If you are writing with a fountain pen, you’ll want to use the best quality paper possible. If you haven’t thought about which paper you should be using, we’ll help you decide what fountain pen-friendly paper suits your purposes best.

Here we’ll introduce you to some of the basics and provide you with a few recommendations to get you started.

As you’ll discover, several factors should be considered when buying paper for use with a fountain pen. However, before we go over the criteria, let’s look at 5 of the best papers for fountain pens.

The Top 5 Best Fountain Pen Friendly Paper Notebooks

We’ve not placed them in a ranked order, and will address each individually. After comparing each one, you can then decide which of these types of paper best suits your needs. 

1. LeStallion Professional Leather Notebooks 

The LeStallion leather notebook is an elegant and practical journal that comes with a faux leather cover in a variety of colors. 

While it may look bulky, it is in fact lightweight and will easily fit into a backpack, briefcase, or laptop bag. 

We love that it comes with a total of 216 pages of good quality paper, which are perfect for everyday writing. Also, you’ll find it comes with a little storage pocket at the back, which is ideal for storing notecards or other small items. 

The pages are thick, with each one being rated at 120gsm. Due to its style and thickness, it is clear that this paper has specifically been designed for fountain pen users. Of course, due to the high paper quality, you’ll find it is one of the pricier notebooks available.

Pros

• Thick, quality absorbent paper designed for fountain pens
• It comes with a metal bookmark
• Storage pocket to keep important notes in
• Journal possesses a softcover and each piece of paper has a beautifully colored edge

Cons

• The cover is made from faux leather
• Some people find the paper feels a little scratchy
• The folder pocket at the back is made from cardboard and may not be very durable

2. Le Vent Notebook

Le Vent notebooks are great for getting your ideas onto paper. Their size means that they will fit easily in any backpack, satchel, or handbag.

Each of the 200 pages inside these notebooks are made of 100gsm cream paper that is 100% recycled and free of acid. The back of each notebook is made from 500gsm craft paper, which provides strong backing as a writing surface when you are out and about.

Due to the thickness of the paper, it is popular with fountain pen enthusiasts. The fountain pen ink doesn’t bleed through the creamy paper and dries well, ensuring that your writing will last a long time and not fade.

You can use this Le Vent product as is, or you can use them to refill leather journals that have covers measuring 5 x 7, 5 x 8, or 5 x 9 inches.

Pros

• Perfect GSM paper to use for refilling leather journals
• Each creamy sheet is made from 100% recycled acid-free paper
• Very sturdy
• Ideal for using to take notes on your lap

Cons

• You may find there is too much feedback from paper to the fountain pen nibs
• May find that this paper works better when writing with a ballpoint or roller pen

3. Clairefontaine Tablets “Triomphe”

This A5 size notebook from Clairefontaine contains some of the smoothest paper you can buy, making it incredibly pleasant to write with a fountain pen. This high-quality paper is something that many calligraphers love to use due to its ultra-smooth finish.

As a fountain pen enthusiast, what you will love about this inexpensive paper–which happens to be made in France–is that it does not incur feathering and prevents ink from bleeding through the page. The front cover is made from soft cardboard, while the back provides a much firmer writing surface.

Only the first page of this notebook is lined, while the rest of the premium paper inside is blank. If you find writing on a blank sheet of paper difficult, don’t worry, as you can always draw your own lines or place it over another sheet of paper with lines..

Pros

• Each one of the 90 GSM acid-free pages is removable
• It is fantastic paper for writing on with fountain pens
• The blank sheets have a smooth surface
• Crisp medium-weight paper ideal for daily writing

Cons

• Slightly thicker than standard notebooks, which may make it heavier
• May be expensive for those on a budget
• If you press down on the paper too hard it can lead to some amount of bleed through

4. Antony Olivier Real Leather Journal 

Would you like to keep a daily record of what your life is like? Well, you can with this beautiful journal from Antony Olivier.

This high-quality leather journal has been made to the highest standards, and the classic design of this product is sleek and fashionable.

Inside the handmade leather cover of this journal are 100 sheets of premium-quality paper that any fountain pen fanatic would be happy to get their hands on. You’ll find that the cover is incredibly durable, and the wrap-around strap ensures that everything inside is kept safe.

As it measures only 14 cm x 11 cm, you’ll notice that it fits well in your backpack, satchel, or tote bag. Plus, you can choose between a model with loose or fixed pages depending on your preference.

Each one of the sheets of paper inside this journal isn’t only great for use with fountain pens, it is also excellent for ballpoint pens and pencils.

Pros

• Is good value for money
• It comes with a clean, straightforward design
• It has a pleasant leather smell
• Is well made

Cons

• The plastic holders inside may become discolored
• You may find pushing the leather strap through the hole difficult
• It does not come with a strap, pocket or holder for your fountain pens

5. Book Factory Ink Lover Notebook

Made in the USA, Book Factory produces a wide range of notebooks made with paper well suited for use with fountain pens. 

