Somerset paper by St. Cuthbert Mills

Written April 2020

Somerset® is a world leading traditional printmaking paper. Mould made from 100% cotton to high archival standards. It is suitable for block/relief printing, embossing, intaglio/etching, hand/stone lithography, laser printing, letterpress, silkscreen/serigraphy, pastel pencil and charcoal

Taken from the official website of St. Cuthberts Mill  www.stcuthbertsmill.com

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GSM: ​115, 175, 250, 280, 330 & 300gsm

ARCHIVAL: YES

ACID FREE:  YES

LIGHTFAST: YES

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​Made from 100% woodfree bleached chemical pulp St Cuthberts Mill are experts in manufacturing high quality artists papers. Their master papermakers carefully make beautiful mould made papers, using one of the few remaining cylinder mould machines left in the world. They only use pure raw ingredients to guarantee the highest grade of archival papers. Their pulps and cotton linters are specially sourced for their purity and performance.

The paper comes in 3 textures:
Satin (smooth), Velvet (Slightly textured) and Textured (heavier texture)

ADVANTAGES

* 100% Cotton
* Acid free & archival - The paper will last for hundreds of years (in good storage conditions) and won’t discolour or fall apart.
* Available in 3 surfaces and 8 colour tones including bright white
​* Primarily a printmaking paper but also suitable for Pastels, Pencil, Charcoal, pen & Ink
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DISADVANTAGES

​* Very soft paper - Hard pencils could tear the paper. The softness also limits the amount of layers you can apply.
* May not be as easy to access this paper outside the UK

Tones & Surfaces

Black (Velvet surface)

Newsprint Grey (Velvet surface)

Buff (Velvet surface)

White (Velvet surface)

Antique (Velvet surface)

Radiant White (Satin surface)

Soft White (Textured surface)

Cream (Textured surface)

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Brightness & Lightfast details

The Somerset paper does not contain optical brightening agents (OBA's), excludes the Radiant White shade. When OBA's are added to paper, it will degrade over time, making the paper look less bright. Paper without OBA's will not fade. 
The paper is highly lightfast with a minimum of 7 on Blue Wool Scale, The Radiant White shade is an exception but still exceeds 6

TAPPI  was founded in 1915 as the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry. They are the leading association for worldwide pulp, paper and packaging testing methods which include paper brightness.
The higher the number on the TAPPI scale, the brighter it is. For instance, paper with a level 98 brightness is bright white, while 96 brightness is just slightly less bright. The lower the number, the duller the brightness. 
White shades brightness:
Radiant White:  96% TAPPI Whiteness value
White:  88% TAPPI Whiteness value
Soft White: 75% TAPPI Whiteness value
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Other related articles that may be of interest

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Royal Talens Van Gogh Coloured pencils article

Sharpeners & how they can help your pencil technique

Derwent Drawing Coloured pencils - article not currently available

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Somerset paper is a world-leading printmaking paper. It is almost identical to Legion Stonehenge which is a favourite amongst coloured pencil artists.  It is preferable to use soft pencils such as  Van Gogh or Prismacolor Premier, as hard pencils may damage the paper. 

As this paper is very soft, it limits the amount of layers you can apply. For the fine layers, I used the Caran d'Ache Luminance pencils, as their 'leads' are softer than other ranges such as Faber Castell's Polychromos. It is important to take care when working with soft paper, more so than on heavy duty paper. ​You can extend the working surface by using a fixative, although success is not guaranteed. I was able to extend my layers, but spray a minimum distance of 12" and allow the fixative to dry between sprays.

A textured paper grabs the pigment more efficiently so you do not need to apply heavy pressure with your pencils. Applying soft applications make it easier to smooth edges with a blender. If your paper has a grain, it is not always possible to achieve a smooth finish, but that texture can add character to your portrait. It all depends on your preferences. ​

To create fine details on this paper, I applied a fixative over previous layers. The fixative helps to form a base with which to continue your applications. When using an aerosol fixative, spray a minimum distance of 12"and allow it to dry between coverage.

I prefer to work on tonal paper. Grey and tan are two of my favourite choices. As they are mid tones, they add strength to both ends of the spectrum as well as those in-between . I used the Newspaper Grey paper for this portrait. I wanted the white fur to be vivid, and the highlights in the water to glisten.

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General Storage and Handling Instructions

• Keep the paper in its original packaging until required.
• Store the paper flat.
• Avoid extremes of temperature or humidity.
• Do not store in direct sunlight.
• Handle the paper by the edges or underside. Avoid touching the area to be painted, as oils from the skin could affect the medium.

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Buy a sample pack (UK & International)

Buy at Jackson's Art (UK & International)

Legion Paper & where to buy (USA)

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Environmentally friendly, sustainably sourced & vegan friendly