Canson vs. Arteza vs. Strathmore - Comparing Cheap Watercolor Paper

[@shireenshort4013]

This was great! Thank you! (LOVED the Stop Making Mud class!!!)

[@ArtSummits]

Thanks Shireen! We're so happy you enjoyed it 😊

[@SuperCutealien]

I went right out after work ans got some Strathmore. Love it. Been practicing strokes for the last hour.

[@ArtSummits]

That's great!

[@SuperCutealien]

Thank you so much. Been looking for something cheap for practice drills. Going to the store after work to get me a pad of strathmore.

[@palfon4539]

Have been using that Canson XL when I started watercolor painting and I am very happy to realize that I was not the reason why I never achieved the results I was expecting from following tutorials. Problem was the paper!!! 😃

[@ArtSummits]

It’s surprising what a difference the paper can make!

[@juilescieg]

same here. I just recently started with watercolor. And so far I thought, that the canson paper was my "good aquarell paper" :D Now I know, that I can use it up for not so important practice stuff.

[@nutmeg9892]

Ahh one more thing. My favorite inexpensive paper.... I've been really happy with Fabriano Studio both hot and cold press when I use gouache. It can handle some wet washes, which I use in my backgrounds. It is a 25% cotton paper and is very resonably priced since you can get it in large packs.

[@nailinthefashion]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS! i'm poor and a beginner so i was really upset at the idea of paying like 5 bucks per project just to experiment with pieces that either i don't want to or simply can't sell. this takes a lot of the pressure off-- i actually had strathmore paper in a starter kit when i was in a class so it's funny it's the best! looks like they knew what they were doing putting those things together!

[@ArtSummits]

I'm so glad it was helpful! Paper can make a big difference with watercolor!

[@RendaJane]

Practice on cheap paper, and when you later get a piece of cotton, cut it up and do your favorites!!!!! It’s going to look better and be easier. It’s like learning to spin fire with a heavy rod, and borrow a lighter weight one. 🙏🏽

[@dawnss8913]

Thank you for this testing, it's great to know I have been using the best cheap paper for 45 years, lol

[@ArtSummits]

😄

[@elizac.9355]

This was helpful. Thank you. I just started watercolor 5 months ago and have been using Canson. After seeing your demo I think I'll try some others. The colors look washed out on the Canson. I do prefer a smooth surface. Thanks again.

[@tararosin8613]

#1 Strathmore 300 series cold press 24 sheets(9x12) $13.00 Amazon; #2 Arteza premium cold press 32 sheets (9x12) $20.00 Amazon; thank you !

[@deborahbaker3177]

Excellent comparison! Would love to see you do something similar with more expensive papers. All the options are overwhelming: cold press, hot press, blocks vs. sheets, natural white vs bright white....oh my!

[@ArtSummits]

It can definitely be overwhelming! We're planning to do a comparison of higher end papers soon ☺️

[@BunnyKramer]

The information you provide is so very useful! I’m totally signing up for your art summit!

[@ArtSummits]

Thank you! ☺

[@lulinasser]

Your channel is by far the best one when it comes to art and supplies. You make things very clear and concise, and you are great at explaining the concepts behind things. Thank you for taking the time to make this video! :)

[@ArtSummits]

Thank you so much Luli! 😊

[@tp2387]

Interesting. Thank you for doing this. I guess the answer is, it depends what you want from your paper - and, the watertercolour techniques you use. I'm going to keep this in a reference playlist.

[@ArtSummits]

Yes, personal preference and technique plays a big factor in deciding what paper is best for you!

[@dcorsetto]

Thank you so much for this video! I had to laugh, I used to use Canson XL for watercolor and inkwash projects, but considered it my "trainer" paper because it was so tricky to deal with! (I mostly do wet on dry, illustrative/comics work.) I really like the Blick watercolor blocks, but I'm looking to branch out and try a wider variety. I'm surprised to see how many good reviews there are for the Strathmore; glad to see those positive reviews proven in a visual, thanks to your video. :)

[@claudebernardin1096]

Canson gets a bad rap! I think it’s over all a buck a sheet at 18” x 24” yes it’s sensitive. Scratches easy. Spots easy. Lifts wonderfully!!! Surface - soft and satin like. Washes? Requires much practice. For good blends I use water spray spritz. Fresh pigments pre wet. Once area wet/ get to it!!!!! You have two minutes to get it down blend and walk away! It’s a finicky paper. It doesn’t stand up to over washes, scribing and such. I like it’s persnickety ways. Keeps me on my toes. Also it does weird wonderful things as pigments with white mixes get introduced to pure transparent washes but honestly, it’s like no other paper. It’s it’s own beast. And demands it’s respect. I started on it in 2013. Tired of ten and fifteen dollar price gauges per sheet. It held up through out 2013. I’ve never looked back! I’m on it now for ten years! And frankly... love it! I’ve painted over 2,000 paintings on it....sometimes 3 or 4 a day. Is it quirky? Sure is! So was arches! Especially the bad changes done with sizing on the 300 pound series and the whitening or darkening of 140 lb. just my two cents. I use a stiff ox hair fan brush, KingArt brushes, Daniel Smith paints. Warning don’t leave tape on canson longer than a day or two! It will tear. But gotta say - I could never afford my need to create daily if it wasn’t for canson.