Although they make a variety of soft and hardcover notebooks for students, their products have been used by artists and businessmen alike. They may look basic compared to some of the more expensive options we’ve discussed above, but they’re up to par with some of the best.

You will find that a range of different ink colors shows up well on the 120gsm sheets of paper, which are resistant to ghosting or bleeding. Many artists, illustrators, and calligraphers find this paper suitable for their needs. 

However, beware that the texture of the paper may not be of the same high quality as some of the other papers we have gone over and recommended. You may find that it is not best for all pen nib sizes, and that the smoothness of your writing experience may vary greatly depending on the type of fountain pens you use.  

Pros

• It is ideal for use with most fountain pens
• It is a very sturdy book
• Includes sheets of good quality paper

Cons

• Depending on the pen you use, you may find the paper is too absorbent 

How To Go About Choosing The Best Paper For Fountain Pen Writing

You’ll find that everyday stationery paper isn’t suitable for use when writing with a fountain pen. The problem is that this type of paper will absorb too much ink, leading to the ink bleeding through and marking the pages behind it. Plus, standard paper tends to be thin compared to high-quality stationery paper, so you may find that when you press down with the fountain pen nib, it may tear unexpectedly. 

Below we discuss what makes good fountain pen paper and how to go about finding the right one for your needs. 

What Makes Good Fountain Pen Paper? 

Ideally, you want an absorbent paper that is resistant to bleeding and seepage when using a fountain pen. The right kind of paper will prevent feathering, ghosting (ink showing through), or ink bleeding through multiple pages. 

Generally, you’ll find that high-quality stationery paper comes with a much quicker dry time. Interestingly enough, those who write with their left hand will notice that the risk of smudging in their work is greatly reduced–however, unless you’re left handed, this can be difficult to attempt. 

Best Paper For Fountain Pen Writing 

You need to consider several factors before picking high-quality stationery paper for use with a fountain pen. By choosing the right kind of paper, you’ll bring new life to your writing, making it an overall more pleasurable experience.

Here are some of the things you need to consider. 

Texture 

You’ll notice that nicer paper has a much smoother texture than the paper in cheaper notebooks. When using a fountain pen, go for the smoothest paper you can find, since fountain pen nibs will glide over it more easily.  

As a rule of thumb, paper with a coating over it is generally the smoothest. However, if you are looking for something a little different, you may want to think about using cotton writing paper instead. That said, cotton writing paper has a woven texture similar to fabric, and may be slightly more rough than coated paper.

Drying Time 

When you write on coated paper with your fountain pen, it will take some time before the ink dries completely. This means it is important to let the ink dry to avoid smearing. 

If you want to speed up the drying time, you should consider going for uncoated cotton writing paper, which is more absorbent.

It is best to avoid any lined paper, as the drying time for ruled paper is typically slow.

Choose Specialised Paper to Avoid Bleed Through and Show Through 

It is best to avoid using ordinary copy paper, as it is often too thin to handle heavy flows of ink. Ideally, you should consider going with writing pads or sheets of paper with a 125gsm rating, and avoiding those with a 75gsm rating. 

Although lightweight fountain pen-friendly paper is now available, it is best to stick with the much thicker paper sheets. 

Paper That Prevents Feathering 

You’ll find that some of the cheaper papers do tend to show feathering as you write. This is because the ink can spread too quickly across thinner sheets. Regarding feathering, you may notice that as you write your lines will appear thick and rough around the edges–this is caused by the paper absorbing the ink too quickly.

But you’ll find that using extremely smooth vellum-coated paper will prevent this issue, especially when writing with a fountain pen. 

FAQs

Why Should I Not Use Regular Paper?

This type of paper is excellent for ballpoint pens. Ballpoint pen ink is oil-based and will therefore glide effortlessly over the surface. But, this type of paper can be too thin for fountain pen ink, and there’s a risk of bleeding through. Also, you may find that certain sizes of nibs will tear through the material. 

Is Moleskin Paper Suitable?

Moleskin paper is very light and thin, and can be prone to bleeding. This is especially the case if the fountain pen you are using is fitted with a broad nib. If you use fountain pens regularly, we would suggest that this type of paper isn’t suitable for your needs. 

Let’s Wrap Things Up 

When it comes to choosing the best quality fountain pen paper, you’ll find that opinions vary from one person to the next. Ideally, as discussed above, you should be looking for the best paper for fountain pen writing that reduces the risk of ink-to-paper defects or aberrations. 

It is important to remember that the ink in your fountain pen is water-based when choosing such paper. This means you will require a much heavier paper than the cheap copy paper you would use to write with a ballpoint pen.

Please let us know if this article was helpful for you and if you were able to find the best paper fountain pen for your needs.