An artists asks:
Archival? Conservation? Acid Free? Are they all the same?!
I am getting confused about the difference between acid free and pH-neutral paper and paper which is ‘archival’ or ‘conservation’ quality. Are these all essentially the same thing?
Read the informative and thorough answer from ‘Steve from St Cuthbert’s Mill’ to this question.
When discussing artists’ papers, the primary concern is with permanence, because paper is more than just a work surface– it’s an integral part of the whole creation. For permanence, the paper fibers used must be of a pure cellulose nature (plant tissue and fiber). Cotton is 100% cellulose, and high alpha woodpulp is 93% cellulose– both considered to be of excellent permanence. The presence of acids will contribute to the deterioration of papers, and the manner in which the paper is used and cared for will greatly determine its life.
Currently, more and more manufactureres and archivists are proposing new definitions and standards offering correct terminology. The discussion continues, and poses the following questions and arguments.
A commonly used term to describe artist paper is ‘neutral pH.’ Many customers and retailers assume the neutral pH is the same as acid-free. While an acid paper with buffers added could be subject to deterioration or yellowing if the acid remaining in the sheet or formed during aging exceeds the buffering capacity.
The term ‘pH of paper’ is essentially undefinable because the fibers, additives, and absorbed water do not conform to the basic definition of pH established for aqueous solutions.
The acidity or alkalinity of a paper is expressed as a pH value. pH is a measurement of the concentration of hydrogen ions in auqueous solution. A neutral pH environment is the equal balance between the hydrogen ions. (HO is actually H+ and OH-: the positive ion is balanced against the negative) If more hydrogen ions are introduced, the balance goes toward an acidic solution. If more clacium carbonate is added, the solution becomes more alkaline. The pH scale :
Of the methods used to determine the pH of a paper, the most widely used. and the ones which tend to produce the more consistent values, are the ‘wet end’ extract and the ‘cold water’ extract pH procedures. The wet end extract is done in the beginning of the process, when the pulp is about 99% water and 1% fiber. The cold water extract is performed on air-dried paper. Paper (1.0g) is placed on a beaker with distilled water, broken down with a stirring rod, and covered. After one hour, the mixture is stirred again and (without filtration) the pH is measured with a glass electrode pH meter.
Buffers, such as calcium carbonate, may be added to change the acidic value of the pulp mixture guaranteeing the alkaline reserve. During the papermaking process, many manufacturers add a minimum of 2% calcium carbonate allowing the paper to be manufactured with a neutral or alkaline reserve. Acid free papers are considered to have no free acids or a pH measure of 6.5 pH or higher.
From Wikipedia article on Acid Free Paper:
Archival paper is an especially permanent, durable acid-free paper. Archival paper is meant to be used for publications of high legal, historical, or significant value. In the USA, such paper must also be approved in accordance with the ANSI standards.[15] The international standard for “permanent” paper is ISO 9706 and for “archival” paper, the standard is ISO 11108.[16]
Often, cotton rag paper is used for archival purposes, as it is not made from wood-based pulp. Thus, “archival paper” is sometimes broken down into two categories:
Conservation-grade — acid-free, buffered paper made from wood-based pulp.
Archival-grade (also Museum-grade) — cotton rag paper made from cotton pulp.
Source: Wikipedia article on Acid Free Paper
St Cuthberts Mill makes papers that are considered to be permanent. The mill manufactures products using wood pulp and cotton linters.
Cotton linters are approx 98-99% alpha cellulose and are the purest form of cellulose available for paper making. The mill’s own brand papers made with this type of pulp are Saunders Waterford artist watercolour, Millford and Somerset Printmaking grades. All of these grades are manufactured using an internal alkaline size, alkyl ketene dimmer and are buffered with calcium carbonate to counteract atmospheric acidic pollution.
Bockingford, the mill’s other watercolour grade is made from wood pulp: we still consider it to be archival. It is manufactured from wood pulps containing greater than 94% alpha cellulose, alkaline sized and buffered.
This was originally published on our art supplies forum.
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Julie was the editor of the Jackson's Art Blog for 10 years and now writes for the blog part time. With an encyclopaedic knowledge of art materials (with a focus on oils and acrylics), she loves researching and writing pieces for the blog as she learns something new each time. She studied journalism in California, art at Camberwell College of Art and completed the two-year Turps Studio Painting Programme in 2019. She exhibits her paintings regularly.
Hi David
I asked our local paper expert and they said: not necessarily. “The sulphite process involves treating woodchips with an acidic solution that can have a pH between 1.5 and 5 to remove lignin, a polymer that can cause yellowing if left in the pulp that eventually becomes paper. As such, I would imagine that some grades of sulphite paper could contain residual acid. As to whether they have good longevity, I would say because they are a woodfree (lignin removed) paper they will resist yellowing for a longer period of time than paper made from mechanical pulp would, but won’t last as long as papers that have a calcium carbonate buffer as they have less resistance to atmospheric pollutants. Whenever considering longevity the unknown factor is how the paper in question is going to be stored. Factors such as humidity, temperature, exposure to light and atmospheric pH can all affect this.” I hope this helps, sorry it’s not a conclusive answer.
Hi, I would like to print Xmas cards from
my pastel and watercolour drawings.
Ordinary card prints the colours flat and
very dull. I use a Canon MG7752. Would
acid free paper / card work wonders and if
so which one please? Thank you Jane
Hi Jane
Archival and acid-free only refer to how long the paper will last before it yellows or goes brittle. It doesn’t change how it looks now. Inkjet paper has a special coating on it to prevent the ink from sinking down inside which would make the ink appear pale, but rather it sits proud on top and so stays bright.
We stock artist-quality inkjet papers for reproduction paintings, they are designed to be archival.
We also stock inkjet cards and the Bockingford inkjet paper is a good value and could make good cards.
Can you advise me of suitable card for
homemade birthday/Christmas cards
please? I started drawing/painting cards
during lockdown but got fed up because of
the awful colours (nothinglike my
original)produced after scanning and
printing. I just used ordinary card and have
a “household” printer. Canon six inks inkjet.
I suspect the card/paper is the culprit?
Being aged and suffering “Covid Cabin
Fever!” It would be nice to have an up-lift
and produce a few decent coloured cards
that look like the original! Please help. T.
Hi Teresa
It does sound like it is your paper.
Inkjet paper has a special coating on it to prevent the ink from sinking down inside which would make the ink appear pale, but rather it sits proud on top and so stays bright.
We stock artist-quality inkjet papers for reproduction paintings, they are designed to be archival.
We also stock inkjet cards and the Bockingford inkjet paper is a good value and could make good cards.
I am looking specifically for unbuffered
cotton papers and am mystified, can you
point me towards any?
Our watercolour paper specialist is certain that all of our cotton papers are buffered with calcium carbonate. Arches Platine is 100% cotton and unbuffered. We don’t stock it but could do a special order for you which might take a few weeks.
Or you might prefer to go to a specialist print or conservation shop, depending on what you need the paper for.