[@ArtSummits]

We know several artists that prefer to use Canson! It definitely has it's place 🙂

[@adele6592]

I have always used Canson, but I do wet on dry, so it’s been good, but I’m now wanting to try different techniques, so maybe will try Arches.

[@marykendrick4304]

Very helpful. Thanks for your efforts. I do love my Arches NOT, though. But for experimenting, will haul out my Strathmore watercolor paper

[@pyoryxart3481]

Thank you so much! I was amazed at how "colors" changed on different papers!

[@ArtSummits]

It's amazing what a difference paper can make with watercolor!

[@josephpatrow]

Thank you for confirming Canson XL sucks for graded washes. I tried over and over without success, can see lines, very bad.

[@ArtSummits]

It's not just you! Paper can make a big difference.

[@kathyhackney7950]

No it does HOWEVER..the mixed media is great 👍 I promise. I tried the watercolor first and didn't dare try the mixed media foe the longest time because surely it wasn't better than its counterpart thar was designed specifically for watercolor but I finally caved bc I needed some poor paper I wouldn't feel precious about and its actually excellent imo 👌

[@Lisa_Rose]

Thanks for the great demo! This was really helpful!

[@ArtSummits]

😊

[@jamesgriffith8767]

Thank You Art Summits

[@krabfingers8473]

I got a little sad to see Canson's performance next to the others. I'm planning to buy cheaper 100% cotton papers because the popular ones are too expensive, but I want a cheap cellulose paper to do whatever I want with. I think I'll get Canson WC sketchbook and use it like a normal sketchbook. I will say the water-based markers work well on it (I already have a few loose sheets) since the texture is smooth.

[@ArtSummits]

We were surprised by Canson's results as well!

[@TmarkN]

My favorite Watercolor Paper is Arteza Premium. (it's not really cheap though) it's beautiful paper. I also used the Canson and I love the texture of it but you're right it doesn't like a lot of water. I try not to do wet on wet with it but other than that it's great. I honestly hate the Strathmore paper and will never use it again. I had two different kinds of their watercolor paper and it decentigrates while painting. My Arteza Premium paper does great with the tape. The Canson does good but I remove it very slowly and normally don't have any problems.

[@ArtSummits]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Tony!

[@fdej51289]

If you blow the tape with a hot hairdryer ,you can avoid the taring of the paper completely , the heat softens the tape and does not harm the paper, when you remove the tape.

[@ArtSummits]

Yes, this can help with paper that tears easily!

[@marmyyetter5674]

This was very helpful!

[@ArtSummits]

I'm so glad!

[@MarkusRitterandJudy]

I still like Arches Cold Pressed 100% cotton 140 lb. It is expensive but if you search the web instead of buying at the local art store, you usually can save some money.

[@mayloo2137]

I am not an artist. I buy what I can with my budget. My watercolor paper of choice is Canson. As long it's 140lb, I'm good. If you use mixed media paper, would you gesso it first? .

[@ArtSummits]

Hi May Loo, Canson has been our go-to budget paper as well so we were surprised by the results of our comparison test! Applying gesso to mixed media paper could be a good option. I would be sure to apply the gesso to both sides of the paper. It would give you the option of creating interest with unique texture. Let us know if you try it out!

[@xknyght]

You didn't have a Strathmore 400 watercolor paper, so I wonder if that would have performed better than the 300 watercolor.

[@justv3289]

Am I the only one that tapes my paper down with Scotch magic tape? (Green one) It works very well. It rarely tears the page and unless you’ve gone overboard with the water it doesn’t leak.

[@TinaChowRudolf]

have you tried the Fabriano 1264, I wonder how it compares with the Strathmore 300

[@anafziger1]

Thanks for sharing your experience with these watercolor paper possibilities.

[@dorothygladsjo3510]

Daler Rowney mixed media works great!

[@claudebernardin1096]

I love canson xl!!!!

