The Best Vellum for Drafting, Tracing, and More
Traditionally, vellum refers to a specific parchment made from animal skin—typically of a calf, goat, or sheep—that has been carefully cleaned, scratched, and cured. As the papermaking industry evolved, so did the term, which has today also come to refer to paper surfaces that are translucent, not unlike tracing paper. Thin and smooth, modern vellum is typically designed to withstand redrawing and erasing and can be used for drafting, tracing, and overlays. As our picks below show, it’s important to pick the right type to suit your needs.
How we pick each product:
Our mission is to recommend the most appropriate artists’ tool or supply for your needs. Whether you are looking for top-of-the line equipment or beginners’ basics, we’ll make sure that you get good value for your money by doing the research for you. We scour the Internet for information on how art supplies are used and read customer reviews by real users; we ask experts for their advice; and of course, we rely on our own accumulated expertise as artists, teachers, and craftspeople.
Canson Vidalon Vellum
Designed to take a variety of mediums, Canson’s vellum presents a stunning writing and drawing surface. Each 55-pound sheet—noticeably sturdier than typical tracing paper—has a uniform translucency and feels super smooth. You can draw on this archival vellum with pencil, pens, and ink—and even use gouaches without the surface buckling—and it captures subtle details, such as shading and texture, very well. It even stays crisp after repetitive erasures. We also like the versatility of format: Choose from single sheets in two sizes or pads in four sizes. Read More...