The Best Paper for Fountain Pens

Most people focus on the pen and the ink when they start using fountain pens, but the paper you write on makes an enormous difference to the experience. The wrong paper can cause feathering, bleed-through, and slow drying. The right paper makes your ink look beautiful and your writing feel effortless. Here is what to look for.

What Makes Paper Fountain Pen Friendly?

Fountain pen friendly paper has a few key characteristics:

• Smooth surface: a smooth paper allows the nib to glide without catching or scratching
• Good ink absorption: the paper should absorb ink quickly to reduce smearing, but not so quickly that it feathers (spreads along the paper fibres)
• Low bleed-through: ink should not soak through to the other side of the page
• Appropriate weight: heavier paper (80gsm and above) generally performs better with fountain pen ink

Papers to Avoid

Standard office paper (such as most printer paper) is often treated to repel moisture, which causes fountain pen ink to sit on the surface and take a long time to dry. It also tends to feather badly with wetter inks. Avoid cheap notebooks and standard copier paper where possible.

Recommended Paper Types

Some of the most popular fountain pen friendly papers include:

• Clairefontaine and Rhodia: French papers that are widely regarded as the gold standard for fountain pen use. Smooth, bleed-resistant, and available in a range of formats.
• Leuchtturm1917: a popular notebook brand with good fountain pen performance, especially for everyday journaling
• Tomoe River: an ultra-thin Japanese paper that shows off ink shading and sheen beautifully, though it can be slow to dry
• Midori MD Paper: a smooth, cream-toned Japanese paper with excellent ink performance

Does Paper Affect How Your Pen Writes?

Yes, significantly. A nib that feels slightly scratchy on cheap paper will often feel perfectly smooth on quality paper. If you are finding your fountain pen experience disappointing, try better paper before assuming there is a problem with the pen.

A Simple Tip

If you are not sure where to start, pick up a Rhodia notepad. They are inexpensive, widely available, and will immediately show you what your pen and ink are truly capable of.

Browse our full range of Pelikan inks to pair with your favourite paper. For pen advice, visit us in South Wales or get in touch online.