[@nutmeg9892]

Thank you for the great comparison. For removing tape, using a heat gun or hair dryer first helps to release it from the paper. I use Canson XL sometimes for gouache and get no tearing when I use a heat tool first. I bet it would be the same for any paper that is prone to tearing. One thing I'm curious about is the Strathmore 300 because you mentioned you had an older pad of it lying around that you hadn't used in a while. I also have a few pads of very old Strathmore but I've heard people mention that they may have changed how they make the paper in recent years. I wonder if there would be a difference with the newer pads. I haven't tried the newer stuff becuse I've moved on to cotton papers for my watercolor and prefer a smoother surface for my gouache than the Strathmore has. Anyways, thank you again for the very comprehensive test. It wish I'd found a video like this when I was first starting out. :D

[@ArtSummits]

You're right, it's possible the newer Strathmore papers could behave differently. The sizing can deteriorate over time as well which could also affect the performance. However, as long as you've stored your paper in a neutral environment then more than likely it's still usable!

[@Akash-qw3iu]

thank you so much........this was very helpful

[@violetbee2857]

Thanks for a thorough testing!

[@zenmama979]

The link for that supply file mentioned doesn’t work anymore. Are you able to update it? Thank you.

[@ArtSummits]

Yes! Here's the updated link: artsummits.mykajabi.com/watercolor-tools-guide

[@margaretmakaltses7878]

Carson is really good for ink.

[@serenityjewel]

FYI for help with removing tape - either put the tape on your pants before applying it or run a hot gun over the tape before removing it. I thought the Arteza Expert performed the most similar to cotton paper.

[@ivaneveux822]

I wish you included Strathmore cold press 140 lb series 400 in this comparison.

[@ArtSummits]

Since the 300 series performed so well in our tests, I would think the 400 series would be even better. While still pretty affordable, the 400 series is a fair bit more expensive per sheet than the 300 series so that is another thing to consider.

[@ivaneveux822]

Yes, series 400 does perform much better than 300, I tested it. But how would Strathmore 400 compare to the Arteza papers?

[@ArtSummits]

@@ivaneveux822 We preferred the 300 series over the Arteza papers, so I think it would be reasonable to expect the 400 series to outperform them as well.

[@Nickabod79]

The Strathmore Visual Journal 140 lb is made from their 400 paper. The 5x8 journal is my favorite practice sketchbook. I blow through one a month. Very inexpensive but GREAT for practice. Using it is not disheartening, unlike my experiences with Canson XL

[@ArtSummits]

@@Nickabod79 Great tip! Thanks for sharing!

[@Arterecaswan]

thanks… I would want to try canson so No, I should go with Strathmore… Arteza is not available in the country.

[@rosezif]

Thank you so much it was a really helpful analysis 🌟✨

[@Cre-Art]

This is by far the best paper comparison I've seen (and I've seen quite a lot as I'm a newbie). It's a true test of each paper's characteristics because you fill the pages with paint instead of little daubs or splotches of wet on wet. Of the above, I own Strathmore 300 and 400, and, oddly enough, prefer the 300. But I will be testing others to get a feel for them as well. Thank you for this excellent demonstration..

[@ArtSummits]

I'm so glad it was helpful!

[@josemiddelhuis6902]

Txs very much sincerely José

[@joycesnodgrass7068]

Thank you for this information...it's very helpful.

[@ArtSummits]

We're so happy to hear that!

[@SuperCutealien]

Canson XL was my first paper. Not a fan. I still have a lot. Started using it for sketching.

[@maryellen9503]

In my experience, I've had great luck with arteza expert, but also just using amazon for cheaper cotton paper. Even a 50% cotton is better than the wood stuff.

[@bukopaudan]

Any favorites for the cheaper cotton paper?

[@beckypelletier4908]

I'd be curious to know what Amazon favorites you've found...

[@joyj6702]

Thank you somuch.. lots of love for you n your work.. m beginner what you suggest?? N m so confused between acrylics n water wht u suggest for a beginner? Thank you

[@ArtSummits]

Thank you, Joy J! There are so many different things you can try out there, it can feel overwhelming! My first recommendation would be to start with what you have on hand. If you already have some acrylics or watercolors, try those first! The more you practice and experiment, the more your confidence will grow. Best of luck to you!

[@MersedessBens]

Спасибо за обзор! Нефритовый зелёный 766 я бы себе взяла. Интересный.

[@LotusMira]

So helpful! Thank you!

[@ArtSummits]

We're so glad you found it helpful!

