Evaluating watercolour papers

As watercolourists, we have a huge dependency on our watercolour paper.   There is a plethora of watercolour papers available in stores across the world and online. It’s important to experiment to find which ones (or one) suite our individual styles. I can assure you that paper can make a difference in your paintings.

There are a number of factors to consider when selecting a watercolour paper suited to your style and budget. Here are some suggested criteria to evaluate which paper is best for you. It’s important to note that not all factors are important to everyone. For me I need an affordable paper that doesn’t buckle too much as I don’t like to stretch my paper and can withstand lots of scrubbing, including the use of magic sponge on occasion are necessary attributes.

Brightness: the paper provides an essential background brightness that displays paint colors accurately 

Colour: whether white or tinted, the color is subdued and pleasing and does not yellow or fade when exposed to sunlight. 

Sizing: the paper has an external and/or internal sizing to control the absorption and retention of water; paints do not blotch or soak outward due to excessive absorbency, and paint edges remain crisp after they have dried 

Strength: The paper does not disintegrate or excessively cockle when completely saturated with water 

Receptive: The paper is responsive to all paint application techniques, including all types and sizes of brushes, dilutions of paint, types of pigment, wet in wet methods and multiple glazes.

Durability: the paper resists damage from editing techniques (scrubbing, blotting, scraping, erasing) and the removal of resists (latex compounds, rubber glue or masking tape). 

Bonding: The paper bonds securely with the paint vehicle and pigment, and display dried paint colors accurately and in the full chroma and tonal range (color gamut). 

Archival: The paper will not change color, flexibility or strength over time due to chemicals in the paper, mounting or air. This will ensure that they will last unaltered for centuries under proper care and storage.

Two other important factors are price and retail availability. We must find a paper that suits our style and that we can regularly obtain.

My "go to" paper these days is Fabriano Artistico 300lbs extra white. It's affordable when compared with Arches and resists to a lot of scrubbing. 

If anybody in North American wishes to order a sample box of watercolour paper, you can order it from Legion paper at http://www.legionpaper.com/samples/. I’ve been trying many of the papers in the box and am still sticking with my Fabriano Artistico… at least for now.  My intention was to prepare a table and provide a review of each paper branch. Although each paper performed slightly differently, I realized that the reacted differently due to my style. Hence, who am I to provide a review of various papers.

Neal recently started an interesting discussion on AT watercolour groups on this topic:
http://www.arttutor.com/group/watercolours-group/discussion/watercolor-paper-opinion-and-question

I encourage you to learn about and evaluate papers and put your observations in a notebook. First impressions and accidental observations are easy to forget or to attribute mistakenly to another paper brand or to a different weight or finish. It's much easier to review your notes than to evaluate a paper all over again.

 

Recently, Ingrid helped be discover Jeanne Dobie. I've since purchased her book and am discovering new ways to think about colour. I might transmit some of these learnings in an upcoming blog. Here is a painting of hers entitled Blueberry Cove.

Who wants to write the next blog? 
Danielle