy paper.<\/p> Stencil paper also comes in many strengths and styles, but they’re always designed to be both pliable and<\/em> durable, since it’s likely that you’ll be cutting, spraying and applying the stencil onto some kind of surface.<\/p> If you’ve ever attempted to create a stencil with normal blank paper you’ll understand just how incredibly frustrating it really is – it will tear when being cut and crinkle when wet!<\/p> It can be quite difficult to choose a specialist type of paper in the specific moment that you need it, if you don’t already have it at hand. Otherwise, you’ll simply end up scribbling on a guide-less blank canvas. Prepare yourself in anticipation of your next sketch-able idea, and have the right paper ready.<\/p> What types of paper do you<\/em> use, and why? Are there any specific brands that would recommend to the community?<\/p><\/span>Graph Paper<\/span><\/h2>
<\/span>Ruled Calligraphy Paper<\/span><\/h2>
<\/span>Stencil Paper<\/span><\/h2>
<\/span>Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>
Daniel<\/a> is a designer\/developer currently travelling the world with his wife, experiencing the best of the nomadic world. He’s also the founder, curator and editor of Airwalk Design<\/a>, creative director of Airwalk Studios<\/a> and lover of Sketch App.<\/em>
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