Watercolour Painting
13th September 2016 by Christine Kent 14
NOT or Extra Smooth, Hot or Cold Pressed. Sometimes, product descriptions for watercolour paper can be a minefield of terms that might not necessarily help you in deciding which watercolour paper is right for you. We’ve put together a quick visual guide of the most popular watercolour papers so that you can compare them, side by side.
When I first started working with watercolour and looking at the different papers I felt like I needed a University degree in the properties of paper and wouldn’t be able to tell you the difference between Hot and Cold Pressed. What I really needed was to be able to physically see all the different papers next to each other so I could compare and make a decision as to what I wanted to work on. As well as our handy Guide to Watercolour Paperon our website, I thought it would be a great idea to show the textures of our most popular watercolour papers with paint on them. Hereis a quick explanation of some of the most commonly used phrases when discussing watercolour paper textures:
What is Hot Pressed Paper?
Hot Pressed paper tends to be favoured by artists that like to work delicately and with a lot of subtle detail, for example botanical artists. It is the least textured surface, and is completely smooth as it is pressed between 2 hot metal rollers. It is also favoured by artists who will want to reproduce their watercolour on smooth paper.
What Does ‘Not’ mean?
Not and Cold Pressed paper amount to the same textured surface – this is the name given to paper with has a slight tooth to it. It is the most popular surface for watercolour painters as it allows for a little texture in your work, as the paint will sink a little into the dimples on the surface of the paper, but it will also be sympathetic to some detailed work. It is made by pressing through the cold metal rollers. It is thought to be the easiest watercolour paper surface to work on.
Rough surface paper
As one might expect, rough surface paper is the roughest texture paper available. It is pressed between sheets of textured felt during the drying process, which is why it has a felt like texture. The heavier ingrain of texture means that granulating (irregular colour application) effects are enhanced. This paper surface is not recommended for those interested in detailed work and is more suited to bolder, more expressive painting techniques.
I tested Saunders Waterford High White, Canson Moulin du Roy and Jackson’s Eco Paper using the Carmine from the Lutea Watercolour Range and also a Jackson’s Studio Synthetic Watercolour Brush. Below are the swatches from my experimentation with a link to each paper.
Saunders Waterford High White
This superb artist’s grade paper from Saunders Waterford is now available in bright white, along with their normal natural creamy white paper. This high quality paper has a watermark in the corner for authenticity and 4 deckle edges which are visually beautiful and perfect for float framing.
Artists grade watercolour paper is archival which means it will not discolour or fall apart over time and is made of 100% cotton rag. This paper is much more durable than lower grades of paper because it is gelatine surface sized and it is mould-made, both of which mean it can take scrubbing of the surface without falling apart.
Saunders Waterford Watercolour Paper 140lb (300gsm) Hot Pressed Surface
Saunders Waterford Watercolour Paper 140lb (300gsm) NOT Surface
You can clearly see the difference in both the texture of the paper and also the way the paint has settled – on the Hot Pressed the colour is much smoother and uniform across the surface whereas on the NOT Surface, pigment has settled in the dimples of the paper.
Canson Moulin du Roy Watercolour Paper 300gsm
Produced on a traditional cylinder mould machine, this 100% cotton paper has the look and feel of a handmade paper. Both absorbent and strong, Moulin du Roy has internal and surface sizing which means it is strong and permits the lifting of dried colour and the reworking of watercolour.In terms of colour, Canson Moulin du Roy watercolour paper is naturally white, acid free and made entirely without bleaching agents, for an optimal conservation over time.
Canson Moulin du Roy Watercolour Paper Hot Pressed Surface 300gsm
Canson Moulin du Roy Watercolour Paper NOT Surface 300gsm
Jackson’s Eco Paper
Our very own Eco friendly 100% cotton, internally & externally gelatine sized, deckle edged handmade paper from India.The machinery normally used to make paper uses a lot of energy, turning paper pulp into a giant roll of perfectly dry paper in barely a minute. Our handmade papers however are made from recycled cotton, they are individually set into the moulds and then dried slowly in the Indian sun. The water used in the production is then run off to irrigate the field neighbouring the factory.
