# Watercolour Paper - what's hot and what's not?



## Reynard (13 Mar 2020)

What's the favoured brand and type of watercolour paper here on CC? Am running low and need to re-stock, so just wondering whether I should stick to what I know or can more experienced watercolourists than I recommend anything else.

I've always used the Cass Art own brand 300gsm NOT; it's rough for NOT paper, though not quite as textured as the stuff that's labeled as rough.

What about hot pressed paper? I've never used it and would like to give it a go...


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## Salar (13 Mar 2020)

Hot pressed is very smooth and good for a couple of basic washes and ink. I've used it a couple of times years ago but I found the paintings looked very flat.

You'll probably find hot pressed is cheaper than cold pressed but in my opinion it's just like glorified cartridge paper.

I use cold pressed NOT papers.

My favourite is 200lb or 300lb Langton, it's not too pricey, there's also Bockingford, but I personally find Langton better.

If you want to spend a lot Arches Aquarelle is the business. In the smaller sheet sizes it's not too pricey, but I tend to do A3 as a minimum these days which puts it out of my price range.

I've got a big A1 roll of Fabriano (Cassart) and A2 sheets, it looks ok, but I've not used it yet.

For me for an affordable option it would be Langton 200lb NOT.

Regarding lightfastness I've a few paintings hanging on the wall from well over ten years ago on Langton / Daley Rowney paper (One from 1982!!) and they don't seem to have faded.

Good Luck!


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## CanucksTraveller (13 Mar 2020)

I only have Daler Rowney multi media, I'm not an accomplished artist and I gathered it was fine for a rank amateur. I really like it for watercolour, I use it for oil pastels as well. 
It might be a jack of all trades, I don't know, but I like it just fine.


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## Reynard (13 Mar 2020)

Mmmmm, thanks for the heads up @Salar - I tend to do A4 as a maximum size for watercolour. Don't feel comfortable working bigger as I tend to get hung up in the detail. Even in acrylics 14 x 10 is about as big as I'll do. I might just buy a single sheet of hot pressed from the art shop and see how I get on with it.

Don't mind buying a pad of larger sheets and cutting it down to size. Am thinking in investing in a paper guillotine anyway.

The Daler paper might not work for me @CanucksTraveller as it's thinner than what I use and I'd be concerned about it buckling, even if I stretch it.


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## Reynard (16 Mar 2020)

Eh, well I was supposed to go on a trip to Cass Art later this week to stock up as they do have a good range (the local art shop here only has a limited selection), but that's totally gone down the can now.

I'll have to order online - either from them or from elsewhere. Am running low on acrylic paper as well...


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## Salar (17 Mar 2020)

Frisk watercolour paper might be worth a look.

https://www.artifolk.co.uk/frisk-watercolour-pad-300gsm-280mm-x-380mm-not-12s-269659.html


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## Reynard (17 Mar 2020)

Ah, thanks for that @Salar 

I thought to look in my carry tube last night and have found a large sheet of what I think is Bockingford plus several sheets of pastel paper. So not quite scraping the bottom of the barrel...


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## Reynard (18 Mar 2020)

I ended up buying some from the local art shop in town this morning - given what's coming down, I thought it prudent to support a local business instead of buying online.

Picked up some large loose sheets of 425gsm Bockingford NOT (and yes, the remnant I found last night is the same stuff), plus a pad of 14x10 300gsm Langton hot pressed.

And like an idiot, I forgot the roll of gum strip that was on my shopping list...


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## Reynard (31 Mar 2020)

Well, I've nearly finished my first painting using the hot-pressed Langton, and here's the verdict:

a) Masking tape sticks to it far better than on the Cass NOT when stretching
b) It's definitely far easier to draw on. Less smudgy, which is great for the detail needed to do racing cars
c) It doesn't "hold" ink quite as well as NOT
d) Harder to control where the paint goes. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, particularly when working wet into wet
e) It's easier to lift out paint to create highlights, although these are more blurred than with the NOT paper
f) The car looks "shinier" than those I've painted on NOT paper, which is an unexpected bonus

I think it's swings and roundabouts really, but I could definitely get used to working on this stuff.


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