All four Somerset® surfaces are suitable for a wide range of traditional printmaking processes, including relief, intaglio, lithography, screen printing and letterpress. The choice of surface therefore, becomes a creative one, shaping the character of the finished print rather than limiting technique.

Somerset® Book – lightweight sheets for pages, perfect for an artisan book
White | Soft White
115gsm | 175gsm

Somerset® Book is designed specifically for limited-edition books, where an artisan feel is required. The sheets have a luxurious tactile quality, with a fine surface texture.
Suitable for letterpress, lithography, offset lithography (with low tack inks), and laser printing.

Somerset® Satin – smooth with a subtle texture
Radiant White | White | Soft White
250gsm | 300gsm | 500gsm

The Satin surface offers a subtle surface that sits between firmness and softness. It provides excellent contact with plates, screens and blocks while allowing ink to transfer cleanly and evenly. This balance makes Satin a versatile choice for printmakers working across multiple techniques or layering processes.

Artists often favour Satin when they want clarity without the additional surface of Velvet or Textured, or when a smoother finish supports detailed imagery while retaining a tactile paper presence.

The Satin surface is easily the most popular in the Somerset® series of papers.

Suitable for relief, intaglio, lithography and screen printing.

Somerset® Velvet – a lightly textured tactile sheet
Radiant White | White | Soft White | Buff 
Antique | Newsprint Grey
250gsm | 300gsm | 330gsm

The Velvet finish has a subtly more textured finish than the Satin surface. Its gentle tooth allows ink to settle into the paper, producing rich blacks, smooth tonal transitions and expressive mark-making. While fully suitable for the same techniques as other Somerset® surfaces, Velvet is frequently chosen by artists exploring depth, atmosphere and tonal variation.

The surface’s forgiving nature can also be appealing where wiping, pressure or hand printing varies slightly between impressions.

Suitable for relief, intaglio, lithography and screen printing.

Somerset® Textured - a rougher sheet
Radiant White | White | Soft White
250gsm | 300gsm | 500gsm

Textured is the most characterful of the Somerset® surfaces, with a pronounced texture that becomes an active part of the printed image. Ink interacts visibly with the peaks and valleys of the paper, creating variation and visual interest that can enhance bold or graphic work.

Printmakers often select Textured when they want the paper itself to contribute to the final result — adding physical presence and a sense of traditional craft.

Suitable for relief, intaglio, lithography and screen printing.

Choosing a Surface

Rather than matching a paper to a single technique, Somerset® surfaces invite experimentation. The same plate, block or screen can produce distinctly different results depending on surface choice, allowing artists to explore mood, tactility and finish without changing their process.

In practice, many printmakers test multiple surfaces before committing to an edition, discovering how each responds to their working methods and aesthetic intentions.

Somerset® Application Brochure - Learn more about how different print processes interact with Somerset®

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