Polar graph paper
Concentric rings at the radial step you choose, with spokes at the angle you choose, printed at true size.
Polar paper plots a point as a distance and an angle rather than as two distances, which is the natural way to describe anything that goes round: a cardioid microphone pattern, an antenna radiation plot, a rose curve, a wind rose, the sweep of a compass bearing. On square paper those all have to be converted to x and y first, which is arithmetic nobody enjoys and a fresh chance to make a mistake.
The two numbers that decide whether a polar sheet is any use are the radial step and the spoke angle. A 15-degree spoke gives twenty-four sectors, which suits compass work; 30 degrees gives twelve and keeps a busy plot readable; 10 gives thirty-six for anything needing fine angular resolution. The radial step is whatever your data measures in, and the rings are drawn at that exact distance apart on paper.
The outermost ring is sized to fit inside the shorter side of the printable area, which means the whole plot is always on the page — no ring running off the edge and no guessing at where the scale ended. Turn the heavy-line setting up and every fifth ring is drawn heavier, which makes counting outwards from the centre much faster.
The two heavy lines are the axes, at 0 and 90 degrees, rather than every fifth spoke — counting spokes puts heavy lines at arbitrary angles and makes the sheet look misprinted. Heavy rings still count outwards at whatever interval you set, which is what makes a radius readable at a glance on a dense plot.
Graph paper by ruling and geometry
- Graph paper, any rulingThe full generator — any spacing, six geometries
- Isometric graph paperVertical and 30° lines · for 3D sketching
- Hexagonal graph paperWhole hexagons, any side length, flat or pointy top
- Engineering paper5 squares per inch, green, with a border
- 5 mm graph paper5 mm squares · the metric standard
- 1 cm graph paper10 mm squares · big enough to write in
- Quarter inch graph paper6.35 mm squares · 4 squares per inch
- Half inch graph paper12.7 mm squares · 2 squares per inch
Questions
How many spokes should I use?
Fifteen degrees gives twenty-four spokes and is the usual default — it puts a line on every compass point and every hour of a clock face. Thirty degrees gives twelve and keeps a dense plot legible. Ten gives thirty-six for fine angular work.
Do the rings print at their real size?
Yes, provided your print dialogue is not scaling. A 10 mm radial step measures 10 mm on the paper with a ruler. If it does not, the print was scaled to fit — the calibration page will confirm it in one sheet.
How do I check the rings printed at the right size?
Measure the full diameter of the outermost ring rather than the gap between two rings, because the diameter is the longest distance on the sheet and therefore the one where a scaling error shows up most. At the default ten rings of 10 mm on Letter that diameter is 180 mm.
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