Good and bad watercolour paper - why it REALLY, REALLY matters & 7 things to look for

Your paper is more important than your paints or brushes, but no one seems to mention it. It REALLY, REALLY matters! In watercolour your paper is the lightest area - it becomes your white paint. So bare unpainted paper is usually visible. Lots of beginners think that they will wait until they improve to buy decent paper and just use cheap stuff to practice on. The trouble is that the cheap stuff is so unrewarding that it puts them off for life.
You can paint well with poor paint on good paper, but great paint on bad paper will not work.
Good paper enhances your painting experience. It keeps your colours bright and clear and lets them move. Bad paper, makes you miserable. You will question why you are so bad at watercolours - it's not you, it's the paper.
But decent paper does not have to be expensive. So join me and I will show you 7 things to consider when buying paper: texture, weights, acid free, fibre content, format, sizing and storing.
Here are the chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:20 Why paper is so importa
2:53 Examples of different papers
5:46 What to look for
5:55 Texture
8:16 Weight
9:12 Acid free/archival
9:22 Fibre content
10: 02Format
10: 35 Sizing
11: 43 Storing watercolour paper
#lizchaderton #watercolourpaper #watercolorpaper

[@susanhepburn6040]

Thank you, Liz - I certainly wish someone had told me this when I started in watercolour. I spent a year wrestling with cheap cellulose paper which was absolutely foul. I thought I was useless at painting and gave up for many years, thoroughly dispirited. I know how offputting it can be to fork out for the good quality papers as I am on a small, limited income but oh, the difference is just amazing and worth every penny. Good paper is a real joy and lifts your spirits, instilling confidence and enthusiasm, so thank you for pointing this out and saving people a lot of wasted money and heartache from the get-go.

[@LizChadertonArt]

Hi Susan - even on a limited budget, you can get something which won't fight you and thwart your efforts! So glad you agree!

[@Taka_Takata]

Hello, I'm so glad I found your channel, wonderful tips and information, thanks! Please forgive the lengthy explanation, but have a big problem: my goal being to do graphic stories in line and wash, I bought hot press paper (Fabriano Artistico 300 gsm) because i read several times that hot press is best for beautiful, varied, sharp ink lines. That is true, and this paper is beautiful in feel and look, BUT the "magic moment" for painting wet-in-wet watercolor lasts about 30 second, even less is winter when the air is much drier here high up in the Swiss Alps. This happens whichever way I wet the paper first (I've done many timed tests, used different wetting brushes, re-sprinkled, soaked the paper to death in a tray: the problem always remains the same.) Similarly, adding a slightly more concentrated paint mix of the same color into a still-wet painted area to introduce some tone variety is extremely hard: either I get a sharp-edged darker spot, or the color diffuses throughout the wet area, defeating the purpose. I've tried a room humidifier, but the difference is minimal. At least I've learned the various spreading behaviours of different pigments and paints! I have a ton of that Fabriano (got a discount offer), but at last I'm willing to give it up. I'll just keep it for drawing. I've tried others: only the very expensive Arches hot press renders the pen work as beautifully, but I haven't yet tested wet-in-wet with it. I'd appreciate your opinion on this. Which paper and weight do you prefer for waterproof ink pen line and "variegated" watercolor wash?

[@LizChadertonArt]

Hot press is not as absorbent as cold press and is notoriously tricky for wet in wet, as you have found. it’s great for crisp lines and for detailed brushwork. it is more prone to water marks, edges and blooms. You could try once you have inked to wet the back of the paper, put it on a Perspex sheet and then wet the front? They alternative is to compromise on the texture and work on cold press, but I’d try this first.

[@Taka_Takata]

@@LizChadertonArt Thanks for the tip! I'll try this.

[@katef8700]

That's so useful, thanks Liz! I started painting on very cheap paper and a friend tutted at me and (very generously!) gave me some Bockingford & Arches as a present. It was a world away from what I'd been using - felt like painting on blotting paper at first - but the paint moved so much better and the colour was so much brighter, I felt like I'd suddenly got better at painting! I buy in sheets & blocks now, it's definitely worth the extra money.

[@LizChadertonArt]

So glad you agree about paper. The more I paint, the more I think that decent paper holds the key. It doesn't have to be the best of the best, just half way okay! My heart sinks when I see what some people try and use!

