How To Choose Best Watercolor Paper

There is quite a huge variety of watercolour paper on the market and the prices vary significantly. So how do you choose the best one that fits your needs? Let have a look. 

Textures of Watercolor Paper

Firstly let have a look at what type of watercolour paper there is:

• Hot- Pressed (Satin) – this type has a very smooth texture and is best used with pencils, marker pens and fine liners.
• Cold – Pressed – normally this type of paper has medium grain, rarely course. It has quite rough texture and is considered the best type for beginners, as it make it quite easy to practice various techniques.
• Rough – this type of paper has a course grain and the roughest texture. This kind is not recommended for detailed work, but will best suit  for something like wet in wet technique.

Smooth type of paper works best when working on portraits and still life, as most of the times in this type of work you will need less filling and more details. Oppose to when working with landscapes and seascapes, for these types of work is best to use a bit more textured surface.

However those are just the general recommended tips, you’re always welcome to play around and choose your own art style and type of paper that fits it best.

Weight of Watercolor Paper 

Depending on your own style and technique, for example how much water you would normally use, you will also need to pay attention on the weight of the paper. The heavier it is the more resistant to water it will be, however generally the price of paper goes up along with its weight.

The average watercolour paper weight varies from 200-300gsm and will satisfies the needs of every artist from a beginner to a professional one. However there are certain types that go up to 850gsm, such as Arches.

Types of  Watercolor Paper Productions 

Now lets take a look at how the watercolor is usually being made and if there is a difference.

• Hand-Made– paper that have been made by hand would have a texture, that stands out quit well. This kind of paper will have rough edges which gives it its particular look as well a watermark to prove its authenticity.

• Machine Made – this method of watercolour paper manufacturing is a factory made method. This type of paper is produced much faster and generally is most resistant to water and works really well for learning and used mainly amongst art students.

• Mould Made – this method is a mix of hand made and machine made types. It also will have a watermark and rough edges

You’ve probably heard that hand- made type of watercolour paper is considered the best, but why?

The main feature that make hand made paper stand out is the chaotic way the fibres are laid out, which make the paper change it’s size evenly on all sides after drying.  With the machine made type of paper, the fibres laid out in a particular direction and after drying it normally changes the size on 1-2% lengthwise and up to 5% across.

What is Watercolour Paper it Made From?

• Linen - paper made out of linen allows you to make corrections and adjustments to your work, so you can scrub and scratch it when needed. The colours on linen look quite bright and even.

• Cotton – the most popular material to make watercolour paper from is cotton, and is normally used for the high-grade paper. Compared to linen, cotton made paper is much softer and friable.

• Combination of Cotton and Linen -  both of the materials can be combined in various proportions to make watercolor  paper, so I quality will vary according to which material has been used the most.

Forms of Watercolor Paper 

Watercolor paper normally comes in various forms such as:

• Watercolors Sheets – they are sold individually and come in various sizes, and would suits for the occasions when quality comes over quantity, as a good quality paper is normally quite pricey and it help a lot when you don’t have to buy the whole pad. These are normally also come in bigger sizes than the one you can get in pads. The only down side of buying your watercolor paper individually will be the fact that those sheets are quite fragile and you need to be rather careful when carrying it home.

• Watercolor Pads  - these come in various sizes, however normally not bigger than A2 size. It gives you a good amount of sheets, usually around 12 and it’s really easy to rip out. Pads are best for smaller works, as well as for sketching on the go and practicing, It’s a good idea to try out different types and textures, by getting a smaller sized pads, prior to scaling it up.

• Watercolor Block – similar to pads, but not quite, in a block of paper all the sheets a glued to each other. Which make it perfect when it comes to wet techniques, as the paper won’t wrinkle. With the first 2 types to avoid that you would need to stretch your paper on a board prior to painting.

Best Watercolor Paper Brands

Now when we know all the basic, lets get more specific and see which watercolor paper is the most used and loved on the market.

1. Arches Cold Pressed 300 gsm/140lb  Watercolor Block 20 Sheets 9”x12”

Arches is probably one of the most know watercolor paper brands and one of the most used will be the one with cold pressed paper of 300gsm.

The cold pressed finish has a light texture, which also reflects light really well and retains the transparency of watercolors.

It works really well for detailed work, as the surface isn’t too rough.

This particular type as well as all the other paper made by Arches is mould made, it has longer fibers and natural gelatin used to size it. 

This technology makes the paper, durable and strong, so these sheets won’t tear when scratched.

Made of 100% cotton this paper doesn’t bleed or warp, it has natural white color, it is acid free, treated against the mould build up and each sheet is being inspected to ensure it’s finest quality.

Where can I buy it and how much does it cost?

​

2. Fabriano Artistico Extra White 300gsm/140 lb. Cold Pressed 20 Sheet Block 9x12" 

Made out of natural fibers, Fabriano watercolor paper is acid free and bleach free. Best quality ingredients used to create this paper guarantee the longevity of your artworks.

 Even if damaged, this paper still would show it’s best qualities. Sheets have naturally bright white color.

Where can I buy it and how much does it cost?

Where can I buy it and how much does it cost?

​

4. Canson Montval Watercolor Block - 9'' x 12'', 15 Sheets

Montval is one of the most popular watercolor papers made by Canson. It is considered to be one of the top qualities papers.

Complying with all the standards, it is acid-free and mould resistant. This type of paper works well with for all wet techniques including watercolour, gouache, ink and acrylic.

Best suitable for beginners as it’s durability allows to make multiple corrections without damaging the paper.

Offers a great value for an affordable price.

Where can I buy it and how much does it cost?

5. Bockingford Watercolor Block 9”x12”  White 140lb/300gsm

Made is England this watercolor paper is traditionally made on a cylinder mould machine.

Well forgiving and valued by professional and amateur artists around the world.

Its unique surface is created by using natural woolen felts, which gives it a distinctive random texture to the finished sheet.

It has great color lifting abilities which enables you to make corrections and get back to the white base paper without an issue. It can take heavy washes without displaying any distortion or cockling.

Perfect for professionals and amateurs and suitable for watercolor, acrylic, gouache, pastel, pen, ink, pencil and charcoal.

Where can I buy it and how much does it cost?

6. Indigo Artpapers Flax Blend Cold-Pressed 300 gsm

• This paper is made by using traditional handmade paper techniques.
• Consists of 75% cotton and 25% flax blend. The cotton rag ensures durability and the flax imparts exceptional strength.
• It’s best suited for watercolour and it has naturally of white color. It is acid-free and both internally and externally sized.

Where can I buy it and how much does it cost?

Thank you for reading! We hope this information was helpful for you! Happy painting!