Portland Shop Creates Gelatin-Free Vegan Watercolor Paper

Portland, OR-based letterpress shop Oblation Papers & Press recently developed a vegan watercolor paper that rivals that of the top-regarded French papermaker Arches but without the use of animal products. The shop’s “paperman,” master papermaker Kalin Stoev, created the vegan paper from recycled cotton that goes through pulping machines before being pressed into sheets—a process that departs from that of Arches’ which uses gelatin to “size” its paper. “A lot of artists … they are sensitive and would like to be animal-free, cruelty-free,” Stoev told student newspaper PSU Vanguard, adding that he believes many artists “can’t work on something that requires sacrificing animals.” The shop’s new paper—which holds pigment and water well while allowing the intensity of paint to shine—will be available to the public starting February 24.