Comparing Cold Pressed Watercolour Papers: 100% Cotton & Cellulose (Arches, Canson, Etchr etc) 

I have discovered that I adapt my painting style to the paper I am using, but it takes a while to adapt to a new type of paper. When I first started watercolors 50 years ago I only used Arches. When I picked watercolors back up again after a 20-year hiatus there were SO MANY choices. I still typically use 100% cotton, but I enjoyed seeing your experimentation! I find that the paper I use depends on what I am painting. I have one favorite for landscapes and a different one for botanical and still life. I forgot to say how much I LOVE your little square landscapes. They look a little like silkscreen or woodblock prints, but even better.

This was a very timely prompt from RU-vid - I’ve just lost my head and bought a lot of different paper pads, partly for an online course I’m doing in geometric art but also to see what I like and for what. I have some Canson but I’ve been used to Arches & boa hong so am finding it more difficult to use, but I will persevere because I agree that it definitely shows off the granulation better as well as being easier to draw on. This was very useful, thanks.

Thank you for sharing it's so exciting to share other artists journey into discovering and testing new supplies 👏🏼 It's as you said I feel like paper is much like paint, depends on what the artist want from it and how do they behave. I always heard how much people loved fabriano artistico watercolor blocks, and I was so confused when I tried because they felt kinda weird for me, and then another artist mentioned why she likes them and I was like: oooh yeah no I don't like that 😅😅

Really interesting Helen. Really agree on the water brush though I keep trying to make them work! Same with the Moleskine paper, quite agree. Don’t know why I keep trying both… although probably because so many people praise them. Confidence to just go with what works for you often seems to allude me 🤣. Really enjoying your honesty and modesty to trying things…encouraging! 👍 thanks again.

The seawhite sketchbooks are a staple for me, great for just picking up. I have never enjoyed Arches, and cannot really explain why. I have had good results with Fabriano papers, but my big love is the handmade Indian papers, mainly Khadi but also Jackson’s Eco if I expect to paint in layers. Big sheets that will cut down easily to smaller pieces of any size you like. Oddly I also like Daler Rowney Aquafina which most people hate, but I like the way it behave a little similarly to the Canson xl in that the paints do interesting things and sit more on the surface. Nice video, it reminded me of which papers I like best and why. I think I read that some etchr books are Fabriano, I have not tried them, they seem rather pricy, and these days I rather like the softer covers rather than a hard sketchbook, maybe because I rather like painting from life with no drawing. Great for still life and nature sketches. A brush and water do not need the same support a pencil does. Love your Roman Szmal box, they are such great paints and you have a nice selection.

I am afraid I have a stack of different kinds of paper*, but somehow I keep painting on the old, and hesitate to jump into the new. I love your clear headed approach of systematically trying out the things you often do on all the different papers. *Yes, I do collect art supplies, and art books, and it does seem to be a hobby unto itself.

I always get something from your videos. I like your criteria for your testing. I used to have an issue with the tips of the really fine tech pens wearing out faster on the textured paper than the thicker ones. The thicker ones would die from running out of ink but the really fine ones tips would die before the ink ran out. Would have been nice if you could change out the tips. I can understand why a lot of artists switch to using fountain pens. Anyway, I like textured paper, so I now use mostly Uniball Eye pens in their finest tip and I'm gradually switching all my pens over to that brand. Sketchbook wise I like and can easily get here, the Winsor and Newton 100% cotton watercolor sketchbooks and also Tumuarta 100% cotton sketchbooks that I get from Amazon. Tumuarta also has a 25% cotton sketchbook. I bought an A6 size to try but haven't started it yet because I'm trying to finish a Moleskine A6 off. Soon hopefully. I also recently bought Alpha and Beta A5 sized sketchbooks from Stillman and Birn. I've been testing different mediums in them but so far I really like the Beta for gouache and watercolor pencils. The Alpha I'm still undecided on. I've been sketching with a Pilot Parallel pen and water washes in it. The pen shows through a bit on the back with heavy ink and washes, so I'm only using one side. It's great for pencil and pen sketches though. It's got twice the pages of the Beta so I want to like it but I might be better off using the pen and wash in the Beta book. I'll see how it goes with some urban sketching with just light watercolor washes on it. I just need to adapt my thinking a bit and only use the Alpha for specific things instead of throwing everything at it and being disappointed. If I only use one side of the page it won't work out any cheaper in the long run than using both sides of the Beta. I might have lived here since I was 2 1/2 but I was born in Scotland and I'm canny (read tight) with my art spending 😂 I also want to try the Nova tan colored Stillman and Birn sketchbook for gouache. I might try an A6 to start with and see if I like it. I haven't used toned paper before. I can get Canson XL, Fabriano and Arches paper here but I've never tried any of them. I might start with the Canson XL. I like my granulation to really show and it looked good in your video. Plus it's like half the price of the other two 😂

Very complete comparison video. Thank you so much for this.

