A selection of papers designed for use with water colour paints.
There are 3 surfaces for watercolour paper. ‘Rough’ has a textured surface with a prominent tooth. The pools of watercolour collect in the indentations to create a grainy effect. ‘Cold-pressed’ (or NOT) has a less textured surface and is the most popular surface for watercolour artists. ‘Hot-pressed’ (or HP) watercolour paper has a smooth surface with a fine grain, it is good for applying washes as the paint dries quickly and evenly, the paper is suitable for watercolour, print making and fine detail illustration.
Choose from loose sheets, pads or blocks. The sheets in a watercolour paper block are gummed along the four edges of the block. This prevents the page from wrinkling when the wet medium is applied, making it unnecessary to stretch the paper before painting. The artist works on the top sheet and then separates it from the block with a blunt knife when the painting is dry.
