20 Best Watercolor Paper For Professionals (2023 Updated)

Familiar with this paper in their journal form, but grabbed this for practice paper since my store doesn’t seem to carry the journals in house anymore (and I had just finished mine up). Performs as I’m used to, and the pages seem to hold.

Good to note I’m only using this pad for color mixing, color swatching and performance, or small detail ink and wash practice. Not sure how the pad would hold up to large washes compared to journals.

All in all, happy with this little pad for the purpose I’m using it for.

I bought this paper in a roll for acrylic painting on a semi-large scale that wouldn’t take up as much space as canvases. I’ve been painting on the Blick brand 22×30 sheets, but I wanted the flexibility to paint bigger.

It’s good paper, I like the texture, and it holds up well for my purposes. The only problem is that it’s got large dents all along one edge of the roll, and smaller dents along the other edge. This is from shipping damage.

Everything else I’ve ordered from Blick has been beautifully packaged and arrived perfectly, so I just wish they would pack this in a longer box with something in the ends to protect the edges, because the whole roll is damaged.

I will work with it as best I can but it’s definitely disappointing. #sweepstakes.

I love this paper for working with watersoluble watercolor and graphite pencils. Also great for watersoluble pastels and charcoal. The larger sizers are fantastic for using with Derwent watersoluble graphite and tinted charcoal blocks too! It’s the perfect paper for watercolor sketches and practicing techniques.

I can even add acrylic and inks to my work. I like taking a 9 x 12 Canson XL Watercolor pad, water soluble graphite, waterproof fineline marker, and small watercolor set along with me in my backpack anywhere I go for painting whenever something or someone sparks my creative juices.

The price is right so I never have to worry about the pressure to make something perfect and possibly wasting expensive paper. I can be as free and experimental as I want to be.

This is the first paper for wet media I’ve bought. It’s not bad, but with heavily wet paintings, the fibers will break down if you don’t wait for it to dry first. If you’re trying to layer or glaze your paints, it is easy to disturb the previous layer.

However, that means it is also easy to lift paint to correct mistakes. For wet-on-dry, it works fine. I especially like it for my water-based markers because the cold press texture is smoother than other brands.

Alcohol markers work surprisingly well, but protect your surface in case the ink bleeds through the page. It’s decent paper for like a sketchbook, where you’re just having fun. Here’s one tip when using a lot of water: wet both sides of the paper with a brush (not soaking wet) and place it horizontally on a clean dry surface to dry completely.

This primes the paper for more even absorption.

Too bad I can’t rate it 3. 5 stars because I think 4 stars is too high. My paper is around 4-3 years old, so keep in mind the sizing might’ve deteriorated. I have better quality student grade watercolor paper now, so it’s not amazing.

However, it’s not horrible either. I would use this as a no-guilt-from-expensive-papers paper. Simple, non-detailed paintings work well on this, as in wet-on-dry. I tried wet-on-wet, you have to be very careful with your water control.

I like priming the paper by applying a light wash of water on both sides of the paper, I feel it soaks in watercolor better. If you’re a beginner and have the freedom to try various brands but are working on a tight budget, I recommend buying a small size of this along with other cheap papers: Fabriano 1264, Fabriano Studio, and Strathmore 300.

I really love this little pad of watercolor paper, especially for quick color sketches! It behaves exactly as cotton paper should, holds up to various techniques (though I don’t scrub roughly, or a lot), doesn’t buckle much even with lots of water, and has the perfect tooth for me (a little on the rougher side).

Colors stay quite vibrant, you can paint on both sides of the paper with no noticeable difference, and the price is very reasonable. The size is perfect for carrying around. light enough to put in a small bag, and just large enough to really capture something.

I had never used Winsor and Newton paper before, but I like this enough to try the block.

This is a versatile paper at a decent price. It has two different sides: The front side is quite textured, almost as much as Arche’s Rough watercolor paper. The back side is smoother, more of a melding of cold-press and hot-press, yet not quite either of them.

This allows me to use one pad of paper for projects needing a rough texture and projects I want a little smoother. I doubt I’ll be shelling out the $$ for Arches rough now that I’ve found this paper.

Which, incidentally, also works well for pastels. I really like that it’s off-white skewed to the warm side, not bright. So take that into consideration if you like a more blue-toned white. It’s equal in quality to others in its price range and, as mentioned before, I’ll likely ditch Arches rough for this because of its versatility and price.

Way to go, W&N! #sweepstakes.

