Graphic Supplies

In all of the work that we do, we always try to incorporate graphics. This can be from simple graphics on one or two handouts or the agenda, right through to recording the event process on large sheets of paper - some 12 feeet long by 4 feet wide. We also use graphic templates a huge amount.

Once people see the process, we are often asked, "Where do you get the paper, pens, pastels, boards etc.?" The list below is not an exhaustive list of suppliers, but these suppliers have served us well over the years.

Paper:

There are 3 types of paper and the choice you need to make is:

  • What type of surface will the paper be on?
  • How long will it be up there?
  • What are we going to do with it afterwards, i.e. encapsulation?

The best paper is Posterbond Paper available from:

Grove Consultants who can be found at www.grove.com
(The Grove Consultants International,
PO Box 29391,
San Francisco).
Shipping charges can be expensive.

This paper is 48" wide x 25 yards long. You can get the paper in 50-yard rolls but it makes it very heavy to work with.

If you are using uneven walls then try Fabriano Accademia paper. This is heavier (120 gsm) and wider than the PosterBond paper (1.5m x 10m). You may find some copy shops are unable to encapsulate it, as it is too wide. It is good paper for not letting colours bleed through to the wall underneath. You can buy this from:

R K Burt Ltd
57 Union Street
London SE1 1SG
Tel: 020 7407 6474

It might be worth several people clubbing together to place a bulk order. R K Burt has a minimum order spend before you get free delivery.

The other paper we use is from a copy shop that photocopies architects plans drawings - the paper they put in their copy machine. This is smaller in width than the PosterBond paper (841 mm x 45.7m) but comes in much longer rolls and is much cheaper. We pay around £30 per roll. You will need to source this locally. It is called Miljet Universal Mono and Colour 90gsm paper for inkjet plotters.

For templates, CD with templates on, paper, pens, books etc. go to www.grove.com. On the website you can view a selection of templates. Shipping charges can be expensive but worth it!

Pens:

The three types we use are Mr Sketch, Berol or Neuland. We recommend water-based markers.

Mr Sketch are great - lovely smells - but if you lean heavily on them you can find the tip splaying out quickly. Cost is around £7.80 per packet of 8 pens. Mr Sketch pens available direct from Sanford who make them.

Berol Autoseal Flipchart Markers - won't dry out for up to 4 weeks! Berol markers are available from any good stationery suppliers such as Viking Direct. Cost is around £7.00 per packet of 8 pens.

Neuland pens are available from PinPoint - see details below. ModerationMarker Neuland NoOne come in a box of 10 markers - 4 black, 2 red, 2 blue, 2 green and cost is around £10.50 per box. They also supply refills.

Pastels

Available from shops such as W H Smith and art supply shops. A small box starts at around £4.00.

Tape:

The tape we use and recommend is ScotchmarkTM 256 Printable Paper Tape (Pressure Sensitive). It is expensive - in the region of £10 per roll. However, it is the best tape for putting up large pieces of paper. Again this is available from Grove. For a cheaper (although not quite so good alternative for large sheets of paper) use Scotch Magic Tape (Blue box only - not the Green box). This is a much lighter tape and generally peels away well. This is available from most stationery shops.

PinPoint

For moveable display boards go to PinPoint. They hire the boards for £39 per 1-2 day event plus delivery. They will deliver the boards the day before your event and arrange to collect them, usually the morning following your event. They supply paper that is the perfect size for the boards (the white paper works better than the brown for graphics). They also have a great range of pens. The boards cost around £250-£300 each to buy.

PinPoint
No 10, Monument Park
Chalgrove
Oxfordshire OX44 7RW
Tel: 01865 400777
Fax: 01865 400666
Web: www.pinpoint-facilitation.com