How to Use Vellum Paper

Have you ever seen a wedding card? The ones that are covered by a buttery soft, cloudy kind of paper? That is vellum paper. Though the name - 'Vellum paper' might sound a little vague, and you probably won't be able to place it immediately, the following article will take you through the description of vellum paper and the ways of using it, and will also tell you about the different manifestations that vellum paper has.

What is Vellum?

Vellum paper is a semi-translucent, buttery paper. To touch, it feels extremely soft and smooth, and light can pass through it to spread out evenly. It thus renders a very hazy appearance if kept in front of any light. Vellum paper has been used since eons to great effects. Especially as a part of decoration and embellishment in art and crafts. Vellum paper has the unique quality of giving anything that it is used in, a very rich appearance.

One wonders what is vellum paper made of to give it all the qualities that it entails. Earlier, vellum paper was made from stretched calfskin which went through the processes of skinning, de-hairing and the addition of certain chemicals (talc) so that it became congenial to write on. Over the years, the products with which vellum paper was made have changed, but it continues to be used extensively to this day. There are several ways of how one can use vellum paper and we shall look into some of them.

What is Vellum Paper Used For

How to use vellum paper is probably best answered in relation to arts and crafts. It renders a very unique flavor in bringing about some much-needed style and richness to an affair. Let us see how...

Celebration Cards
The hazy quality is one of the best parts of vellum paper. How to use it to bring about an immediate transformation from a mundane looking card to a rich card is an art...or is it? Not really. Try this trick, take a vellum paper and place it over a picture. Since it has the correct amount of haziness and the right amount of opacity to it, you do see the picture, but it is slightly blurred. This renders it a very unique flavor that is subtle and does not scream gaudy! And yet it looks rich and soft.

Albums
The other way of using vellum paper is to put it as colorful sheets in photo albums. It carries with it that unique flavor of richness (all over again) no doubt, but it also helps to protect the delicate photos by adding an additional layer over them.

Lamp Shades
Vellum paper can be molded into lamps provided that it is strong enough to bear the heat. By passing a light source through vellum paper, you'll be able to see the room in a completely different light (quite literally, may I add). Vellum paper blurs the light and gives it a very soothing and calming quality. This is made possible because it does not focus the light as a spot light or a single source that you directly look into (like a bulb). So for an ethereal look, buy (or make) some lamps or paper lanterns that are made out of vellum paper and you'll have a haven of dim lights to get back to after a hard day at work or school.

Scrapbooks
Vellum paper is used extensively in scrapbooking. It is possible to write on vellum paper and it renders a very sophisticated look to the whole affair. The key to using vellum paper in making scrap books is to get creative. Use layering, different colored pens, stickers and the lot. Vellum paper is strong enough to be molded into whatever needs to be done with it (cut, tear or jagged ends); so also it is perfect for writing on-so no problem there! The next time try some vellum paper instead of regular paper and see the difference.

Craft
It can be used in several projects that involve paper crafts. It is the perfect choice to make for kids' crafts in schools as well as other art classes.

Printing Paper
A printer accepts vellum paper very easily (though one has to make sure to allow time for the ink to dry before printing on the adjacent side, if at all). Have an important presentation and want to leave a mark? Try utilizing the option of vellum paper.

So the next time there is something important that you need to handle in the arts and crafts section (or otherwise) you can think of vellum paper. And then go ahead and create a truly unique piece of art that stands out in a crowd.