Watercolor Paper

Watercolor Paper is Vast and there seems to be no end to it. There are blocks, pads, single loose sheets, large sheets that you cut to size, card stock, and bookmark stock, just to mention several. When you are first starting it is mind-boggling, to say the least, so I decided to try to break it down for those of you who are new to this medium.

Artist-grade watercolor Paper, sometimes known as archival paper, is acid-free and meant to endure. Papers that aren't acid-free will become yellow and brittle over time. If you're a beginner or just practicing, “student” quality paper is fine, but the paint won't perform as well, and don't expect your painting to stand up to the test of time. When your paint does not perform well, it makes it tougher to learn techniques. I learned this the difficult way by driving myself nuts wondering why I was not getting the results that the author of the tutorial was getting. At first, I just figured it was because they “knew” how to paint and I did not. Eventually, I tried a “professional” sheet of paper and discovered the difference.

Student Grade Watercolor Paper is designed to have a texture and feel like Artist Grade Paper, but it is not created of archival grade materials. Even though the student-grade paper is acid-free, it will eventually start to discolor and deteriorate with time.

If you’re just starting, it’s a good paper for practicing your brush strokes, techniques, and small studies, but keep in mind that even though most student-grade watercolor paper may feel and look like professional watercolor paper, the artwork you create on them won’t last as long.

Paper Creation

Watercolor paper is usually made by one of three processes: handmade, mold-made, or machine-made.

Handmade is the best and mold-made comes in a close second. Both are very durable, and stable and shouldn't distort under heavy wash. They both feature irregular surface textures which are pleasing to paint on. If you buy artists' quality paper it should be either handmade or mold-made. Students' quality paper is typically machine-made, which is cheaper, but prone to distortion and deterioration when wet.

Paper is made using a mixture of water and cellulose fibers. In artists' quality papers, those fibers should be 100% cotton which makes it strong but pliable. Paper made from cotton is often referred to as "rag paper". Less expensive papers are made using wood pulp, or sometimes a combination of cotton and other cellulose fibers. If you care about permanence or plan on using lots of scrubbing, scraping, taping, and masking techniques you should use 100% cotton paper which can take a beating.

Professional artists may find the quality acceptable for practicing and refining their work, but they won’t want to use it for finished work that might end up in a gallery, museum, home, or office setting.

Weight

The weight of watercolor paper does not dictate the quality, because the best paper comes in both heavy and light varieties. But weight is important because lighter papers need stretching before use and may buckle or wrinkle when wet. 

Heavy paper can absorb more water and rarely needs stretching. Paper weight is determined by two different methods: (1) by measuring a ream of 500 sheets (22” x 30”) in pounds (lbs) or (2) by measuring a single sheet in grams per square meter (gsm or g/m2). Light paper is anything less than 140 lb/300 gsm and heavy is 300-400 lb/600-850 gsm.

Heavy paper can be very expensive but is preferable for some artists because it doesn't need stretching unless you're using very heavy washes. Beginners can save some money by using 140lb paper which is still good to work on but might need stretching beforehand. With 140lb paper, you can avoid stretching by simply taping the paper to a board while painting. Using paper that is in a block is also used without stretching your paper.

Texture

So far we've looked at objective factors relating to the quality of the paper. Texture, on the other hand, is a subjective matter based on personal preference and painting style.

First, you have hot-pressed paper, which has a smooth, hard surface. Some artists like hot-pressed paper for detailed work, but others find it too slippery, making it difficult to control the paint. One step up is cold-pressed paper, sometimes confusingly referred to as "Not paper," meaning not hot-pressed. It is the most versatile and popular texture, suitable for beginners and experienced painters alike because its semi-rough surface is suitable for both detailed work and smooth washes. Finally, we have what is called rough paper, which features an enhanced texture called tooth that's good for washes because it gives them a kind of luminosity.

Most manufacturers offer different textures, so select the brand and quality of the paper you want and you'll then have your choice of texture.

Tinting

Most watercolor paper is white or cream because it allows light to reflect off its surface which gives the transparent watercolor paint a luminescent look. Many watercolorists will also leave sections of the paper to show through as a substitute for white paint. But, you can buy watercolor paper in different colors or tints and create different moods and effects. You can also take the white watercolor paper you already have and tint it with whatever color you like by applying a thin wash. This not only tints your paper for you, but creates a background, so keep it light.

Form

Now that you've decided on quality and texture you have to think about how you buy the paper. It's most common to buy watercolor paper in individual sheets but you can also buy rolls, blocks, panels, and pads.

If you're a beginner and looking for a place to start, you can practice on pads or blocks and graduate to high-quality sheets or boards when you're painting art you'd like to keep for a long time or sell. If you can afford 300lb paper you won't need to stretch it. Otherwise, it might be easier to try watercolor blocks or panels which eliminate the need to stretch the paper beforehand. Pads are used mostly for practice and outdoor work, but you can buy pads containing archival paper. choose the best quality you can afford, it ultimately comes down to personal preference. Many artists buy their paper in separate sheets, while others find that watercolor boards better suit their painting style.

Watercolor Blocks

Watercolor blocks are a good alternative to sheets if you don't want to go to the trouble of stretching your paper beforehand. Watercolor blocks are a pile of sheets bound together on all sides by glue. You paint on the top sheet and when it dries the paper won't warp or buckle. You then slice it off the pile with a knife and the next sheet is ready to be used.

Watercolor Boards

Watercolor boards (or panels), like blocks, are a convenient option if you don't want to pre-stretch your paper. Traditional watercolor boards consist of watercolor paper that has been glued onto a rigid board. As with other watercolor products, you need to take notice of the type of paper that has been used to make sure the product is durable.

You can also buy other types of watercolor boards that don't use paper. Aquabords have a clay surface that is archival quality and designed for use with watercolors and gouache. Fredrix produces an archival quality board covered in 100% cotton canvas designed for use with watercolors and other water-based paints. Both of these are interesting and innovative options that are worth trying.

Watercolor Pads

Watercolor paper pads are great for painting outdoors or for practicing. You can get pads containing artists' quality archival paper but many pads contain only students' grade paper, so be careful you don't mistakenly buy the wrong type. If you're thinking of buying a student's grade pad, make sure that it's acid-free. Most pads are tape-bound which allows you to easily peel off each piece of paper. You can also buy wire-bound pads which are good for travel because you can just flip over a finished work and start work on a fresh piece of paper.

Professional Artist

That brings me to “Professional Artist” Exactly what is that term, and what does it mean? A “Professional Artist” is someone who has been paid for their work, whether it be commission paintings, drawings, renderings or several other ways. I am not talking about an occasional sale, but I am talking about an artist who consistently “Sells” their renderings.