vélin

Vélin is the French term for vellum, a high-quality parchment made from animal skin, traditionally calfskin. Vellum has long been prized for its durability, smooth writing surface, and ability to take ink and pigments well, making it a preferred material for manuscripts, legal documents, and early printed books.

Production involves treating the skin to remove hair, liming, and scraping to a precise thickness, followed by polishing and sometimes smoothing with chalk or other finishing agents. Calfskin is often considered the standard for vellum, though parchment can be produced from sheep or goat skins. The preparation aims to produce a thin yet strong surface that remains flexible and resistant to humidity changes.

Characteristics of vellum include a white to off-white color, a fine, even surface, and a degree of translucency. The surface can be coated or sized to adjust ink holdout and durability. Vellum can be produced in varying thicknesses and finishes, from more translucent to more opaque, depending on its intended use.

In modern usage, the term vélin in French can also refer to papier vélin, a smooth, high-quality writing or printing paper with a vellum-like finish, rather than parchment itself. This usage distinguishes between the traditional animal-skin material and contemporary paper products.

History and scope: vellum became widespread in medieval Europe for manuscripts and other durable records, continuing into early modern periods. Although paper largely supplanted vellum for everyday writing, vellum remains associated with important archival items, illuminated manuscripts, and certain artistic or ceremonial bindings.