Good paper can make a huge difference in your quality of life as watercolorist. Getting high quality paper can be the simplest path to getting great results from the paints you picked out so carefully. When I first started shopping for watercolor paper, I was bewildered by all the specs. I’ll break it down so you can figure out what you’re buying and how it will work with your watercolor style.
Beginners just starting out often wonder why they can’t start by using easily accessible non-watercolor paper – e.g. mixed media paper or printer paper – and only upgrade to watercolor paper if they like the medium. Unfortunately, it just won’t work.
For one thing, most paper is too thin for watercolor. Paper designed for other media just can’t take the amount of water that watercolor requires. Think about it: water is terrible for paper! Water makes most paper melt, tear, and break down, so you get little fuzzy bits of paper mixed in with your paint.
More importantly, paper not designed for watercolor – even heavy paper – lacks sizing. Sizing is a manufacturing process that makes paper less absorbent. This allows artists using wet media, like watercolor paint or ink, to move the paint on the paper’s surface. Unsized paper just sucks in the paint straight away. In order to paint like the pros, you need paper with sizing.
Personally, while I find paint the most fun to buy, the quality of the paper probably makes the biggest difference to how well or poorly my painting goes! If you are going to invest in one pro-quality thing, paper is probably the most bang for your buck.
Decisions to make when buying watercolor paper
I’ve organized these roughly from most obvious to most in-the-weeds. Stop wherever your head starts to swim.
- Format: How the paper comes to you: as loose sheets, a sketchbook, a pad, a block.
- Dimensions: How big do you like to paint?
- Manufacturer/Brand: Who makes the paper?
- Grade: What is the paper quality? Professional/artist grade or student grade.
- Texture: Hot press, cold press, or rough press.
- Weight: How thick is the paper? High-quality paper is at least 140lb/300gsm.
- Material: What is the paper made of? High-quality paper is 100% cotton.
- Acidity: High-quality paper is acid-free.
- Color: Watercolor paper is typically white, but how white?
- Manufacturing Process: High-quality paper tends to be mould-made.
- Sizing: Gelatin or AKD; hard-sized or soft-sized.
Format
Will you get your paper in loose sheets, a pad, a sketchbook, or a block (which is like a pad that’s glued on all sides)?
This will depend on availability, price, and personal preference. Personally, I like to get pads and sketchbooks. Sketchbooks are best for plein air, but I prefer using loose sheets in my everyday. I have found pads to be the easiest and most convenient way to get smaller-format “loose sheets.”
Dimensions
How big do you want your paper? (Notice I’m not using the word “size” because of the possible confusion with sizing).
How large you like to paint will come down to personal preference, and may change over time. Most beginners, including me, seem to find painting smaller to be less intimidating.
You can always buy paper too large and cut it down. If you think you may cut your paper down, the best format is loose sheets or pads (from which sheets may easily be removed). Cutting the paper removes the benefit of using a bound sketchbook or glued block.
(BTW, my favorite way to cut paper is using a letter opener-style handheld cutter. I don’t own a large-format paper cutter, and I find it difficult to make straight cuts with scissors.)
Aspect Ratio: I find it easiest to follow landscape tutorials with rectangular paper. But if you like your work to be Instagram-friendly without cropping or incorporating it into a flatlay, you might want to consider a square.
Manufacturer/Brand
Who makes the paper? Some well-regarded watercolor paper manufacturers include:
- Arches
- Baohong
- Canson
- Fabriano
- Hahnemühle
- Lanaquarelle
- Legion (makers of Stonehenge)
- St. Cuthbert’s Paper Mill (makers of Saunders & Waterford, Millford, Bockingford)
You can also find some gems among art store house brands, such as:
- Jackson’s
- New York Central (for Jerry’s Artarama)
- Kilimanjaro/American Journey (formerly for Cheap Joe’s)
The makers of sketchbooks tend to be a different set of brands. Some sketchbook makers include:
- Etchr (now uses Arches paper)
- Moleskine (take care: most of their sketchbooks aren’t watercolor-friendly; look for the “Watercolor Album” specifically)
- Stilman & Birn
Want more? Check out my reviews of a bunch of sketchbooks, and some miscellaneous watercolor paper reviews.
