I'm interested in making my own globe, but unsure what kind of paper to use to make the gores (i.e., "banana peel" shaped segments of the map that are glued onto a sphere). The map would be printed on the paper with archival inks and later hand colored with watercolor paint. From what I gather, professional globe makers typically soak the paper in water before applying it to the globe to help it stretch and avoid buckling at the edges. I'm assuming the paper would need to be light weight. I'm also interested in the globe having a smooth and shiny surface. Some sort of finish or polyurethane would likely be applied to the finished globe. Any thoughts on what sort of papers I should try out or experiment with for this purpose? Thanks in advance.

Hi John, Thanks for your inquiry. We don't have much experience using our papers for the application you describe above. However, If you require a paper that you can print using an inkjet printer then you should look at our Moab family of papers (www.moabpaper.com. these will give you the best image quality as they papers are treated with an inkjet receptive coating. The thinnest paper we have in the Moab range is our Moenkopi Japanese Washi paper, which is 55gsm

There are quite a few fixatives to choose from at most art material stores and perhaps they can offer guidance.

The best thing to do is experiment. We'd be happy to send you some samples of the Moenkopi. Send us your shipping details to info[at]legionpaper.com

Legion Paper