
The major difference? Not all vellum paper/tracing paper is created equally. Handed a sheet of translucent paper, a stationer may use the term vellum where a drafter may call it tracing paper. They look and feel similar, are manufactured the same way and can be used for similar projects. The quick answer is yes, vellum paper and tracing paper are essentially the same thing. Is Vellum Paper the Same as Tracing Paper? ( Heavyweight 54lb white translucent vellum shown here) It’s delicate yet durable, standing up to writing, printing, cutting, scoring and gluing. Vellum has a super smooth, almost plastic-like finish. Shown here, it’s not crystal clear, but certainly see-through. Vellum is created by beating and processing cellulose fibers until there is no air present, resulting in dense, moisture-rich sheets you can see though. When air is not present in the fibers, paper is translucent (vellum). When air is trapped between the fibers, paper is opaque. Though animal-based vellum is still manufactured today, it is a very time consuming and expensive process, leaving modern vellum to be made by machine with cellulose fibers.īoth translucent (see-through) and opaque (non see-through) papers are made with cellulose fibers.
OLD PARCHMENT PAPER TEMPLATE GOOGLE DOCS SKIN
Historically, vellum was made by stretching calf skin over a wooden frame and processing it in preparation for writing. Short answer: Vellum is made of cellulose fibers (plants, trees). It’s unique, versatile and has endless uses in the stationery, paper-craft, packaging and design world. It comes in many colors, weights, brands and even textures. Whatever you call it, it all refers to smooth, delicate paper you can see through.


Besides vellum, it may be referred to as tracing paper, see-through paper, transparent paper and translucent paper. First off, let’s cut out any confusion: This article refers to modern, plant-based vellum, a paper that goes by many names.
