Formation which is an indicator of nonuniformity in fiber distribution is concerned with small scale variation in roughness, optical properties, print density, and so on. This study evaluated the formation of sheets which were made usning handsheet former and paper-machine with hydraulic headbox. Optical method and ${eta}-ray$ method were used for formation test. The fiber type, freeness and basis weight of sheet were considered as variables. The formation of handsheet was affected by fiber type and freeness, and floe size distribution was influenced by basis weight. For machine made sheet, its formation seemed to be dependent on the hydraulic forces in headbox and former. When two formation test methods were compared, there was the highest relationship between optical formation index and normalized standard deviation from ${eta}-ray$ method.