[@SelenesCreationsByTheSea]

I am just starting with watercolour, I was just wondering what kind of paper could you recommend for use with Karim Brushmarker Pro ?:) Love this Comparison :)

[@ArtSummits]

Thanks, Selene! We love hot press watercolor paper for Brush Pens/Markers. It absorbs water well if you use that for blending but it has a nice smooth texture which tends to go better with brush pens than the rough texture of cold press. You could also use the Strathmore or other brand Mixed Media, especially if you don't plan to do a lot of layering/blending. Many lettering artists also love Rhodia pads for practice or finished pieces. It is super smooth but is much thinner than the other 2 I recommended. Hope that helps! 😊

[@SelenesCreationsByTheSea]

@@ArtSummits Thankyou so much for the awesome friendly quick reply :) it helps heaps :D

[@panzerpatriot4920]

Strathmore mixed media did it not too bad indeed🤔 I think Canson Illustration paper might be close to it by its prestation. I'm now even more happier I own it, and should try using full watercolor techniques on it, instead of other media. Though I usually prefer using 100% cotton paper, there's something about earlier, cheaper, thinner (190gsm), and a bit yellowish water color paper by Cotman Winsor&Newton, which is unfortunately out of production :( Thanks for the video!✌

[@kenl.3298]

Wish I'd seen this before buying the canson, I'm new to watercolor but I've been studying a lot of videos and was getting frustrated with how my paints were performing on the paper.

[@ArtSummits]

Having the right paper can make a huge difference! We find that Canson works best for pieces that use a minimal amount of water.

[@Bloomkyaaa]

You should have thrown in the god of all sketchbooks, the good ole canson mixed media!

[@ArtSummits]

Maybe next time!

[@Fancyglasses2023]

When taking up the tape, if you use a hair dryer and heat the tape you will have no problem taking the tape up.

[@BT-be8rh]

Also take it off at an angle at the same time!

[@HeavenlyBrujo]

Is Canson Heritage a good paper option? I've read reviews that is not reliable, sometimes is good and sometimes not.

[@ArtSummits]

I don't have much experience with Canson Heritage. Many times it really comes down to personal preference and the amount of water you use. If you are doing multiple layers of washes especially covering the entire sheet of paper, you may have trouble with the Canson pilling. Typically the more water & paint you use, the more essential it is that you use higher quality paper. Let us know if you try it out!

[@HeavenlyBrujo]

@@ArtSummits I was actually expecting you to tell me if it's worth the try to buy that paper

[@LeiliMana]

@@HeavenlyBrujo your response to her long and detailed message is pretty rude. She told you what to look out for and that it comes down to your own usage and preferences. Look further for other review videos detailing about this specific paper but no one can tell you if you'll like this paper or not! Don't expect anything from other because no one owes you anything, be grateful for what you're getting and don't even start to get entitled! So rude

[@M33838]

@@HeavenlyBrujo Actually was not rude he didn't know, and even more he became lost in the fog, yes he could say it better but just dont interpret it as bad. What you did was rude too, i mean dont expect anything from other, is that why you pressed this video?

[@artistsart7462]

canson A3 xl i need this but unfortunately it unavailable

[@nabeela2386]

This was great. Could you do one for hotpress paper as well?

[@ArtSummits]

Great suggestion!

[@debbiestrotz6917]

very helpful! Thank you!

[@ladyhollman9534]

Fluid by SpeedBallArts … inexpensive and very good paper

[@LehTieKah]

I'm brazilian, canson XL is already expensive paper for me 😭 it's like, 60BRL, its obscene. The Strathmore is even more expensive, it's like, 150BRL

[@_tinypierrot_7193]

Another Latin American here and same lol I bought the Canson XL because the other brands of paper I got were even worse and it was the cheaper one of the "best" they sell here ;-;

[@iknownothing-49]

On the Arteza site it says their expert paper is 100% cotton.

[@ArtSummits]

Arteza does have an Expert watercolor pad that is 100% cotton with a boat on the front, but the one we tested in this video with the bicycle on the front is not 100% cotton.

[@iknownothing-49]

@@ArtSummits wow, that is very confusing.

[@ArtSummits]

@@iknownothing-49 Yes 😆 it is! Generally, the paper cover will say clearly that it is cotton paper, otherwise you can assume it is wood pulp.

[@ginabadeaux9319]

you tube artists always push arches and talk bad about canson,ive been using canson xl for a few years yes the tape tears ,i lovec the beautifu art i make on canson ,they have been in business 500 years if im correct they must be doing something right ,the only way im buying arches if i decide to sell.

[@Zar2244]

I knew Strathmore would be the better

[@TiborHunka]

Nincs felirat , ezért nem tudom fordítani !!

[@CrAcKeDboy1]

Is mixed medis good for poscas?🙏

[@ArtSummits]

We haven't tried it with Poscas but you could definitely give it a try! Typically Poscas work best with smooth, thick, bleedproof paper such as Bristol, Mixed Media, or even hot press watercolor paper.