Description

Often times, artisans who are meticulous with their work choose only the best materials to work with. This is why so many artists choose to work with khadi grey paper as their medium. It has the lush texture and unique feel to bring any work of art to life.

Khadi comes in all sorts of colors and shapes too. If you’re looking for grey paper, pink paper or just plain white, youÛªll be able to find khadi paper to meet your needs.

To learn more about khadi paper and its uses, read below.

What Makes Khadi Paper Special?

Unless you’re in the art world, you’ve probably never even heard of khadi paper. Khadi paper is very unique because of the raw materials that are used to make it, and the final product itself.

Regular paper that most people are familiar with comes from either trees, bamboo, hemp or flax. These materials are grown for the purpose of paper making. The materials are cut and turned into a pulp made of cellulose and lignin. The lignin glues together all the cellulose, so it must be washed away. Once the lignin has been removed, the cellulose can be formed into sheets.

Papermakers arrange the pulp into sheets that can be either rolled or cut to size once it is dried.

Khadi paper is made much the same way. The big difference is what khadi paper is made from. Another name for khadi paper is rag paper, because khadi paper is literally made from old shirts.

Because this paper is made from fabric, the fibers are much longer and stronger than other papers. People have been using khadi paper for art for many years because of this reason.

Another really interesting use of khadi paper is for official documents.

Strength and Reliability of Khadi Paper

Khadi paper has found use in art in both the past and modernity. This is because of its great strength.

But khadi paper has also been used for legal documents for many years as well. Because khadi paper is sized with a neutral pH size, it is very reliable for documents or art. And there is no worry about acids affecting the final product.

Rag paper is an incredibly stable product. So, whatever your need be, Khadi will perform beautifully every time.

How is Khadi Grey Paper Made?

To this day, khadi paper is an artisan product. It is only made in one town in southern India. It is also made by hand. While the shirts are broken down and washed, paper makers also have the ability to dye the paper. This allows them to create paper of practically any color.

This is how grey paper is made. Artisan paper makers produce each and every sheet by hand, and thatÛªs the way it has been for years.

Why Use Grey Paper?

The question of why to use grey paper is an interesting one. You might flip the question around and ask, “why use white paper?”

White paper is the norm today, but that paper has been processed and bleached to achieve the color. While using white paper isn’t actually a bad thing, the chemicals used to produce it can affect your end product stability. If you are producing art that you would like to last, consider using paper that is chemical free.

Using Grey Paper for Art

Using grey paper for your art has lots of benefits. No wonder so many of the Renaissance greats used colored paper for their works. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of using grey paper.

Live does not exist in just black and white – For artists trying to produce very realistic products, Grey paper is a great choice. A paper with tint can lead to much more realistic results because the artist doesn’t have to worry about coloring every spot of the paper. With white paper, the huge contrast between paper and color can be stark!
Grey paper masks mistakes – Mistakes are bound to happen, but a colored paper can help mask those mistakes when they occur. The lack of contrast between your drawing and the paper make mistakes harder to notice when it happens.
Grey paper allows you to draw faster – If you are not worried about covering every single inch of your paper, you’ll be able to produce art much more quickly. Paper with a bit of color to it allows for you to focus on important sections and not worry as much about slight details.
Add unity to your art – By using grey paper, you’ll be able to create a sense of unity to your artwork. Small specks of grey can jump up from spots you’ve previously not touched on the work and convey a specific mood. Using a medium that is darker also allows you to add white, so your work will pop.

It’s easy to see why an artist might use grey paper for their work. Many artists also use khadi paper for its specific properties.

Artists Love Working With Khadi Paper

As khadi paper is crafted by hand to be useful and beautiful, it has been widely adopted by artists. The paper has a lush texture that actually adds a lot to finished works.

Use of khadi paper has grown in watercolor. Artists find that the paper is very thirsty and can take a bit more abuse than other papers. The long fibers of khadi help keep it together when aggressively working with it.

Even oil painters have started using khadi paper. Some elect to use a gesso over the paper to help seal it and produce a smooth surface. The use of gesso helps give artists a little more control over exactly where their colors are going.

But some choose not to use a gesso at all. Some prefer allowing the paper to bend their work to its will. The crooks and crevices of khadi paper make using it a special experience. Some artists call this the happy accidents of working with rag paper. There is a somewhat unpredictable nature in using this handmade paper.

Khadi Paper for your Formal Events

While khadi paper is a great product for artists, it’s also a paper that makes any even just a bit more special. Any event in your life can benefit from using khadi paper. People appreciate the extra special touch, and they know you went the extra mile to make the event special when you use unique announcements.

Here are some events that can benefit from using khadi paper.

Baby Shower

Using grey paper for you baby shower might not seem like an obvious choice, but it’s a great way to keep your guests guessing the sex of your baby!

Wedding

Grey paper gives a bit of intrigue and sophistication to your invitations. It’s also a great choice if you’re still undecided on your color scheme.

Gala/Social Event

What better way to announce your black-tie event than with grey khadi paper? The texture and suppleness of the paper will announce that your guests will have quite the event in store!

Khadi paper’s weight and texture are sure to make your invitations stand out. ItÛªs a nice heavyweight paper that immediately gives recipients a response. åÊKhadi feels great and draws attention even before seeing it. Stand out with a khadi announcement.

Canvas ETC for Khadi paper

If you’ve decided that khadi grey paper is right for your event, feel free to look over Canvas ETC’s selection. And if you’re still not sure, contact us! We are always happy to work with you personally to ensure your paper needs are met.