Is Student Watercolor Paper BETTER Than Artist Grade?? The Shocking Truth About 100% Cotton Paper

[@sandyowncrafts]

hi guys! I have to say I loved making this video, particularly considering how the results weren't what I expected at all! After watching this video, I think it will become quite clear that I need your assistance with some issues so... if you know the answers to my questions, please let me know! Other than that... just enjoy! :D

[@M0odyBlue]

One thing I found with Bao Hung Academy is that it is difficult to get off the block and thickness of the pages varies. As long as it’s cheaper and 100% cotton, I’ll continue to use it for practice. I like Legion’s 100% cotton, also.

[@sandyowncrafts]

That's true! It's probably the hardest one I own!

[@shirleygreaves9650]

Thanks for this I’ll try this paper now. X

[@sandyowncrafts]

Let me know what you think!

[@faiths3632]

my favourite.. i used so many paper brands .. but the BAOHONG is still my favourite..i used it for more than 2 years i love it..highly recommend it ..

[@docsavagefan2795]

I’ve tried both the Academy and the Baohong artist grade, and preferred the Academy grade, just seemed to hold the color better and overall just easier to paint on.

[@sandyowncrafts]

Yes, the artist grade is much more rugged!

[@jennw6809]

Student papers are traditionally harder sized (so more paint stays on the surface). That's for easier lifting, since it's assumed the student will make more mistakes. I think that's why the red laid down so evenly and so brightly, and lifted more easily. Other than that they seem super similar.

[@sandyowncrafts]

I didn't know that, but it does make sense! Thank you 😊

[@SuperCutealien]

Prices seem to have doubled since the last time I bought. I stocked up about two years ago.

[@sandyowncrafts]

@@SuperCutealien yeah, it's getting more and more popular... I noticed it too.

[@bijelimedved2983]

​@@sandyowncraftsdo you still recommend bahong papere academy ? I am a beginer painter and i neeed a paper that lift wery well color from the paper ?

[@sandyowncrafts]

@@bijelimedved2983 Yes I do, best price for quality by far.

[@lindamarsh6711]

I really like the Academy hot press. First time using hot press and found it absolutely wonderful. Better than the cold press. It’s great when using paint and ink. Try it on a small pad and tell us what you think!

[@sandyowncrafts]

I've never tried anything other than cold pressed. So much stuff to try in the bew year, can't wait!! Thank you for the suggestion 😁

[@SuperCutealien]

I started with Canson. I did not like it. Love Academy

[@sandyowncrafts]

Same here!

[@williedunn12345]

Absolutely not. The artist is 100x better.

[@sandyowncrafts]

I find it a bit too toothy

[@williedunn12345]

@@sandyowncrafts you get used to it. The rough is amazing for trees and landscapes. i would certainly have a cold press at hand for anything more detailed. But the finish for the artist is more vibrant, it dries slower, the paint moves better, etc., a very different quality to Academy.

[@rebeccahesser8057]

I’m in the U.S. and I think a lot more people use the academy because it is more readily available and the price difference is about $10 more a block for the professional. I love both and I really love painting on the cold press but also really enjoy the rough. You can get them even cheaper depending on the sales at Temu also. In fact I just purchased Academy 5x7 for $1.86 a block. Which is just crazy!!!

[@sandyowncrafts]

Wow, that's an insane deal!!!

[@jolovesnailart]

Thank you for this comparison, I was wondering about the difference between those two 🤗 Thank you for your honest opinion 🙏

[@deborahbeatty]

Temu has the Bao Hong paper even cheaper, I think

[@sandyowncrafts]

Great! I'll check it out.

[@UJB123]

The Artist has much brighter color pigment with less paint. It’s coarser, so it requires a bit more water yet it holds pigment better.

[@sandyowncrafts]

Yes, the difference in the water was obvious

[@PaintAndDrawTogether]

Thank you very much for making this video. I was very curious to know what is the difference, and could not find anything online, so your video is very helpful. Have a wonderful day!

[@sandyowncrafts]

So glad I could help! 🥰

[@WolfenWorks]

Love those papers I buy mine on temu all sizes

[@indianaknight7610]

Wow, thank you for doing this video :) makes me very keen to try out some baohong paper!

[@sandyowncrafts]

Give it a try, you'll love it 😁

[@NinaHansen2008]

I like your comparisons!

[@Michael-lq5di]

No one talks about Blick Premier 100 percent cotton 140 lb watercolor paper blocks and sheets

[@sandyowncrafts]

I don't know that, I don't think they sell it where I live. Do you recommend it?

[@kristapedersen1828]

FYI: My understanding is that there are three grades of Baohong… Academy, which I use, Artists Professional grade, and Masters Choice which is quite different and over twice the price of Academy. I have just ordered some MC through one of the Master Watercolourists (Michael Solovyev), and it is only available in sheets as far as I know. It was designed with input from many of the contemporary masters, and many are using it exclusively now.

