Paper, paper, paper

All this talk about "acid free Canson paper" has some blog readers asking: "why all the fuss about PAPER?"

You purchase or commission work from an artist. You spend good money for it.

Do you want your artwork to:

1. fade
2. wrinkle
3. yellow
4. depreciate in value?

Of course not!

This is why you want ONLY acid free materials--paper, mat board, and shipping materials. Acid causes paper and paper based materials to break down in a very short amount of time. For example: newsprint. Ever notice how quickly newspaper clippings turn a lovely shade of yellow? That's what happens with acid-y paper.

Acid free fine art papers, such as Canson and Arches, are of museum/archival quality. Art rendered on these papers will ensure that the work will be vibrant for many years.

Fine art is an herloom--it lasts a lot longer than we do with the proper handling.

I use Canson and Arches papers because their high standards of quality not only make them beautiful and durable, but they are a joy to work with. Paints and pencils LOVE these papers!

Here's a bit more about Canson paper, from dickblick.com:

Since 1557, the Canson paper mill in Annonay, France has produced the finest art papers available. The Canson tradition was started by the Montgolfier family (best known for the adaptation of their paper to the 1783 invention of the first hot air balloon) and carried on by the Canson family.

The balloon has remained the symbol of the Canson Company, gracing the covers of the basic Canson pad line, a line that is complete in its attention to every artistic need.

Though industrialization has modernized the way certain papers are produced, much of the process and many of the features remain the same today. Pure French stream water, natural fibers and five centuries of experience contribute to the manufacture of the highest quality papers in the world.