Recommendations for paper to use for ink swabs

[J_Martinios]

Hello everyone,

I've been thinking about making my own collection of ink swabs, so I'd like to ask for recommendations on what kind of paper cards to use for this purpose. My intention is to have a section with a Q-tip swab and a portion where I write the name of the ink in various nib widths. For the writing, I intend to use my Lamy Vista, fill it's converter, and then just swap the nibs for the various sizes. That will be easiest I think, filling up one pen and just swapping nibs, instead of filling up a bunch of pens with different sized nibs.

I am asking this here because, as it concerns ink swabs, I think it fits best in this category. I also tried looking for a similar thread elsewhere, but haven't found one, so if this has been asked before, I apologise for making another thread on the subject.

Looking forward to your replies.

[Paddler]

Use your favorite writing paper. That way, you will know how the ink will look when you actually use it for your own purposes.

[Pterodactylus]

I think Clairefontaine paper is a good choice as most inks perform great on it.

I use a A5 Clairefontaine Hardcover Notebook as my "Ink Book" (A double page reserved to one ink).
So I have a complete ink reference of the inks I´ve ever used within one book.

Whenever I ink a new pen (with respect to that ink) up with an ink I add a reference sentence written with that pen to the ink page in my ink book (including the pen reference), as inks can look quite different depending on the nib used).

[grainweevil]

Having looked at this squarely in the face and considered the various paper varieties I use and nib sizes, dry and wet, I ran away screaming. So many permutations, you could spend your life doing nothing but ink samples. So I decided it was really just a comparison/aide de memoire anyway, and made a load of cards from some blank card stock I happened to have handy and used that. Swab and ink name, the latter with the same nib every time. It's neither the worst paper the ink will ever find itself on, but it's not a Tomoe River sheen monster either. It's... mediocre. So it gives me an average, mediocre, record of each ink. Works for me.

[naimitsu]

I did the same as grainweevil. I've been using Boise Premium Ink Jet paper. It doesn't show the sheen, but it also doesn't promote feathering or bleed through.

I also have an Apica Premium A6 notebook that I carry with the ink name written in the ink color out of the pen I would most likely use for said color. It does show sheen, but it feathers and bleeds like crazy.

I've had thoughts of recreating some on A5 sized sheets to fit into the Kokuyo color binders I found, but those are a little pricey, so the idea has been put on the back burner.

[aikanae]

I noticed HP laserjet paper had a lot of fountain pen user reviews at Amazon. I haven't tried it, but it's good price.

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

[inklord]

I'd agree with the suggestion above to use your favorite writing paper but...
If you'd rather have something with the weight and durability of card stock, I've had great results with Canson XL Series cold press watercolor paper (blue cover; this is 300g/sqm paper with only slight texturing and a moderately warm tone, about like Tomoe River White paper. Shows sheen and shading well, is sturdier than index card stock, doesn't feather or broaden the lines. The paper is readily available from art supply stores both in Europe and In the US. In Europe, "HahnenMuehle" Mixed Media 300g/sqm is also a viable alternative.