Fabriano Vice Versa

[Bartc]

Alternatively known as "Elle Erre". This particular paper has come on my radar thanks to some gorgeous pastel works on the Web by Mark Ivan Cole. Don't know whether the paper would be to my taste, but sure love this guy's work! Wow....

So I have been searching the Web for reviews on this paper for pastel particularly, as a potential addition to or less expensive alternative to my favorite PastelMat. Also, where in the world to buy individual sheets.

Do any of you have direct experience with this paper for pastel? Do any of you know where I can buy a couple of sheets (not a pack of 20) to try it out?

 

[Donna T]

I haven't heard about this one, Bart. Jerry's Artist Outlet carries it but I don't see anything about how many sheets you need to buy. Usually they will let you combine other papers to make the limit. This looks interesting because it has one textured side and one smooth side so at least there's the possibility of using it for another media if the pastel side doesn't suit you. If you get it I'd like to hear how you like it for pastels.

 

[Bartc]

Yes, Donna, I found Jerry's Outlet and they let you buy sheets individually, but their shipping cost is PROHIBITIVE to say the least! $55 to me in California. Wonder if they're shipping from Mars....

But comparing them to PastelMat on the surface they appear pretty interesting. They're about $2-3/sheet of 20x28", while that size sheet of PastelMat is at least $14. Plus, they come in some additional interesting colors.

Mark Ivan Cole wrote that he uses the smoother side, BTW. No info on how this is supposed to hold up to any form of wet washes either.

 

[Donna T]

Oh my gosh that shipping cost is outrageous! I wonder if you wrote to the Fabriano company and asked for samples if they would send you some. If you really really love the paper then maybe the shipping would be worth it. Maybe.

 

[Bartc]

Here, reprinted for your utter wonder, is the shipping cost from New Jersey for a few sheets of paper:

Shipping	Ground (UPS): $55.06 2nd Day Air (UPS): $252.48 Next Day Air (UPS): $362.16

Utterly unbelievable!
And the one store that seems to carry this paper in the SF Bay Area is Flax, a good store, but one that does not deliver to my area at all, and in-store pickup involves a drive into the busy city to a place with costly and limited parking at best.
This is one item that I see on the Web pretty much at Amazon in only a couple of colors in packs of 20 or 40, which again is rather expensive for a trial run.
Very frustrating!!!!!

 

[Triduana]

That shipping cost is outrageous!

 

[Artyczar]

I remember Flax being extra expensive when there was one here on the West Side.

 

[Rich53]

Here, reprinted for your utter wonder, is the shipping cost from New Jersey for a few sheets of paper:

Shipping	Ground (UPS): $55.06 2nd Day Air (UPS): $252.48 Next Day Air (UPS): $362.16

Utterly unbelievable!
And the one store that seems to carry this paper in the SF Bay Area is Flax, a good store, but one that does not deliver to my area at all, and in-store pickup involves a drive into the busy city to a place with costly and limited parking at best.
This is one item that I see on the Web pretty much at Amazon in only a couple of colors in packs of 20 or 40, which again is rather expensive for a trial run.
Very frustrating!!!!!

I was thinking about the shipping cost. Many years ago I worked for a company who shipped most of their products via UPS. I remember that UPS had size and weight limits, so maybe the package is outside the size limit? That and the cost of fuel could be doing it.

Just a wild idea,
--Rich

 

[Bartc]

I was thinking about the shipping cost. Many years ago I worked for a company who shipped most of their products via UPS. I remember that UPS had size and weight limits, so maybe the package is outside the size limit? That and the cost of fuel could be doing it.

Just a wild idea,
--Rich

Prohibitive, none-the-less. I have not found other companies so outrageous. For example, same size sheets shipped from Jerry's Artorama were not expensive for the size at all.

 

[MurrayG]

Hi Bart. Its been a long time. Well, I sometimes get desperate for paper for pastels as the only Pastelmat I can get is often when I travel. The delivery cost is crazy. But, I have found that the Smooth Fabriano watercolour 300gm paper when used with an acrylic primer, does work. I was curious about an article I found about Clear Liquitex Gesso Primer for acrylics. The tooth is "OK" but not as good as PM, but at a pinch it does work. I prime a sheet and cut it up for pastel sketches. Never tried a large work tho.

 

[Bartc]

Yes, Murray, I do know the clear liquitex gesso trick. Have tried it and found that it's actually very gritty! Not sure that I would want to do much of that, but may go back to experimenting. You CAN use that on nearly any substrate, BTW.
I was hoping that Fab VV would be a much better alternative to PM. Once I'm into preparing another surface with gesso, I'm not interested really. Want to pull out paper and get to work without preparations.
Can't seem to get a deal on Fab VV so far, though. And stores don't seem to know anything about it. They all carry some Fab papers, but not this one.

 

[MurrayG]

I tried Fabriano Tiziano pastel paper once, never again. Heavy waffle and the smooth side had no tooth.

 

[Bartc]

I tried Fabriano Tiziano pastel paper once, never again. Heavy waffle and the smooth side had no tooth.

Hmmm, then I'm wondering if the VV is the same, as the description given sounds pretty much like that. Somehow Mark Ivan Cole is getting gorgeous results on that paper.