Why do manufacturers change their products like this??? I’ve been using WN Professional Hot Press for a few years with no complaints. This order was with “new and improved” paper, which of course is the kiss of death.

The surface texture is visually different, and it is different to the touch. The new version reminds me of other papers that I stopped using, and sadly I don’t think I’ll be using this anymore either.

Washes aren’t the same, and with different surface texture, lifting out isn’t the same either. Even the deckled edges have changed and look more uniform. So- new cheap looking texture, sizing, edges, capabilities.

I even thought maybe I ordered the cheaper WN paper, but nope- this is the Professional 100% cotton! If you stopped using Fabiano and Arches because of changes, add this one to the list as well.

Its a great price and I dont have to wet a tape down my page. Its convenient

Just great

The more I use this paper compared to other papers, the more I suspect it’s my favorite. I always get the 5×7 hot press packs because other reviews say the cold press is more like rough press. I definitely like the hot press for my regular painting because it still has texture though it’s more ripply than grainy.

I use this paper for watercolor cards and the colors flow beautifully, dry bold and vibrant, and the paper barely warps and dries perfectly flat. It’s a soft paper, feeling more like fabric than a typical rigid paper, which I love, so be careful when peeling off tape, and I try to transfer images because I don’t think it would handle aggressive erasing very well.

My only criticism is that in my recent pack, the surface of a number of the sheets made my paints look grainy, almost like the paper had pilled. I paint animals so I chalked it up to fur effect, but I could see folks bothered by this.

I’m going to keep buying it though. It’s a great value and I’m excited to try the cold press next! #sweepstakes.

This paper is super thick and doesn’t warp much when using wet washes. It is also super rough with an uneven and handmade texture, so if you are looking for a consistent texture, this is not the paper for you.

My only complaint it that each sheet has its own sizing quirks; you have to work the surface to get the watercolor to soak in on some sheets, on other sheets it soaks in just fine. Knowing the inconsistency is key to success.

Since I use these for looser styles with lots of texture, it’s not a game changer for me.

I’m hooked. As a watercolor artist I have tried many papers have used a very popular excellent paper for years but have been disappointed in it the last couple of years. I don’t know if it has changed or If my technique has.

This shizen handmade paper is a joy to paint on, a little pricier then the popular papers but worth every cent. It has wonderful absorption, is easy to control, and easy to pick up paint you don’t want.

I have used about half of my first paper and every painting is worthy of framing. Not my usual experience. If I want a quality painting I’ll never use anything else. I’ve already gotten my second order.

Please Dick Blick I beg you NOT to discontinue these frames. They are the best value for the money. And they are so easy to use. I make a lot of art and I cannot afford to take each one to a framer for entering in art shows.

I hope that you will reconsider keeping the 12″ x 12″ frames in stock. I just bought 20 of them since I want to have some for a future without them. Please? Thank you for listening.

As someone spending a lot of time on watercolor exercises as I seek to learn, I’ve been looking for a good quality paper at a good price point. I found Arches blocks to be excellent quality but expensive.

I had a sample pack of Fluid paper which I liked and thought I would try the Fluid 100 paper. The Fluid 100 blocks work fine and offer block paper at a good price although I have found that I prefer the Blick Premier Watercolor Blocks.

The Blick Premier blocks are just slightly more expensive but I like it better.

Great hot-press paper performance in a very convenient block format. The paper is easy to remove from the block. The block makes it easy to use lots of water and limits warping/buckling effects. Performance (such as lifting) works great with the 100% cotton paper.

I’m still learning with this paper, but I wanted to play with it. Too much water and it will buckle, but using most media will work great with it. It’s super smooth, more than I thought, but it still manages to hold up to a small amount of water and colored pencil.

I got it for watercolor pencils. This would be close to arches hot press paper, only arches has a tiny amount of tooth unlike the Strathmore.

I teach watercolor painting and we use the 5 x 7 pre-cuts for several different exercises at the beginning of each class. The small size helps us move through our experiments and tests quickly. And the convenience of having the paper ready-to-go instead of having to tear down large sheets is a time-saver for me.

Also, students are not intimidated by the small size. Larger papers feel so precious and make students feel they have to produce a masterpiece. Watercolor painting takes a lot of practice to learn to control the amount of water and paint you need for different effects.

The packages of 25 pre-cuts at such a great price make it easy to learn and practice, over and over. Often, many of the practice sheets become nice paintings. The quality of the paper is very nice. It holds paint well and dries flat.