I had the same feeling with Arches when I tried it for the first time! But two years later - and I like it more, I just learned to use it with more water on my brushes

New to your channel, and find the pacing and voice over very soothing ~ I have to agree with you on the Arches cold press; it's very textured and feels very thirsty - probably great if you work with a lot of blended wet washes, but not for me. The Khadi paper is amazing for the price and, for me, makes even cheap paints look vibrant and lovely. I'm now using the Langton Prestige paper almost exclusively, it just feels like it has all the best qualities for me, and it's pretty cheap and readily available in the UK. I would say as well, steer clear of 20% or 50% cotton paper if you can. A good cellulose paper will always be better than a mixed paper, imo, and I've wasted a lot of money finding that out 😅

And actually, this is another video that would be really good to do again like you’ve just done with the A Gallo paints.

The white Nights metal palette is the Best in space use, I don't get why the brands let so much space not used, all the brands should start to make this kind of tray for the pans

Your watercolors are lovely! Excellent review of paper. I am a beginner in watercolor and am just now looking to order a couple of sketchbooks and some paper, so this video was extremely helpful. Especially since most of the sketchbooks which you reviewed are at the top of my list. After watching this, I will most definitely be ordering the Stillman and Birn. Also looking at the Seawhite since watching your previous unboxing video. Also, have added the Khadi to my list to look at further. Haven’t really seen many recommendations for the Stonehenge paper, so your result wasn’t surprising. Would love to get the Etchr but think I should wait until I’ve had some more experience and practice. Love the watercolor kit you put together. Thanks again for a very helpful and enjoyable video.

That was quite interesting to see your tests on different papers! Also keen to see you try out your “minimalist” paint setup you shared at the end… very impressed you were able to downsize that much! (I’d have to add a pencil and perhaps a fineliner, but that’s it lol.) I think I have a small Canson XL pad somewhere, but haven’t really tried it. Before I switched to Arches, I always bought Fabriano 1264 paper because it was so easy to buy here and always on sale. I have Moleskin and Hahnemuhle sketchbooks to try, but haven’t tried them yet. I do like Stillman & Birn Beta and Nova series and Strathmore 500 travel journals, in addition to Etchr. Any books/papers that I don’t particularly like for watercolour, I just use for gouache, swatching, practice sketches or playing around, so nothing is wasted, even if I’m not keen on it for watercolour. Before Etchr, I used Pentallic Aqua journals, but now I use those books for gouache. I’m not ordering any new types of papers or sketchbooks because I think I’m at the point where I’ve discovered my favourites and I just want to practice using them rather than having to learn how to use a new surface all the time. I do need to try the new surfaces I already have, but haven’t opened yet, to decide how I’ll use them… but that’s it! (That’s what I’m telling myself today anyway 😂.)

Interesting to see the comparisons, I have wondered about the Jackson’s watercolour paper and the sea white journal, thank you for sharing. For pulp paper, canson xl is also my favourite and arches for cotton and I also couldn’t believe how terrible the moleskine watercolor paper is, love their notebooks and want to try the regular sketchbook

Jackson's paper is the one I'm using exclusively now -- and I've tried everything. It's the best cellulose paper out there.

Thank you for the comparisons, I might be tempted to try the Jackson's 701. I am using the Sea White sketch book at the moment and it's a good easy going cheaper paper to use. I do like Arches especially for loose or wet in wet painting. The paper dries less quickly and more evenly so adding colours or mixing on the paper works really well. x

i have watched so many videos talking down about canson xl i buy them by the 6 pack for a good price i paint every day and am not selling my art,i make my own journals with them ,if i were to sell i would buy arches for now im loving my affordable canson,i paint fast so not too many blooms,thank you

Thank you so much for this useful video. I was fascinated and learned quite a bit. I had no idea just how different all the different papers actually were when paint is applied! Yup, complete novice here. Lol

I always do a line drawing, I’d be totally lost without one.

I missed this! 😢

your not giving the khadi the review it deserves. You bought their drawing book with 100gr paper. Yes it still works brilliant with watercolour but for watercolour you really need the 210gr paper. Then you will be blown away. It is sooooo good.

There is a khadi does come in 250-300-450-600gsm also

I have to say my experiences with the different papers is pretty similar to your findings although I tend to gravitate to Arches an less with the Canson XL. Not a fan of the Stonehenge or the Fabriano that so any people seem to favor. I have a Khadi spiral book that I have not tried yet but I believe my paper is heavier than the book you have. It’s hard to resist the deckled edge paper. Also, I love your small square paintings that you showed. I don’t think there is anything wrong with pencil sketching although I am a novice at watercolor so maybe experience with the media makes a difference when it comes to pre-sketching before laying in paint. Thank you for sharing.