Can you find good paper not on the above lists? Totally! They’re not exhaustive.
Which brand you prefer will come down to regional availability, price, and personal preference. The other specs below may help you narrow down your options.
Grade
Just like paint, paper can come in professional grade or student grade. In general, the difference is in the expense of the materials used and the manufacturing process:
- Professional grade paper tends to be 100% cotton while student grade paper may be made of wood pulp or a mix.
- Professional grade paper tends to be mould-made while student grade paper tends to be machine-made.
- Professional grade paper is acid-free and archival, while student grade paper may or may not be.
Here are some examples of the names of professional and student lines in the major brands. I like to point this out so that you can be aware of what you’re getting, and not just see the brand name and assume you’re getting pro grade.
| Brand | Artist/Pro Grade Line(s) | Student Grade Line(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Arches | Arches Watercolor | (none) |
| Baohong | Masters’ | Academy |
| Canson | Héritage | Montval, Graduate, XL |
| Fabriano | Artistico | Studio, 1264 |
| Hahnemühle | The Collection; anything named after a classical artist (e.g. Cézanne) | Akademie, Harmony, Expression |
| St. Cuthbert’s | Saunders & Waterford, Millford | Bockingford |
Some paper brands that I would consider to be exclusively student-grade are Fluid, Strathmore, and Winsor & Newton. That said, the line between pro and student paper can be fuzzy, and artist preferences can vary.
Texture
What is the paper “tooth”? How smooth or rough is the paper surface? There is no right answer here, it comes down to personal preference and what you like to paint.
Your options:
- Hot Press is the smoothest; you get the most vibrant colors and crispest details wet-on-dry, but wet-on-wet work can result in harsh dried paint lines and blooms – it’s difficult to get a smooth gradient. Good for illustration, pen-and-ink, and anything requiring fine detail. Difficult to use for wet-on-wet washes, unless you want the blooms and water lines for effect.
- Cold Press, sometimes called “not” (as in “hot or not”), is medium tooth. Because it has a more texture to it, the water has more places to settle, making it easier to create wet-on-wet effects like smooth gradients and color changes. You can also paint fine details wet-on-dry.
- Rough press is even more textured. Wet-on-wet washes are even smoother and softer, but detail may be more difficult, and vibrant color may take several layers.
Each paper is good for a different job. Some artists keep a variety of paper textures around, while others choose their favorite, or the best match to their general style. If you’re not sure, cold press is a good starting place, a “best of both worlds” that balances detail and softness. For landscapes, I find it the easiest to work with.
Weight
Papers are measured in weight (lbs) and grams per meter (gsm), both of which refer to the weight of a ream of paper. The higher the numbers, the thicker the paper. In general, thicker is better for watercolor because it means it can take more water without warping.
Here are the most common weights available for watercolor paper:
- 90 lb/120 gsm – Generally found in student-grade or mixed-media paper. I would consider this too flimsy for wet-on-wet. It will buckle like crazy.
- 135 lb/200 gsm – Common for watercolor sketchbooks. Still best for dryer paintings, but reasonable and a good balance of strength and on-the-go lightness.
- 140 lb/300 gsm – Most common weight for all watercolor papers. A good balance of strength to weight, Goldilocks absorbency. Suitable for wet-on-wet, though prone to buckling if not taped down.
- 300 lb/640 gsm – Super thick, almost like cardstock. Takes a ton of water without warping. May not even need to be taped down. More absorbent – maybe too much so for some artists.
Material
What is the paper made of?
Cotton
The highest-quality watercolor paper is 100% cotton. Cotton is good for watercolor because it dries relatively slowly and is absorbent and strong. In most cases, pro grade paper is 100% cotton. If it’s 100% cotton, it will say so, since that’s a selling point.