The paper doesn’t hold up well to scrubbers when trying to remove paint but wetting areas and lifting with a thirsty brush or blotting with soft tissues works well.

This paper is absorbent and distributes the paint evenly. I really like the fact that these are individual sheets that don’t have to be separated from a pad or block. There is only a slightly raised texture on one side and almost no texture on the other.

This took some getting used to but now I really like it.

I was hoping that this paper would be good with dip pens, which it is. No feathering with a crow quill, or with a larger nib pen like a Hunt 513EF. It has more sizing than watercolor paper does, so it has a longer hold-out, which makes it easier to do a wash around a detailed, finicky outline.

Easier to make smooth lines with a dip pen than it is on hot press watercolor paper (like Arches), too, because of this harder, less “fuzzy” surface finish. Nice subtle pebble-ly texture, similar to Grumbacher 400 series watercolor paper, only less pronounced.

It does buckle more than 140 lib watercolor paper does, of course, but I like it for making smaller sized sketchbooks which get weighted down after using to flatten them out. I’ve never been disappointed with any Fabriano product that I’ve ever purchased, and this one is no exception.

I guess reviews are subjective because there are both good and bad reviews. I love my Arches paper, and only use it when painting something worth framing, or giving away. I was using Canson for practice paper and hated it.

I was at my local Blick’s and decided to give this a try because it was priced right. I wasn’t sure what to expect because it is cheaper paper, but and I am so glad I took a chance and tried it. I absolutely love the texture (it is a little more rough than traditional Arches cold press) but that is what I love about this paper.

If you like a smooth or smoother textured paper, this is not for you. I can paint fantastic blooms and leaves with definition (and not having to add more definition separately) because of how the paper handles the watercolor when applied.

This is a great, cheaper alternative that I like almost as much as my beloved Arches. I will keep buying this one again and again!.

Does not scrub well. Colors lie on top of the paper and this limits potential for washes and for glazes because existing colors don’t stay put. Paper doesn’t buckle that much. I can see this paper as a studio paper useful for block prints, acrylics, and other uses.

It cannot substitute for 100% cotton or rag watercolor paper. It has a good texture and feels like a very good quality studio paper with sufficient heft and weight.

This is the worst. Super thin paper that can’t hold any water without wrinkling. I’m not exaggerating when I say copy paper works better than this.

This was a fantastic deal! I had to buy 5 pads! I’m using these to paint backgrounds to scan and use for my 2D animation course and they’re absolutely superb. I’d purchased 500 onion skin papers for use with my lightbox and tried using one of those for painting a watercolor background – mistake! It curled up and died.

LOL Definitely NEED a watercolor paper as one of the right tools to do the job.

Love this pad, this is always my go-to for our daughter to paint. Great size and just the right thickness. I often will cut one page in half to get two paintings out of one.

Works with alcohol or water base markers. I use this marker paper almost exclusively when I lecture online. I use the paper like my board but under a digital camera. I like to be able to show illustrations in color without the mess of seepage of ink through the paper or the rubbing off of layers of paper if I have to color over an area.

The paper is smooth but tough and stands upto repeated marker layerings that I render I. My marker paintings. It would be nice if they came out with a ring bound book version. I often cut the paper in half and use it to make a note set from my lecture illustrations that I make during class.

They then become part of an archive so I know what I covered in class for a fact as I have the illustrations to prove it;).

I’ve tried several different types of watercolor paper sketchbooks, and Canson is perfect for me because: – very affordable – great size (not too small or too large for a sketchbook) – spiral bound; sturdy, lays flat easily – perforated pages allow you to remove them easily if you want to – paper quality is great for most practice pieces / sketches.

It is NOT 100% cotton. For wet-on-wet, water does tend to lay on top rather than absorb quickly, but for a sketchbook it’s fine. This was a repeat purchase for me, and I will continue to use these as my preferred sketchbooks.

It was a nice perk that Canson included 6 bonus pages in the pad, and I hope they continue to do that periodically.

In an attempt to save money, I’ve tried cheaper brands suggested by other artists. Canson Watercolor XL, Fluid blocks, those cheap watercolor postcard things you get on Aliexpress – nothing compares to Arches.

Seriously. For one, Arches absorption capacity for multiple layers of watercolor pigment is unparalleled. Arches paper is 100% cotton, which means you can build up extremely saturated and near-endless layers of watercolor to get VIBRANT paintings! You can also scrub at the paper pretty vigorously to lift paint without damaging it (though obviously, you can go overboard and damage it – it’s not invincible).

