What is Vellum?:
Vellum or parchment has a long history. Originally made from calf skin, vellum was one of the first writing surfaces developed. Vellum was highly prized by many civilizations due to the fact it was long lasting, had a wonderful opacity with a smooth, fine finish. Many important historical documents were written on vellum and are still in existence today.
Modern vellum paper has been created to offer many of the fine qualities of the calf skin version while being made completely from plant fiber. Vellum paper is a popular option for rubber stampers looking for a quality background for their stamping project.
Uses of Vellum:
Vellum lends itself to many creative uses. It has several key qualities:
- A high degree of translucency
- Vellum is strong and smooth
- The edges take on an attractive frayed look when torn
- It can be put through a normal desktop computer printer
- Weddings, christenings and projects celebrating other special occasions
- Scrapbooking projects
- Embossing techniques
- Artistic and creative projects
Working with Vellum:
Working with vellum is different to working with other papers. Vellum is waterproof, therefore the inks sit on top of the paper rather than sinking in. This means that special inks must be used and plenty of time given for the ink to dry or a heat gun used to set the ink.
Attaching Vellum to Other Papers:
Glues spread on the smooth surface of vellum and this can spoil the finished appearance of a project. Glue can be seen through the translucent paper.
Fortunately there are many interesting alternative methods of attaching vellum to other papers. These might include brads, hiding glue behind an embellishment or even stitching. There are specialist products available which might be worth considering if you are going to be working a lot with vellum.
Buying Vellum:
Vellum can be purchased from specialist stationery retailers and from craft stores. Vellum is sold in a variety of sizes and colors, and retailers often sell single sheets as well as packs. A pack of different colors and sizes is an excellent choice for beginners to experiment with.
Tips for Working with Vellum:
- If printing on vellum, set your printer to acetate setting.
- When torn, vellum has an interesting light colored edge. This can be an exciting alternative to cutting vellum when using strips in a project.
- Use paints and inks on the back of the vellum for muted colors.
- Emboss images, or heat set inks for reliable rubber stamping results.
