By Carol Miller, Sax Art Consultant
I’m going to share some basic information regarding construction paper that may be useful in the elementary art room, as well as classrooms.
There are two main types of construction paper. 100% sulphite construction paper is characterized by long, strong fibers that interlock, allowing for an even, smooth tone, a hard work surface and intense colors. It accepts dry mediums and even tempera paint is used successfully by many art teachers. It folds great, glues well, cuts nicely and is also fade resistant. Our Sax Colored Art Paper is especially nice. It’s considered a premium, 100% sulphite construction paper, made for us in Europe and featuring dynamic colors. It’s also lignin-free, creating a stronger paper.
“Groundwood” construction paper gets its name from using ground wood pulp in the manufacturing process. It cuts nicely and glues well, but does not share the fade resistance of a 100% sulphite paper, nor does it fold quite as easily. It’s usually less expensive and also works well with tempera paint and dry mediums. It’s great when used with chalk or charcoal, because the surface is rough enough to pick up a bit more of these mediums for greater intensity.
I’m often asked how the pound weight of paper is determined and why a stack of groundwood has greater height than an equal pound weight of 100% sulphite.
Different types of paper have their own standard size. For example, drawing paper is usually 24”X 36”. When a ream (500 sheets) is weighed, that is the pound weight of that paper. Heavier drawing paper is most often considered a greater quality than lightweight; however, that is not the case with construction paper. The lower quality, thicker groundwood is manufactured to create a rough surface and the thinner, 100% sulphite, a smooth surface. So, when reams are side by side and both are 76#, for example, the texture of the groundwood creates greater height than the smooth 100% sulphite of the same weight.
Another common question is “Which construction paper is fadeless?” The answer is none. Paper that has been dyed is rarely fadeless. However, 100% sulphite is fade resistant, lasting much longer than groundwood, when exposed to light. If you are in need of actual fadeless paper, it is available. The color has been inked onto one side and not dyed. Hint: try using fadeless papers for the background of your bulletin boards. I’ve done it and was able to keep the paper up all year, because there were no shadows from previous artwork. It was a great timesaver. Check it out in our Sax Arts & Crafts catalog.
If you are interested in an art workshop or professional development with Carol Miller or our other Sax Art Consultants, please contact us at SaxArts@schoolspecialty.com.
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