Link to essential viewing:
Oliver Pyle's 25 min video "How to Stretch Watercolor Paper"
Oliver Pyle's 25 min video "How to Stretch Watercolor Paper"
PAPERS
The surface that you choose to work on is just as important as the brush and the paints. Watercolour paper is absorbent, allowing for multiple applications of washes without much buckling.
Cold Press
Perhaps the most popular form of watercolour paper is cold press paper. It is referred to as “cold press” since the paper is rolled on cold cylinders during the manufacturing process. This process produces an irregular dimple pattern in the paper.
Hot Press
Hot press papers are a bit smoother in texture since the paper is rolled on hot cylinders during the manufacturing process. Brush strokes are usually visible on hot press papers.
Rough
Unlike hot press and cold press papers, rough papers are not rolled on cylinders at all. Instead, they are hard pressed, or not pressed at all. The resulting texture is a heavy tooth of an irregular pattern.
Papers are also categorized according to their weight. Heavier papers are usually desired because they are more rigid and capable of holding many washes of colour. The weight of the paper refers to the weight of a ream of paper (500 sheets).
Typically, watercolour papers are available in three different weights…
There are two main grades of watercolour paper: artists' quality and students' quality. Artists' quality, sometimes known as archival paper, is acid-free and designed to endure.
Papers that aren't acid-free will become yellow and brittle over time.
Acid-free papers are made using alkaline paper making technology. This means the pH of the pulp that is used to form the paper is above 7 (neutral). The paper is also buffered with an alkaline reserve, such as calcium carbonate, to neutralize acid compounds absorbed from the atmosphere or formed through natural aging.
Although there are no universal standards in regards to what makes a paper archival, there are some generally accepted properties. In addition to being acid free, the paper should contain no wood or unbleached pulp, meet strict limits on metallic content and be free from optical brighteners which artificially make the sheet whiter.
If you are looking for the ultimate in permanence use acid free surfaces made with 100% cotton
Cold Press
Perhaps the most popular form of watercolour paper is cold press paper. It is referred to as “cold press” since the paper is rolled on cold cylinders during the manufacturing process. This process produces an irregular dimple pattern in the paper.
Hot Press
Hot press papers are a bit smoother in texture since the paper is rolled on hot cylinders during the manufacturing process. Brush strokes are usually visible on hot press papers.
Rough
Unlike hot press and cold press papers, rough papers are not rolled on cylinders at all. Instead, they are hard pressed, or not pressed at all. The resulting texture is a heavy tooth of an irregular pattern.
Papers are also categorized according to their weight. Heavier papers are usually desired because they are more rigid and capable of holding many washes of colour. The weight of the paper refers to the weight of a ream of paper (500 sheets).
Typically, watercolour papers are available in three different weights…
- 90 lb (180 gsm) – Thick enough to absorb wet applications.
- 140 lb (300 gsm) – Thicker paper capable of absorbing multiple applications with little buckling.
- 300 lb (640 gsm) – Very thick paper capable of absorbing multiple applications without any buckling.
There are two main grades of watercolour paper: artists' quality and students' quality. Artists' quality, sometimes known as archival paper, is acid-free and designed to endure.
Papers that aren't acid-free will become yellow and brittle over time.
Acid-free papers are made using alkaline paper making technology. This means the pH of the pulp that is used to form the paper is above 7 (neutral). The paper is also buffered with an alkaline reserve, such as calcium carbonate, to neutralize acid compounds absorbed from the atmosphere or formed through natural aging.
Although there are no universal standards in regards to what makes a paper archival, there are some generally accepted properties. In addition to being acid free, the paper should contain no wood or unbleached pulp, meet strict limits on metallic content and be free from optical brighteners which artificially make the sheet whiter.
If you are looking for the ultimate in permanence use acid free surfaces made with 100% cotton