How do you keep the letters from being crumpled/creased?

[flummoxed]

Hello,

As part of one quick exchange me and a fellow TFFer decided to exchange a quick letter to practice our shaky new hands. I forgot to take a picture before I posted the letter to her and she was kind enough to put it up for me. You can see it here: https://instagram.com/p/6lT7PeKVrV/

As you can see, I've missed a word and forgotten a few elementary rules about Copperplate. I've used this paper as I used a guidesheet underneath to help me (I don't have access to a lightdesk). I did try first with a white sheet of paper, but I wasn't able to get the pencil marks out without smudging the lettering.

How do you guys avoid creases that go over the letters?
- Fold the paper first and then do a quick layout before doing the actual lettering?
- Use appropriate sizes for paper and envelopes? Are there preferred sizes that you tend to use?

Given the nature of the exchange (via post), is there a preferred ink and paper combination that works best for you?
- I am not yet proficient with my slant angles and spacing, so I prefer using a guide sheet and thicker, non-transparent paper does not work as I am unable to see the marks.

Any suggestions would be great.

Thank you!

PS: Sorry if this is not the correct area for this post!

[Inked botanicals]

Well, I have not think about that very much! Usually I don't mind some creases in the paper to make it fit the envelope, it is kind of essential in postal letters. But it is true that the paper you used is quite thick and creases are a lot more noticeable than in a fine paper. I would recomend you use another paper when you want to mail. Or, search for those big A4 carton envelopes used for sending important documents that can be folded.

What I do is:

- If it is just a short note or a quote: I make it as postcard, the same size as the envelope.
- If it is a long informal letter: I write it in lined rhodia paper and let it dry completely. Next day fold it with care to fit the envelope.
- If it is a long formal letter: I write it in some nice fine paper with black bold guidelines underneath it. I let it dry and fold with extra care.
- If it is a combination of long and short: I only write the long letter on one side of the paper and then put the postcard between the folds, to protect it.

Hope that helps!

One question for you by the way! What ink do you use on that paper (in Spain it is called Vegetal paper or Onion paper, but I don't know if it is the same over there)? I like it very much for some projects, and I even have envelopes made out of it, but I find problems with most inks, as it seems to be zero absorbent!

[flummoxed]

Thanks for the reply, the paper I've used shouldn't be more than 100gsm thickness.

In the neighbourhood stationary stores, we tend to refer to them as tracing sheet/paper (which I'm guessing is equivalent to onion skin or vegetal paper). It is available in both a matte and a smooth finish.

I used easily available (in my city atleast) Bril Black fountain pen ink with a small portion of Gum Arabic for use with a dip pen. It did take a while for it to dry because of this

[Jamie]

For thinner paper that you can see guidelines through you should look into getting a pad of canson marker paper. It's translucent over transparent and much more suited for ink over your average tracing paper.

Avoiding folds is never something I worried about except for the top left corner because I draw a small image on the first sheet there for my penpals. Personally I like folds in letters. It's a part of the format.

[flummoxed]

I should have mentioned that I'm from India and some of the stationary that most of you find easily is not available to me.

I'll try to look for the Canson Marker paper or its equivalent.

[Blotbot]

I like the Clairefontaine and Rhodia papers for pointed pen letters.  You can see guidelines underneath.  Also try the mid weight copier papers available-- some might be able to handle the ink.

[flummoxed]

Rhodia and Claurefontaine aren't available locally, but we can buy it online at a certain premium price though. I've found the thinner (less than 80gsm) copier paper to be a hit and miss from the same brand and ream actually. In most cases they tend to bleed a lot (both with FPs and with dip pen ink). This is the reason I tend to use tracing sheets as the well behaved thicker paper provide no way of using a guide sheet (unless ofcourse I buy a light desk).

[Mimi]

Well, I have not think about that very much! Usually I don't mind some creases in the paper to make it fit the envelope, it is kind of essential in postal letters. But it is true that the paper you used is quite thick and creases are a lot more noticeable than in a fine paper. I would recomend you use another paper when you want to mail. Or, search for those big A4 carton envelopes used for sending important documents that can be folded.

What I do is:

- If it is just a short note or a quote: I make it as postcard, the same size as the envelope.
- If it is a long informal letter: I write it in lined rhodia paper and let it dry completely. Next day fold it with care to fit the envelope.
- If it is a long formal letter: I write it in some nice fine paper with black bold guidelines underneath it. I let it dry and fold with extra care.
- If it is a combination of long and short: I only write the long letter on one side of the paper and then put the postcard between the folds, to protect it.

Hope that helps!

One question for you by the way! What ink do you use on that paper (in Spain it is called Vegetal paper or Onion paper, but I don't know if it is the same over there)? I like it very much for some projects, and I even have envelopes made out of it, but I find problems with most inks, as it seems to be zero absorbent!

This is helpful! Thanks!!