Guide: How to use my handmade paper

Some of you might hesitate to write on or use my handmade paper because of its delicate look and feel. But it’s not that delicate! It’s well functional. I’m here to give you a guide on what media works best.

TL; DR:

My handmade paper is made from recycled paper. I use wheat starch paste to make it stronger and water to process it when forming sheets. It’s lightly textured and quite absorbent.

Here are my suggestions for media:

The drier the medium, the better!
Medium to large pen tips work well. I like 0.7+ mm.
For writing & sketching: I love using mechanical pencils, ballpoint pens, and gel pens.
For printing: I use Ranger’s Archival Ink Pad (acid-free & waterproof) with my hand-carved stamps.
For painting: I enjoy pastels, crayons, acrylics, and gouache (with little water added, if any).

🖼️ Examples of how I use these media on my paper. (lots of pictures!)

Before diving deep into medium recommendations, let’s first understand this:

What’s in my paper?

There are three main ingredients:

White recycled paper (old bills, bank statements, etc.)
Wheat starch sizing (strengthening paste, like glue)
Tap water (used to process, removed later)

You can learn more about each ingredient here.

By nature, it tends to have a textured, absorbent, and slightly rough surface. Here are some options.

Best Media for Handmade Paper

1. Dry Media (Works Best)

✅ Graphite Pencils & Charcoal – Smooth shading, but rough texture may wear down pencil tips.
✅ Colored Pencils – Works well if the paper is not too fibrous.
✅ Soft Pastels & Chalk – Blends beautifully but may require fixative (a spray that helps seal and protect artwork, preventing smudging or fading).
✅ Oil Pastels – Good bonding, but heavy application can tear thinner paper.

2. Other Interesting Media (Works well)

✅ Block Printing & Linocut – Handmade paper’s texture adds a unique quality to prints.
✅ Collage & Mixed Media – Can handle layered materials like dried flowers.

3. Wet Media (Depends on Absorbency – Use with Caution)

⚠️ Acrylic Paint – Works well if applied in thin layers; thicker layers may cause warping.
⚠️ Gouache – A better choice than watercolor as it is more opaque and needs less water. But needs a prepared surface if paper is too porous.
⚠️ Ballpoint & Gel Pens – Best on smoother surfaces; rough paper may clog pen tips.
⚠️ Ink & Brush, or Fountain Pen – Works okay but tends to feather.

4. Not Ideal

🚫 Watercolor Paint – Handmade paper is usually too absorbent, causing paint to spread unpredictably. If you want to use watercolor, coat the surface with gesso (a primer used to prepare surfaces like paper, canvas, or wood for painting. It creates a smooth, slightly textured base that helps paint stick better and prevents it from soaking into the surface.) or gelatin sizing first.
🚫 Markers & Alcohol Ink – Tends to bleed excessively and soak through paper.

I hope that helps you understand the nature of handmade paper from junk paper more and select the right media for your creations!

If you want some inspiration to kickstart your art, head to Ideas for using my handmade paper and handmade books. There are loads of visual examples of how I use the mediums.