GDG Books..... Papertest!!
Createspace 60lbs/Lulu/Ingram 50 & 70lbs
Why does Global Doodle Gems made the choice for Createspace to make our books.... That question was also with me. So our publisher Maria send me 4 books, 4 times TwisterBook Chill Pill volume 1, 4 different kind of paper.
The first look at the covers....
Wow, the Lulu book is gorgeous, bright and shiny colors on glossy paper, and a spiral band!
No difference between the covers from Createspace and Ingram, bright and matte paper, until I open the books! I am totally in love with the inside of the Ingrambook, its full of colored pieces from the book...and yes, all done by me.... That was a great surprise to see!
If it was possible we should have the glossy outside of Lulu, the colored inside of Ingram, all together in the books of Createspace!
But Maria already did that research...and sorry to hear, that"s not possible!
I start my test, there are 25 twister lines on the page I choose...so that means i will use 25 different materials to do the ultimate test on the paper. To keep it simple, I use 4 colors, from each material. Red (because its the most difficult color to use for bigger spaces), Yellow (because after coloring most of the time there will be white spots left), Orange as an in between color and Green because of the dark I need to test..... All together those colors are "life"..... I test pens, alcohol markers, pencils, gel pens, wax crayon, drawing pens. I had to make choices from what I have, but the most important, I tested expensive and low budget materials, so it should be the most fair test I could make for you.
This list is about "How does the material feel on the paper", not about the result! For me it was a crime to color with my pens on the Ingram books, felt sorry for my ink. But I had to, because maybe the result would be fine after drying. I did every Twister in each book with the same material in the same time...so the pressure would be the same, also the way of coloring. My table was full of Twisterbooks!!!
What about the results. I made scans of the colored page, also the backpage.
LULU
Almost no bleed through on the back, most of the "wet" materials dried good or gorgeous. The most of my tested pencills did a good job on this paper. Gell pens, a little wave in the paper. For using materials and endresults, for me LULU has SILVER!
INGRAM 50LBS
I did not like to color with pens on this paper, I was surprised about the alcohol markers, they did pretty well, drawing pens where ok, but pencills, it was a crime to do. This paper is the worst for me, the end result was not how I like it
INGRAM 70LBS
This paper was a little bit better for pens, but also not good enough for me, it scratches. The alcohol markers did pretty good on this paper, pencills better than on the 50lbs paper, with a super for the Prismacolor and the Caran d'Ache Pablo... but overall, not my paper... Ingram 70 LBS, ok a small Bronze medallion
Createspace 60 LBS (Global Doodle Gems paper)
Overall, the best paper. Pens and alcoholmarkers, color fine, and the result is good, no bleeds, good result. Most of the pencils I used, did a super job on this paper, gell pens did fine, drawing pens all 3 do a good job. For me, the Golden medallion for Createspace.
If it was possible to make a choice between Lulu and Createspace for our buyers, because of the small differences in the paper, and the extra of the spiral band (a little more costs), I believe that should be great, because they are both good!
I hope that Maria and I answered your questions...about "Why Createspace?"
So to color in the best book...
The Twister Book Chill Pill
Click on pic to shop now !
this is from the Global Doodle Gems blog...
