Skin Parchment FAQ's

Where do the parchment skins come from?
When the animals that are used for food are slaughtered, the hides are removed and preserved by salting, or other chemical methods. Some find their way to tanneries, to be made into leather or they go to parchment makers. Some parchments are made from the hides of animals that die naturally. But is the least common way of manufacturing parchment.

Why is it so expensive?
Animal skin parchment is laborious to make. Therefore, like any handmade technique, it tends to be pricey. Thankfully there are craftsmen who continue making parchment, as it is widely regarded as an incomparable medium for calligraphy and illumination and fine artwork.

While unusual to find older works actually printed on parchment, if you do happen across a piece or book, it will probably be atrociously expensive.

Why do I need to use parchment?
Parchment is the superior canvas for many creative techniques. From calligraphy to illumination, and from gouache painting to bookmaking to gilding, parchment provides a unique surface for all media.

While not well regarded for traditional printing, Chandal parchments run beautifully through in ink jet printers for artistic works exhibiting an antique quality.

How long does parchment last?
As a rule parchment is extremely permanent. As long as it does not get it wet or endures extreme heat, or subject it to attack by harsh chemicals, the answer appears to be indefinitely. There are parchment manuscripts that are more than 1000 years old that are still in good condition.

When was parchment first made?
This is a difficult question since ancient discoveries have been made of rawhide, leather and parchment books, pages and scrolls. According to some people, the Dead-Sea scrolls are made of parchment; others regard them as being a type of leather. Methods for making parchment have, and still vary from country to country, and even a specific locale to another, parchment made in one time or place differed from parchments made in other times and places. Several hundred years before Christ, there are accounts of parchment being made Asia Minor in an area known as Pergamon.

Is that where the technique Pergamano comes from? Isn't that done with vellum?
All 'vellum' sold and used in the craft market today is paper. It isn't real vellum. When speaking of parchment and real vellum, the two terms appear to be used interchangeably. By and large parchment is a generic term, regardless of what animal skin was used as the raw material. Vellum is a refinement of parchment, commonly referring to very fine parchment made from calfskin. Chandal parchments are made from sheep or goatskin, can be used as is, or altered for specific art techniques or media.

How do I know whether I'm looking at real parchment or a paper parchment?
The fibers in parchment go in every direction. The term 'grain' is used to describe the surface texture on the 'hair' side caused by the hair follicles, etc. The grain is absent from many parchments, due to the shaving off hair. With calf parchment, the grain is often hardly noticeable. With Chandal parchments, the interesting grain is very pronounced, when present. When handling real parchment look for the grain. Just like a carpenter learns to discern between oak and ash, parchments, vellums and paper have a definite look. It pays to experience several pieces to see and feel the differences. In addition, there is a big difference in strength. Parchment is much stronger than paper.

My parchment isn't flat like paper. What can I do?
Don't fight it. It's the nature of the parchment. Slight buckling, referred to as cockling, is perfectly natural for a parchment, unless it is pressed inside a book. Parchment should be mounted in such a way that it is free to expand and contract with the variations in ambient humidity.

Is there a right or wrong side of parchment?
No. It is entirely dependant on the media, technique or artwork being created. You will notice the hair side is definitely greasier, but that will not affect the artwork.
When sanding parchment for specific techniques, I would recommend a gentle sanding. Use 400 grit or finer.

This page may be reproduced with permission from USArtQuest, Inc. Italicized products are available from USArtQuest, Inc. and your local retailer, or www.usartquest.com