[@susancook1617]

Thank you Liz, very helpful

[@LizChadertonArt]

Glad it was helpful!

[@suel4269]

Excellent info!

[@LizChadertonArt]

Glad you found it useful

[@ritaharker8792]

Great tips on paper Liz; it’s funny how even us hobby painters get our own preferences over time. For instance I really don’t like Bockingford and have some left at the bottom of a drawer that might interest The British Museum! Just too much texture for me but I guess it really is as personal as the paint or brushes you choose to use.

[@LizChadertonArt]

So true - we all develop our preferences for colour, paper etc. I just think people overlook what a massive difference paper makes.

[@ritaharker8792]

@@LizChadertonArt ❤️

[@felinefurkin4275]

I’m having a slight ‘aah!’ hearing you say you use Bockingford cos I love it too, but my nice naphthamide maroon still looks dull on it, and indanthrone blue. Both by Josie Lewis, but their equivalents would be by Daniel Smith. She uses them on Arches and her stuff looks better, and I just used a test page of it and they still don’t look so great. I’ll be testing more. I love those colours and they look great in sketchbooks by Moleskine and Seawhite. The Arches test page also pilled easily when I was adding various colours wet-on-wet. Interesting. I think I recognise the first not-good paper here, it just reminds me of an old book that I was happy using, but I wasn’t looking so closely at the colour brightness.

[@LizChadertonArt]

it makes such a difference. I don’t know naphthamide maroon at all. I’ll look out for it.

[@cathydoorten]

There is also Agave and spanish grass watercolor paper

[@LizChadertonArt]

do you like them?

[@cathydoorten]

@@LizChadertonArt I only used them and other papers to make backgrounds with, with left over paint from making value scales wet in wet. But that was in 2021

[@caroltribou3408]

Thanks for this great info Liz! Do you have a preference and the reason for choosing paper with internal verses external sizing?

[@LizChadertonArt]

I believe that internal sizing is more consistent and should you soak and stretch your paper, it will be more robust.

[@caroltribou3408]

@@LizChadertonArt So if I would rather not stretch my paper, external sizing is better?

[@LizChadertonArt]

@@caroltribou3408 One isn't better than another, it's just that internal holds up against soaking better. So if you are not soaking, internal or external doesn't matter. Sizing impacts the absorption, so you should choose one which suits your style of working. Hard sizing might be good for lots of wet in wet work for example.

[@caroltribou3408]

@@LizChadertonArt hard sizing meaning external?

[@caroltribou3408]

@@LizChadertonArt actually I think you were saying the opposite? - “internal holds up against soaking better” meaning better for lots of wet into wet washes. Sorry, I’m sounding dense 😂😂

[@GodzHarleyGirlStudio]

I though the same as others, that I was absolutely horrible as a watercolor artist. It does make a difference! My problem besides being on disability-limited budget is actually trying to find the good stuff. 😨 There are lots of places to buy it but the prices are outrageous. Might I do myself good and try some Bokingford from the UK? I'm in the US, any recommendations? Thanks so much. (New subbie here). Hugz, Tree

[@LizChadertonArt]

Hi and welcome! You must have good affordable watercolour paper in America - you have everything! Is there a US facebook group you could ask in? Or can you get a sample pack to try a few before you commit? If you decide to go for Bockingford, Jacksons is a great supplier www.jacksonsart.com

[@peteinuk]

You are so lucky if I lived in the USA I would have been watercolour heaven! Look into Blicks they have their own watercolour (made in England!) Stonehenge, Bee paper - the art stores apparently have coupon days so you can get cheaper brilliant paper - look for 100% cotton - you are so lucky than living in England!

[@GodzHarleyGirlStudio]

@@LizChadertonArt Thanks for your reply! I'm not on Facebook anymore but I will try your suggestions. Have a great week. Hugz, Tree

[@GodzHarleyGirlStudio]

@@peteinuk Thanks for the reply and info! I'll try this. I have figured out that I so need 100% cotton, thanks! The US is difficult right now due to the covid situations causing shortages. I guess watercolor artists aren't priority. Have a great week. Hugz, Tree

[@LizChadertonArt]

@@peteinuk great suggestions! Thank you