Compared to a cheaper paper like, say, Canson XL Watercolor, the pigment on the cheaper paper just SITS ON TOP OF THE SHEET, meaning every stroke with more color lifts the layer underneath. If you want super saturated washes of color, Canson XL Watercolor paper is the WRONG CHOICE.

It’s barely worth practicing on for vibrant color washes if your primary art medium is watercolor. It just doesn’t take watercolor pigment the same way Arches does! I would HIGHLY suggest Arches for watercolor artists.

It might be on the pricier side, but it’s WORTH IT. As for the Canson XL Watercolor paper, you’re better off using acrylic or gouache on its surface as the pigment in these media are larger and behave how you’d expect on this type of sheet.

I’ve attached a few pictures of the types of illustrations and saturation values I’ve been able to achieve using Arches! #sweepstakes.

Although I am not a professional artist, a few years ago I started painting again fairly regularly. I have tended to purchase what I could afford as I practice, practice, and practice some more. I recently decided to upgrade my paper choice from Blick’s Premier watercolor blocks to try Arches.

I had used Arches drawing paper in college (years ago!) and recalled that it had a nice quality. I purchased the 12″ x 16″ cold press 140# variety and am currently completing my first painting. I’ve been working on it daily for the past week and have experienced good things.

To begin with, I’m pleased that the glued edges seem to be holding together well. With the Blick brand, pages tend to separate from the block and even from the base board. Secondly, I am pleased with the way the paper absorbs and holds color whether I am doing a loose wash of color or fine detail.

Finally, I appreciate the texture of the paper. It’s just a bit rougher than the texture of the Blick brand which gives a satisfying sensation to the touch, but the texture does not interfere with my ability to capture line details.

Overall, my first impressions are positive and I look forward to trying other versions of the Arches papers (hot and rough press, and 300#) for comparison. I am hesitant to give the product five stars because I haven’t been using it long, but am hopeful that it will measure up to a five star rating as I continue to use it.

#sweepstakes.

I used to use popular and relatively cheap watercolor paper readily found in big box craft supply stores. I had read that using 100% cotton paper makes a huge difference in watercolor painting, and it is absolutely true.

Many techniques such as lifting out color, glazing/painting multiple layers, and even wet on wet were overall frustrating for years on these cheaper papers, so I would often give up watercolor and try other mediums.

Since switching to this paper I can’t get enough! I like getting the 10×14″ pad and cutting it down to 5×7 sheets, and I also love the pads that are glued on 4 sides because they save time taping down my paper.

Highly recommended. #sweepstakes.

This was my first time using block and I really love it! I had to look up how to properly remove pages from the block with a thin knife, but still tear sheets sometimes. I’ve ended up peeling back the glue rather than sliding a knife along the edge if I care about the integrity of the paper.

This is only glued on two sides, which was perfectly fine for the 6×6 size and did make the removal process easier. I do love having precut to size pages. The paper quality isn’t the best thing in the world, but great for scanning or casual paintings.

I enjoyed the texture and heavy weight of this paper. It’s weight made my art feel more antiquated and valuable. the texture made it look more three dimensional and textured while bringing out the values of the colors.

Wet on wet introduction of other colors was beautifully successful. I also appreciated the sizing as it felt as though the colors set on the top of the paper and absorbed slower and more efficiently.

I can’t wait to try other kinds of paper in this line.

I am a professional artist who shows internationally. I also run a not for profit for at risk kids. With pandemic NON shopping. I have been relegated to buying supplies on line. I am bereft to report I bought many many 12×12 Fluid watercolor blocks.

I am seething with rage over it. This paper is TERRIBLE. The pads ART A MESS. Every sing;le EVERY SINGLE page tears RIPS as they are pulled off the block. I am not incapable this is my lively hood. And this product does not even rate sub par.

In complete honesty, Just take this garbage off the market. You are aiding to the demise of the artworld selling such an awful product.

This paper buckled while on the block so I attempted to use it stretched on a board. The paper still bowed terribly, leading to unwanted pooling. The kicker was when I went to take it off the board. I only had it taped for 12 hours and it ripped the top layer off the paper.

I had a sheet from another company taped for 48 hours and the tape came off flawlessly. I’ll try using it for pastels, but it is totally unusable for watercolor.