Even within cotton, you might see two kinds:
- Cotton rag: made from long-fiber threads or recycled textiles; stronger
- Cotton from linters: made from short fibers; more absorbent
Cotton paper sometimes advertises as “lignin-free.” Lignin is found in tree bark, so paper containing lignin is made from wood pulp.
Wood Pulp
The main alternative to cotton is wood pulp, which is often called “cellulose” (even though paper made from any plant matter contains cellulose: technically, cotton has cellulose too.) If a paper is 25% cotton, it’s probably 75% wood pulp. If a paper doesn’t say what it’s made of, it’s probably 100% wood pulp.
Wood pulp is adequate for watercolor, but compared to cotton it may be more easily damaged and quicker to dry, meaning you need to work faster.
Other Materials
Some papers are made from alternative, experimental materials. In general, I have found these not to perform in the way that I expect for watercolor, though they might be interesting for experimental or mixed media pieces. Some examples:
- Hahnemühle has Agave, Bamboo, and Sugar Cane lines.
- The brand Legion has a line called Yupo which is made of polypropylene and has a plastic-y feel and is extremely not absorbent. You can see my review of it in Legion Sample Size Paper Reviews.
Acidity
Acid can cause paper to yellow and brittle over time. Archival papers, those meant to stand the test of time, are treated to lower the acid content naturally present in plant material. Look for “acid-free” or “pH neutral” paper.
Color
Kinds of white
Watercolor paper is almost always white, because watercolor is a transparent medium that looks best against white paper. But how white is white?
- Natural white or traditional white paper is the most widely available, and has a slightly yellowish cast. This may be a byproduct of gelatin sizing, which can be slightly yellow. Some artists find this paper gives their paintings a warm glow. Artists who underpaint everything yellow may prefer this (or not notice a difference).
- High white, bright white, or extra white paper is really, really white. This may give your paintings more vibrancy, especially cool colors. It’s harder to find and may be more expensive. The extra white color may come from chlorine (bleach) or optical brighteners.
To tell the truth, I can’t really tell the difference.
Other colors
Occasionally, watercolor paper comes in other colors, such as toned, gray, black, kraft brown, or multicolor. The use case for this is smaller because it requires using opaque colors. May be more useful for gouache.
Manufacturing Process
Mould-Made
Mould-made paper is made in a mold (or mould). This is a slower, more traditional paper-making process.
Machine-Made/Fourdrinier
The alternative is machine-made paper, sometimes called “fourdrinier” (made in a Fourdrinier machine). Machine-made paper can be made faster, but may be less suitable for artistic work because the paper fibers all point in the same direction which can affect the way the water and paint behaves on the paper.
Sizing
As I mentioned above, sizing is a treatment or coating that the manufacturer applies to prevent the paper from absorbing water. This allows the artist time to work and prevents the paint from soaking into the paper, so that it instead dries in a layer on top of the paper.
Sizing Process (Internal or External)
Paper may be sized internally, meaning the sizing chemicals are mixed in with the paper materials when it is being made, or sized externally, meaning the finished paper is dipped in a tub of sizing at the end of the process. Some papers, like Arches, are sized in both ways.
Sizing Material (Gelatin or AKD)
Traditional sizing is made from gelatin (also spelled gelatine). This is an animal product that is obtained as a byproduct of the beef industry, and may not be suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Typically, gelatin sizing is external.
The main alternative is alkyl ketene dimer (AKD), a chemical that is vegan and typically used for internal sizing. Papers advertised as having “gelatin-free” sizing or “no animal products” are probably using AKD sizing.
Sizing Amount (Hard or Soft Sized)
Papers with more sizing are considered “hard,” while papers with less sizing are considered “soft.” External sizing (typically with gelatin) can also make a paper more “hard,” while internal-only sizing results in a softer-sized paper.
What does hard sizing mean for you, the artist?
- The paint isn’t absorbed as much, so edges may be crisper.
- Colors may be brighter.
- The paper may dry faster.