Jackson’s Eco Paper Smooth Medium 140lb
Jackson’s Eco Paper Medium Rough 140lb
Jackson’s Eco Paper Medium Rough 200lb
Jackson’s Eco Paper Extra Rough 140lb
Jackson’s Eco Paper Extra Rough 560lb
Out of all the papers that were sampled, I found Jackson’s Eco Paper to be the roughest and most resistant – it’s texture remained the same when I lifted colour from it and so it is quite forgiving. This paper also has a lovelyhandmade quality to it which is great if you don’t want an ultra smooth polished finish or if you were using it to press flowers.
Click on the underlined linkto visit the Watercolour Paper section on the Jackson’s Art Supplies Website.
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TAGSPaperWatercolourWatercolour Paintingwatercolour paper
Christine Kent
Christine looks after all of Jackson's social media channels as well as contributing to the blog, reviewing products and ranges; specialising in watercolour as that is her chosen medium. Christine has a degree in Fine Art and has been with the Jackson's team since 2016.
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Comments
Sue Pagan22 February 2018 at 2:17 pm
Hi, Thank you for your very helpful information about
watercolour paper. I am a dementia advisor about to start
a sgroup for people with dementia based on a
demonstration I ssaw in Japan. Because of my interest in
what they were One of the art therapists has sent me
paper ( an A6 card masking taped to a sheet of A4, with
two small pieces of textured water colour paper glued
onto each card) I wanted to understand more about the
different textures of paper – so I can obtain the right stuff,
and your info was exactly what I needed.
Christine Kent22 February 2018 at 4:10 pm
Hi Sue,
So glad we could be of help, that’s why we do articles like this as it can be a minefield of information for people just starting out and it can be overwhelming. If you have any more questions or need help with anything then just let us know. Best of luck with your group and artistic endeavours 🙂
Christine
Linda Mason22 September 2019 at 1:06 pm
HI, very helpful information. I just need a
little more please. Would you happen to
know which paper is nearest to that used
by those who produce illuminated
manuscripts. I want to teach myself how
do create my own.
Christine Kent3 October 2019 at 1:23 pm
Hi Linda,
From a bit of research online, it looks like medieval manuscripts were written on animal skins which were dried and stretched to form pages. A modern day equivalent to that would be vellum or parchment paper. Hope this helps, let us know if you have any more questions.
Thanks,
Christine
Betty Alpert5 June 2020 at 1:34 am
quick question: if I want to do cards, with
watercolor pen brushes, should I use smooth
paper? I like the color blended. What do you
suggest? Thank you!
Christine Kent5 June 2020 at 7:49 am
Hi Betty,
Thank you for your question. So a lot of does depend on the type of finish you are after. The texture of the paper will not necessarily inhibit your ability to blend colours, however if you went for a cold/NOT pressed paper for instance then the texture of the paper will show through. It also depends on your style of painting – if you like to be precise, have clean lines and sweeping strokes in your artwork, this can sometimes be difficult to achieve with textured paper as the colour can settle in the dimples. The bonus of using textured paper is it is a bit more forgiving than a Hot Pressed paper. If you are planning on scanning in your artworks to reproduce I would recommend a Hot Pressed paper.
I hope this helps, do let me know if you have any more questions.
All the best,
Christine
James Stuart10 October 2020 at 2:59 am
Hi Christine! I’ve been using dry media paper
and I love it for the ultra smoothness, but
also the tendency of the paint to puddle and
leave those wonderful drying-edge lines. The
only drawback of course is the paper warps
like crazy. What WC paper do you
recommend to give me the same effect
without the warpage? Thanks, love your
page.
