Hello inkheads! Earth Day will be here before you know it, and all this talk about trees reminded me of how much I love paper. I presume I’m not alone in this sentiment as most of my designer and artist friends also find paper inspiring. For some Friday fun, I made a list of reasons to inspire you to get into the pulpy groove!
8 Reasons to create with paper
#1) Paper is recyclable- We all want to do our part to save the environment; here in the U.S., paper’s recycling rate is about 65%. According to the EPA, roughly 33% of papermaking materials come from recycled paper. That pulp can be used to make over 5,000 other products, including masking tape, lamp shades, and coffee filters.
#2) Faster than software- This point speaks to the creatives out there in CMYKland. I start the design process with pencil or pen and paper most of the time. Simple sketches give you a chance to explore ideas without committing a lot of time to working in Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign. Of course, you’re able to scan any artwork into a digital design, too.
#3) No eye strain- My job consists of basically staring at a screen for 8 hours straight. If you’re inside the office working on a computer like I am, paper gives your eyes much needed rest.
#4) Break from typing- Painful conditions, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar nerve irritation are unfortunate side effects of nonstop typing. I suffer from these repetitive motion injuries, as do many copywriters and designers. Drawing on paper allows me to exercise my imagination without hurting my hands.
#5) Stimulates creative thinking- Research suggests that drawing plays an important role in cognitive development. I’m no neuroscientist, but I believe sketching produces better designs because you have more creative freedom.
#6) Embraces imperfections- Speaking of freedom, there’s a strong tendency to aim for perfection in the digital world. In a way, paper relieves artistic stress because of the human element. I feel as though I’ve failed when I notice even minor graphic errors in my digital work, yet I don’t impose the same demands on my psyche when I’m immersed in natural fibers. Once you get over the whole mistakes hang up, you’ll find yourself having tons of fun with nonjudgmental paper.
#7) No technical difficulties- Computer problems always seem to happen at the worst possible times. I’ve sat through Microsoft updates that took an hour to complete and forgotten to save photos to my hard drive before deleting them in Photoshop. The only technical issue I’ve experienced with paper would be ink bleeding through the page from permanent marker. I quickly figured out that you need to put something behind the sheet to protect the rest of your sketchbook when you’re drawing with Sharpies. Easy peasy fix compared to a blue screen of death.
#8) Collect pencils, pens, and markers – I stockpile typefaces as much as the next design geek, but amassing digital collections doesn’t feel quite as magical. I prefer finding beautiful colored pencils or new fine pointed pens I can hold in my hands to enhance my offline downtime.
Why do you love paper?
Unleash your inner print geek in the comments below!