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A smooth, glossy paper that’s air, water, and grease resistant, glassine is used by artists to wrap paintings and to place between stacked drawings, etchings, prints, maps, and watercolors. Because its surface is so smooth, the material isn’t abrasive to delicate drawings rendered in easy-to-smudge mediums like vine charcoal or chalk pastel. An environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to plastics, films, and foils, glassine is also used as a barrier between food products like meat and baked goods. There’s really no substitute material for glassine, as tissue paper is too thin to properly protect your work and wax paper is too sticky and not environmentally sustainable. Glassine is a smart buy for both art storage and cooking needs. Browse our selection of the best options below.
ARTnews RECOMMENDS
Canson Glassine Interleaving Paper
Canson is a trusted artist’s brand for quality, reasonably priced archival supplies, and this glassine is no exception. Acid-free and medium weight, with a 0.001-inch thickness, this translucent material keeps your art well-protected in storage and transit. It is also easy to cut into custom sizes. Available in 36-inch-wide rolls ranging from 10 to 100 yards, and 48-inch-by-10-yard rolls, there are plenty of options to choose from, and each roll will last a long time. Plus, this format allows you to store the glassine safely to avoid creases or tears.
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Lineco Acid-Free Glassine Sheets
If you tend to work with small-scale artworks, consider getting a pack of glassine sheets. These from Lineco measure 16 by 20 inches, each one precisely cut and well weighted to guard against dust and abrasion. They are museum-quality—characteristic of Lineco—which means they are acid-free and unbuffered for safe use with colored prints, textiles, and watercolors. Note that these papers arrive folded, which means they will showcase some creases.
ANOTHER GOOD OPTION
Apadana Acid Free Glassine Paper
Like the sound of precut papers, but need bigger size? Look no further than Apadana’s product, which measures 24 by 36 inches—making these sheets the largest precut option available on this list. You get 25 acid- and sulfur-free sheets, all made in the USA. The material is ultra-crisp and arrives packaged in a reusable tube for crease-free safekeeping.
EDUCATORS’ CHOICE
Bright Creations Glassine Paper
Students looking to stock up on supplies for the school year should go with this bulk pack of loose-leaf glassine sheets. Bright Creations’ product offers convenience and quality at a good price. Smooth and glossy, each sheet measures 16 by 20 inches and has a weight of 58 gsm. Available in a 100-sheet pack, this option comes at a great value—offering enough for you to even share with classmates or studiomates.
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Borden & Riley Glassine Paper
Another option that comes packaged in a roll, this 25-pound glassine paper is transparent, which allows you to place it over a grid and cut custom sheets with ease, according to the dimensions of your project. It is totally smooth to help reduce friction between it and your art and to prevent any pigment from smudging or rubbing off. This glassine paper is made in the USA and comes in a convenient roll measuring 24 inches by 20 yards.