Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know about Watercolor Paper, but Were Afraid to Ask
If you have talked with any seasoned watercolorists, you know that they are picky about their paper - and with good reason! The quality of your paper determines the quality of your final product and how long it will last. There are several factors to consider when choosing your paper, so let’s dive in:
Weight
The heavier the watercolor paper, the more water it can hold before it begins to warp or buckle. Watercolor paper is either classified as light (90 lb/190 g or less), medium (140 lb/300 g), or heavy (300 lb/640 g).
Most watercolorists shy away from lightweight paper, but whether you use a medium or heavyweight paper is largely determined by your painting style. If you use very wet washes and are noticing your 140 lb paper buckling, you can either tape or stretch your paper, switch to using a block of paper (glued on four sides rather than on just one as in a pad of paper), or switch to a heavyweight paper.
I tend to work with very wet washes, so unless I am using a watercolor block, I always stretch my 140 lb paper on Gatorboard (but that process is for another post!).
Texture
While student grade watercolor paper is usually only available as cold press, professional grade watercolor paper comes in three different textures: hot press, cold press, and rough. Depending on the process used to make the paper, it will have a different surface texture; this is important to note and experiment with, as your pigments will settle and dry differently depending on which type of paper you are using. Most professional grade watercolor manufacturers offer single sheets or tester packs so that you can try them out before you invest in a larger quantity.
Hot press paper has a smooth surface made by pressing the paper with hot metal. Several portrait artists prefer hot pressed paper for this reason, as it allows for fine details to more easily be added. Of the three textures, hot press paper is the least absorbent, and therefore, not ideal for very wet washes.
Cold press paper is the most readily available texture of watercolor paper and preferred by most watercolorists for its versatility. As you may have already guessed, cold press paper is made by pressing the paper with cold metal. Cold press paper can handle heavier, wetter washes than hot press paper, while not distorting small details.
Rough paper is highly textured and especially well suited for granulating pigments to settle into the grooves and crevice’s on its surface. Instead of being pressed directly against metal, it is pressed between sheets of textured felt during the drying process to create the deep texture. Small details are difficult to achieve on rough paper, but if you are going to a unique, textured look, it is an ideal choice.
Of the three textures, I use cold press paper the most often. Though I have all three textures in my studio and switch it up depending on the subject and mood I want to convey.
Quality (and a note on format)
The quality of watercolor paper is determined by how the paper is made, what it is made of, and how much it weighs. Most youth and student grade papers are sold as pads or sketchbooks that are glued together or bound at one edge, but professional grade papers offer more options. Professional grade papers are sold in pads, blocks, sheets, and in rolls. Like pads, blocks are glued, but on all four sides, therefore eliminating the need to stretch or tape the paper down to avoid buckling. For those who prefer to work on large paintings or cut their paper to size, sheets and rolls are also available.
I prefer to work on blocks to avoid having to stretch my paper and because it is so much easier to travel with. The largest block I have seen is 18” x 24” and is my favorite to work on. Some artists who work on large sheets don’t need to stretch their paper because the larger size ensures it will be heavy enough to withstand wet washes.
No matter what skill level you are, use the best quality watercolor paper you can afford. I spent years using student grade paper, and still do for swatching, studies, and collaborations with my young son, but I wasted so much time being intimidated by the “good” paper. It took me a long time to feel worthy enough to use it because it had been an expensive gift and I didn’t feel ready. I didn’t want to waste it.
Art is never a waste. Even if the painting doesn’t go as planned, even if it isn’t a masterpiece, you learned something and the time you spent was well worth the cost of the paper.
So treat yourself to some “good” paper, you and your art practice are worth every penny.