[@sandyowncrafts]

Hi, thank you. I've been told they're ending one of the ranges and selling just the Baohong/Academy range. Have you heard anything about that?

[@kristapedersen1828]

@@sandyowncrafts - I haven’t… I paint on Academy (and Arches) most often. I love the quality and the price. It will be interesting to see what they do with the MC once it’s been out for a bit… hopefully they will make blocks, and more people will carry it, so the price goes down.

[@bijelimedved2983]

​@@kristapedersen1828can you describe what is to paint on Masters choice, is it worth the price and do colors lift well if i make a mistake?

[@marciahansford8039]

There is a review of masters choice baohong on KZbin.

[@augustoluna5577]

Baohong is a great paper. It's really good and very cheap

[@sandyowncrafts]

Yes! It was such a great surprise! Even the student grade version is good

[@sigriston]

Wild guess here: maybe the Academy is machine-made and the Artist’s is mould-made? If so, that could explain the difference in texture! As far as I know, mould-made has the tendency of exhibiting texture that is rougher and more random. Maybe that’s the difference, who knows? 😺

[@cigimon4]

apparently the academy has been discontinued and the professional has got new packaging, so now comes the question... which paper remains? are they selling the academy one as Masters' choice now? or did we lose the two sided version 🤔🤔

[@sandyowncrafts]

I didn't know that and it's a big question because the two are very different, particularly texture wise...

[@cigimon4]

@Clara-ow6wz so the texture is the same?

[@cigimon4]

@Clara-ow6wz lets hope it is more similar to the now extinct Academy line then

[@COCOChatnails]

That background music... Why?...

[@sandyowncrafts]

I'm sorrryyyyy!! I was still doing experiments and trying new things and... Yeah... It's bad...

[@Ms_Ink]

Hi! Just wondering what brand is if the round brush you are using? Thanks

[@sandyowncrafts]

Hi! It's Talens, I got the set at the supermarket and they were very very cheap. I'm still using them and I quite like them.

[@homeandalone1640]

Thank you for the comparisons.I think the academy is the nicest. I have just purchased a 10metre roll.

[@sandyowncrafts]

I've been thinking about that but have such a small desk that I'm afraid I won't be able to cut it properly

[@RRhoads27]

​@@sandyowncraftsi just got a 10 m roll as well. Cutting it is the easy part, as I have a guiliotine style paper cutter. The problem is that the paper stays curved and not flat. Not a big problem if you wet both sides before you tape it down to a board.

[@chantelmcskimming6633]

I, too, tested both. I cant see a difference in mine as well. ☺️

[@sandyowncrafts]

Aside from one being much more toothy than the other heheh

[@raylanadamsdiscoverychanne2816]

Love them both😊

[@robhemsley9181]

So professional graduate same as Masters choice ??

[@robhemsley9181]

I think they are different?

[@sandyowncrafts]

I have been told that master's choice is a third option that no longer exists but when I did my research for the video, the website had the professional grade as master's choice, yes.

[@izzyg8316]

I have my eye on the student grade one. 👁️

[@sandyowncrafts]

I think you'll love it

[@izzyg8316]

@@sandyowncrafts They certainly seem like a solid price/quality pick. 👍

[@Mr.S65]

Where in the EU are you? I really like Fabriano, 25% cotton and 100%cotton. I still have a ton of Arches 300Lb which I didn’t like. Went back to 140Lb and only Fabriano. Frankly, I can’t tell the difference between your papers. I’d definitely stick with the lower cost one.

[@sandyowncrafts]

Hi! I'm in Portugal. I'll have to try Arches one of these days but these are so much better priced!

[@Mr.S65]

@@sandyowncrafts Hi, have you tried Fabriano? It’s really inexpensive by the sheet. Yes, you should try Arches, but I don’t think it’s all that as they say. I’ve used Arches 140Lb too and it’s nice but I like to paint skies and they come better on Fabriano, really smooth. You could go to Serra Da Estrela to become inspired by the sky… and buy some cheese too!

[@sandyowncrafts]

Heheh yes, there is a lot of inspiration to be had at Serra da Estrela for sure. Fabriano is expensive around here,.sometimes more than Arches. But there are so many brands out there people love loke Strathmore and hahnemuhle, I absolutely want to try them all! 😁

[@celirondoni7717]

I'm in Brazil and here, Hanehmule is the most accessible one. They have a variety of papers with 100% cotton and I love Cesanne, The Collection, Leonardo and the affordable one, Expression. I tried Arches and Fabriano,.Winsor & Newton and Strathmore, but felt the quality does not improve as the price does . 😂 Baohong Academy keeps being the paper I feel most confortable using, with no guilty and obtaining the best results. I tested them all using tape, masking fluid, painting on the place you just extracted the masking and the tape, painting a circle with water and dropping only a tiny bit of paint and observing how the paint behaves, and the baohong one succeeded in every challenge. Definitely, my chosen one 👏❤️