Hard or soft sizing is a spectrum and typically not part of the main labeling for the product. However, here’s a short list of brands/lines that I have observed to call themselves hard-sized:
- Arches (gelatin)
- Millford (gelatin-free)
Whether you prefer hard or soft sizing comes down to your personal preference and perhaps what you are used to. Some folks prefer the sharpness they can get from hard-sized paper while others may prefer the sensory softness of a softer-sized paper. I’ve also observed anecdotally that harder-sized paper, especially those sized with gelatin like Arches, may have a bit of an odor when wet.
Watercolor Paper FAQ
What is paper stretching?
This is a method of prepping paper that supposedly makes it less prone to warping and buckling, although I personally have always been too lazy to try it. The basic idea is that you tape the paper down, get it evenly wet, and let it dry flat. Then untape it, turn it over, tape it BACK down, and get it evenly wet again. At this point, if you’re starting with a wet-on-wet wash, you can start painting. Otherwise, let it dry completely again before painting wet-on-dry. The idea is that by pre-wetting the paper and letting it dry flat, you can stretch it to its full capacity and then it won’t warp again when you add additional water.
Generally, this is not considered to be necessary for papers that are higher-weight. It’s also not possible to do on a block, at least, not without taking the paper off and invalidating the advantages of a block. So, another reason to use a block is to allow yourself perfect freedom from worrying about paper stretching.
How do I prevent my paper from warping and buckling when I add water?
There are several strategies:
- Tape down the paper while working (or use a block). Keep the paper taped down until it is completely dry.
- Use less water. (A wet-on-wet wash doesn’t actually require much – just enough so the paper has a light sheen. Puddles are counterproductive. On cotton paper, your paper will stay wet longer, so you may not need to use as much water to buy yourself working time.)
- Stretch the paper (if using lower-weight paper and not using a block).
- Improve paper quality, e.g. move from cellulose to cotton and/or to a higher weight.
After all of that, you may find the paper still curls somewhat. Paper’s gonna do that. The goal of completely flat paper may be unrealistic. But as long as the level or curling doesn’t severely interfere with your ability to paint, you may just need to accept it. If you frame your painting, the frame will hold it down flat.
Should I pick one type of paper and stick to it or can I hop around?
Some artists insist you should choose one paper and stick to it, since the different papers behave differently in terms of absorption, drying time, buckling propensity, etc. The more familiar you get with one type, the more you can predict what your watercolor is going to do.
Obviously, this is not my M.O., since I’m a beginner who already has so many opinions on paper! Personally, I think that as a beginner, it is very hard to commit to materials when you are still in the stage of trying things out and seeing what you like.
I also think that there’s something to be said for having cheaper “experiment” paper vs. nicer “make a painting” paper, although if that stresses you out (and nothing seems to rise to the level of being a “real painting”), I give you permission to only have the nice kind in the house so you’re forced to use it.
Should I wait until I’m better at painting to invest in nice paper?
Nah.
To some extent this is between you and your budget, but if money is not a serious make-or-break issue between the nice choice and the budget choice, I would say to go for nice choice from the beginning. Good paper will make it easier to work and to learn – yes, even as a beginner! You don’t want to hobble yourself from the gate by forcing yourself to use substandard supplies that even a professional artist would struggle with, because they’re just not up to the task you’re asking of them.
To me, watercolor is a sensory and mindful experience, more so than a method for producing quality art pieces. Even if you “ruin” good paper by making a piece you don’t like, you will have a nicer time in the moment if you’re using nice supplies vs. frustrating ones. I have a better outlook about using supplies if I think of them as a means to an experience, e.g. a chocolate bar or a movie ticket, rather than straw I’m supposed to spin into gold.
This is true of art supplies in general, but I would say even more so than usual when it comes to watercolor paper, which can really make a huge difference to your quality of life when painting. Bad paper will cause you no end of problems and distract you from other aspects of your painting by disintegrating, curling, and tearing at the exact wrong times. Good paper won’t magically turn you into an experienced and skilled artist, but what it will do is get out of your way and quietly just do its job right so you can focus on learning to paint.
Go forth and use the nice paper!