Watercolor Paper Explained

For Art Terms Explained, visit WORDS BY ANNIE LE SANTO: Watercolor Painting

Choosing the right watercolor paper is often more important than the paint itself, as the surface dictates how the water moves and how the pigment settles.

There are many varieties of watercolor paper. Some are softer than others, some are thicker than others, and some are treated with different types of sizing that affect how quickly the paint absorbs. The texture of the surface—whether smooth or rugged—determines how much detail you can capture, while the material composition ensures your work remains vibrant and archival over time.

Cold Press (Grain): The most popular choice. It is pressed between cold rollers, resulting in a slight texture or "tooth." It handles washes well and is forgiving for beginners.

Hot Press (Smooth) This paper is pressed between hot rollers. It has a very smooth, slick surface. It’s ideal for fine detail, botanical illustrations, and ink-and-wash work, but it can be slippery and shows every brushstroke.

Cotton vs. Wood Pulp

100% Cotton (Professional): Known as "rag" paper. It is the gold standard because it can handle heavy scrubbing, lifting, and layering without tearing. It stays wet longer, allowing for better blending.
Wood Pulp (Student Grade): Made from chemically treated wood fibers. It is much cheaper but often causes the paint to sit on the surface, making it harder to achieve smooth gradients. I find it buckles easily.

A Quick Tip on "Sizing"

If you find your paint is soaking in too fast and looking dull, the paper might be soft-press or have light sizing (a starch or gelatin coating). Professional papers are usually "internal and external sized," which keeps the pigment on top of the fibers so the colors stay bright.

Do you usually prefer working with a lot of heavy washes, or do you tend to focus more on fine, dry-brush details?

Glossary

100% Cotton (Professional): Known as "rag" paper. It is the gold standard because it can handle heavy scrubbing, lifting, and layering without tearing. It stays wet longer, allowing for better blending.

Rough: This paper has a prominent, deep grain. It’s perfect for expressive, "sketchy" styles where you want the paint to settle into the pits of the paper, creating natural granulation.

Sizing is a substance (typically gelatin, starch) applied either internally of externally to the paper during or after manufacturing to control its absorbency.

Without sizing, watercolor paper would act like a paper towel or a piece of facial tissue.

Stretching Paper is usually submerged in a bath of tepid water and allowed to soak until it swells and expands. Remove paper and either staple down edges or gumstrip taped until dry..

The Weight (Thickness) Paper thickness is measured in grams per square meter (gsm) or pounds (lb).

Watercolor Blocks are sheets of paper guled on all four sides creating a block. They are not as tight as stretched watercolour paper, but buckle/cockle less than loose paper and are convenient to use. After the painting has dried you remove the sheet from the block by running a dull knife all around under the edge.

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