Lisa Takahashi19 April 2021 at 1:44 pm
Hi James,
Heavier weights of paper will have a greater resistance to warping, but if you’re using a lot of water most papers are likely to warp anyway. If you’re applying moderate amounts of water try a paper that is at least 200lb weight. However if you really don’t want any warping it really is advisable to stretch the paper – here are some instructions on how to do that: https://www.jacksonsart.com/blog/2015/07/17/stretching-watercolour-paper-for-a-better-painting-experience/
Alternatively, depending on if you are working on not too large a scale, you could work on a watercolour block, which holds the sheets of paper taut, and so long as you wait until your painting is fully dry before you remove the paper from the block, will keep your paper warp/buckle- free: https://www.jacksonsart.com/surface/paper-card/blocks
Finally the last suggestion I have is to lightly spray the back of your finished painting with water and then put the work between 2 clean sheets of tissue paper, and then hold it under a heavy board or a couple of days. This should flatten your work nicely!
Many thanks
Lisa
jane abramowitz11 October 2020 at 4:48 pm
Do you have any experience with Canson
Montval Torchon (rough) watercolor paper? I
received it by mistake but wonder if I could
perhaps use it. I enjoy loose painting rather
than detailed, if that makes a difference.
Christine Kent18 May 2021 at 12:35 pm
Hi Jane,
Apologies for not replying to this – I’m guessing you’ve used the paper by now. If you have used it, how did you find it? I would have thought as a rough watercolour paper that a looser style of painting would suit this paper, I believe that it can handle layering well as it dries quickly. Would be great to know what you thought of it.
All the best,
Christine
Melinda15 June 2021 at 9:35 am
Hi Christine,
thanks for your great guide to watercolour papers. Up until recently, I used Canson Moulin Du Roy 300gsm, Rough, and absolutely loved it. However, it has now been discontinued and I’ve been unhappy with every paper I’ve tried since. I’ve tried investigating online to see what papers are similar to it but have been disappointed after trying them, as they weren’t similar at all. I was thinking of trying either the Moulin Du Roy NOT, if they still make it; or the Jackson extra rough. I’m just seeking your opinion as to which might be the most similar to my old favourite? Thank you. Melinda
Christine Kent15 June 2021 at 10:27 am
Good morning Melinda,
Thank you for your comment and question. It is a shame that the rough has been discontinued, which papers have you tried since? The NOT is still available, we have an A5 sample sheet which might be worth getting so that you aren’t investing in a whole sheet of paper: https://www.jacksonsart.com/canson-moulin-du-roy-wc-paper-sample-a5-300gsm-1-sheet-not
Jackson’s Extra Rough is very textured, so if you like that sort of surface then I would say to give it a go, in terms of comparison, I think this would be rougher than the Canson.
Have you looked into trying Canson’s Heritage paper? I tested it a few years ago when it was first introduced and I found the rough paper lovely to work on, you’ll be able to see the texture of the paper in this blog post: https://www.jacksonsart.com/blog/2017/03/31/trying-canson-heritage-watercolour-paper/ – they also do sample sheets.
I had a quick look online and there are a few artists that look at the Moulin du Roy alongside Arches, I haven’t used Arches myself so can’t compare directly but there are some great videos on YouTube which go into detail about the papers.
I hope this helps, do let me know if you have any more questions.
All the best,
Christine
Whitness McClough22 April 2022 at 8:55 pm
Oh no, much to learn!! What is NOT
paper? Thought it was a typo but
upon further reading I realize it is not.
I do somewhat detailed, realistic
illustrations for a book I’m working
on. I took the photos of critters from
a local zoo & inside crypts. Can you
suggest best paper. Thanks so very
much for your support!Julie Caves29 April 2022 at 2:49 pm
Paper comes off the paper making mill in the factory as Rough, the texture impressed on it by the woolen blanket it was pressed against on the rollers. It can then be run between two cold metal rollers to make it medium textured called in some countries Cold Pressed and in some countries NOT, meaning not hot pressed. Or it can be rolled between two hot metal rollers like being ironed, which is called Hot Pressed. Each stage makes the paper more compressed so it is less ‘fluffy’, a pad of hot pressed paper would be less thick than a apad of rough paper. And for precise work most artists prefer Hot Pressed paper as there are no little hills and valleys to bump over with your pen.
Watercolour paper hot pressed
