Picking the Best Watercolour Paper for Your Art
Watercolour painting has become a creative and fun pastime for many people during the pandemic. From adding something special to your bullet journal to crafting a professional-quality artwork, the fine detail and concentration required for watercolours can be a meditative experience.
Whether you’re looking for student quality or artist quality sheets of watercolour paper, painters will tell you that it is important to get the right watercolour pad for the job. If you’re just getting started, how do you know where to look? If you are just looking to do some light washes, most fountain pen friendly paper (like Leuchtturm1917, Dingbats Pro, and Tomoe River) can handle a bit of watercolour. However, watercolour paper is specifically designed to hold more moisture than regular paper that you might find in a notebook or sketchbook. Lightweight papers might seem like a less expensive option when you are starting out, but you’ll end up going through so much more paint and paper in the long run!
When it comes to choosing the right watercolour paper for you, one of the first things that you should look at is the surface textures. Cold press watercolour paper has a more textured surface, where hot press watercolour paper has a smoother surface. Both presses of paper provide a quality, durable experience for your paintings, and both presses can handle oodles of water. However, your choice really depends on the uniformity you want your painting to have. Different painting styles often demand different tools, so you’ll want to anticipate what kinds of painting you’ll want to be doing and how it will match the surface of the paper.
A rough surface will provide different textures, and the paint tends to pool a bit more. On a smooth surface, the paint glides over the page, meaning that it is often easier to achieve a softer look. Paint also tends to dry more quickly on hot press papers. Also consider what medium you'd like to use with your watercolour paintings — a fountain pen and ink will tend to work better on smoother paper, whereas pencil feels lovely on a paper that is more textured. As we’ve said in the past, a thicker paper weight does not necessarily mean the highest quality paper, but it is true that a thicker paper tends to hold water better than a thinner paper. For instance, a 300gsm pressed paper will typically be able to handle heavier washes than a 160gsm pressed paper.
The Stillman & Birn Beta series notebooks are some the best all-around notebooks for watercolour painting. The extra-heavyweight wood cellulose paper is suitable for a variety of dry and wet media, from pencil to ink and pastels to watercolour. The paper is bright white, so the colours will show up just how they look on your palette. The sketchbooks are trusted by artists all over the globe and recognized as among the best in the world for their ability to handle even the most demanding techniques on paper.
Next, picking your favourite watercolour paper also comes down to the purpose of your painting. If you want to have an individual sheet of paper that you can frame or gift, it is probably best to use a paper pad instead of a notebook. The SM.LT Art Torchon Watercolour Paper Pad is a great option for a beginner because of its large canvas and removable sheets. The pad features 10 A4-sized sheets of 250gsm cold pressed paper, making it perfect for playing around and experimenting with techniques.
However, there are some times that you’d just prefer a watercolour sketchbook! Whether you want to track your artistic progress or you’re working on a series, a notebook keeps everything nicely together. One of our favourite options is the Hand Book Paper Co. Travelogue notebooks. These watercolour notebooks have heavy-duty 200gsm and 300gsm paper options, and they come in a variety of sizes to suit every artist. The paper holds water remarkably well, and the linen covers feel so luxurious!
The next thing you’ll probably want to look for is the material that the paper is made from. As a general rule, cotton papers tend to hold water better than the cellulose counterparts. Cotton papers are also more durable overall, and they will stay pristine for much longer than cellulose papers. However, both are great options for beginners who are experimenting with techniques and learning the ropes!
If you prefer to be able to remove your pages but you still want the 100% cotton paper experience, the Global Fluid 100 Watercolour Blocks might be another great option for you. These blocks use single sheets that are glued together to create a portable book. Unlike many watercolour pads, it only has the glue binding on two edges of the paper, making it easy to remove and share your completed work, as well as paint on the go. It also comes in both 300gsm cold press and 300gsm hot press options, as well as extra heavyweight 640gsm cold press variant!
Finally, when you’re looking for the right paper for you, also remember to look for the paper’s archival qualities. Not everything you paint has to be a masterpiece, but you want to make sure those masterpieces last! As long as you take proper care of your paintings, all of the papers we recommend at Phidon will stand up to years in storage. For an even easier option for your storage needs, you can pop a slim watercolour notebook right into your Traveler’s Notebook. When they’re full, you can pop them onto the shelf or into a Traveler’s Company refill binder.
What’s your favourite watercolour paper? Do you prefer loose sheets or notebooks? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to tag us in any photos of your watercolour work that you post on Instagram!