Types Of Watercolor Paper

A watercolor painting on fabriano cold pressed paper cold pressed watercolor paper.

Types of watercolor paper.

Traditional watercolor boards consist of watercolor paper that has been glued onto a rigid board. As with other watercolor products you need to take notice of the type of paper that has been used to make sure the product is durable. Like watercolor paper it comes in hot pressed and cold pressed varieties but the texture is less pronounced. Other artists like the smooth quality of the hot press.

Some pigment penetrates deeper into the fibers. Thick slightly textured and very high in quality this product is durable and reliable. There are 3 main types of watercolor paper hot press cold press and rough press. Watercolor boards or panels like blocks are a convenient option if you don t want to pre stretch your paper.

Diffused wet into wet application can be achieved on cold pressed but there s a risk of losing the forms from excessive pigment bleeding. A painting on this type of paper ends up with a nice velvety look. This means it s a better option for mixed media from pen and ink to pencil. The rough press will be more textured than the cold press.

Being one of the most well known art supply manufacturers in the world arches produces a wide range of watercolor paper types. It s also great for incorporating other types of paint such as gouache or acrylic. Most watercolor artists tend to use rough or cold press watercolor paper because they are absorbent and have a nice ridged textured look and feel. High quality and efficient its 300 pound block is one of the most popular and successful.

There are two different types of paper that are ideal for watercolor works.