Sooo, I bought a pack because a watercolor painting friend recommended this paper to try. Last night I did a whole sheet of various “Practice Strokes”. Oh. My. Gosh!! I couldn’t believe how smooth it is!! My watercolor brush just glided across the paper with the various strokes!! My new favorite watercolor paper!!.

I am a beginner to watercolor painting and as I did not want to lay out a lot of money on supplies until I determined if I enjoyed watercolor painting enough to invest in quality supplies. Boy was I wrong.

Cheap watetcolor paints and paper produce inferior quality results. I purchased the strathmore watercolor pads after reading many positive reviews. Excellent product. Accepts the paints well, minimal buckling and allows for scrubbing and removal of those little mistakes.

Very affordable, durable and gives quality results! Love it!.

I am in love with this watercolor paper. I’ve used watercolor, charcoal, pencil, and gauche on this paper so far. It holds well after water saturation and is easy to work with. I do wish the size came in 11in x 17in but watercolor paper does tend to run in odd sizes.

Easy to work with and affordable. I recommend this product to mixed media and watercolor enthusiasts.

Very disappointing! Although the paper is quite thick and nicely textured, it completely warps when liquid water colors are used to cover the entire paper. I had to flatten the (preschool) student artwork for several days under heavy books before it could be hung on the wall.

Maybe pan water colors would work better on it. but I prefer to work with the liquid kind.

Arches paper is the only watercolor paper I use. The paint absorbs nicely.I can layer the paint well. When painting wet, it stays wet long enough to get the look I want after I add the color.

I’d never tried 300# paper before but decided to give it a go. I love it! No need to stretch, even with heavy background. It has become a new staple.

I have been purchasing art supplies with Cheap Joes for over 25+ years. I am very satisified with your quality products and customer service. I have been teaching Watercolor painting now for 26+ years and I share my complete satisfaction with my students when they consider ordering from you ,with my encouragement.

I do miss Carolyn Fogle, she was a true asset to Cheap Joe’s. I do hope Cheap Joe’s will consider some type of art trade shows in the future like you had several years ago. With my appreciation, Judy Dye.

#sweepstakes So, I bought the 18 x 24 inch paper, for practicing gouache and watercolour and I am really glad I did. It is a great larger scale size, for an unbeatable price anywhere that I’ve found.

Sure, it isn’t as fine quality as say Fabriano Aquarello or Arches, but it is great for beginners to practice, especially on a larger scale than those dinky 8 X 10 s. If you are a beginning artist, just treat yourself to this giant pad of paper.

You can always cut the sheets into smaller sizes and proportions. There is something liberating about working on an affordable large paper– you feel free to experiment and go bold, without spending an arm and a leg on basic supplies.

I have used Arches 140 LB Cold Press paper for more than 30 years, and I have found it to be the best paper for allowing me to do the variety of techniques I use— wet-in-wet washes, layering without lifting, sponging, scrubbing, taping and scraping.

It is reasonably priced, yet strong, and its surface doesn’t fail. I can easily press out the bumps which result from layering, and I can use the reverse side to do another painting if I’m not happy with my first one.

In my classes, I have consistently recommended Arches to my students.

The quality of this paper is wonderful and hold the watercolor pigments so nicely. No wonder it is recommended by instructors in many of my workshops. Great for wet on wet or dry brush strokes. Sizing is just enough to keep the quality bright.

Admittedly a beautiful paper, but three sheets have had gray spots, a HORRIBLE odor when soaked and could not be used. I checked on line and many others have had the same experience.

This watercolor paper is excellent for beginners or more accomplished painters. It takes up water well, absorbing without becoming waterlogged, and both broad preschooler “dump paint here” and finer speckling and over wash techniques look good on it.

Reasonable price and good quality paper. Paint doesn’t go through to the other pages.

I needed some paper that would hold up to watercolor, but not artist grade. I cut it down to business card size & paint small Thank You’s for friends. This is perfect.

I ordered a few sheets of the Shizen cold press paper just to try. I loved the texture of the paper from the moment I touched my brush to the paper. The colors stayed brilliant and painting on it was effortless.

I was delightfully surprised. I have been an Arches 140 lb cold press snob since graduating from college (a million years ago). While this paper won’t replace my old classic Arches, it has definitely earned its place in my studio.

The paper is sturdy and gives a unique texture to my work. I wouldn’t recommend it for intricate designs or or artwork with fine line work as the paper has an almost pressed oatmeal like texture.