How to Restore Sizing on Watercolour Paper 

I didn't ever think of this before! It's a good reason to use up the good paper as soon as I get it instead of hoarding the good supplies! 😁

Daniel Smith makes a transparent watercolor ground too! (And also metallic gold and buff titanium)

The DS watercolour ground isn't just a size. It imparts a tooth similar to cold press watercolour paper. Its overkill if you are using it on watercolour paper as that already has the relevant tooth. It will however change HP watercolour paper to a more cold press like paper, which I think explains the differences between the HP paper you used that had the ground and the Holbein size. DS ground also comes into its own using it on non watercolour paper or other absorbent or non absorbent surfaces. Imagine using watercolour in glass and metal. If you use the DS transparent ground on glass or metal and fully transparent watercolours ... very unique effects.

Very interesting. Watercolor paper should come with a "best before date" :) Terrific and helpful video.

Your sizing was applied very lightly, and the ground was very watered down esp since i had the impression ground was like "gesso" for watercolor. This is miraculous because paper isn't cheap and now you don't have to worry if you don't use it so fast! Thx Teoh

THANK YOU. I have a batch of faulty watercolor paper that has been in storage for quite a while and I couldn't bring myself to throw it out because it was so expensive....

YOU ARE MY HERO!!! I have struggled so much with over-absorbent paper! AND I have the same bleed-thru with journals & sketchbooks! Thank you so much!

I had 10 sheets with no sizing at purchase. I asked 7 artists how to still use it ... no good answers. Although the supplier replaced the paper for me I didn’t want to waste it. So, thank you!!

Great thanks that explain why some good quality paper a friend gave me , after not using it for a couple of year, acts like blotting paper! I never thought paper would have a shelf life that short.

You are my hero! You always make videos for the niche things nobody else thinks to talk about that I need or want to know! This video in particular has helped me understand why I struggle with streaks sometimes and saved my paper to know that I don't have to throw away my paper right away like I was initially taught! I had been getting streaks and struggled getting even washes lately and figured it was the dry climate and/or me being a pathetic creature or something. I prefer hotpress paper, the texture so watercolor ground isn't always desired and knowing that liquid sizing is an option is such wonderful news!

I bought the DS Watercolor ground to paint on canvas panels a few months ago, but never had time to use it. This video was mindblowing to me because this year I purchased a Mossery watercolor book and the sizing is SO BAD that paints on it look exactly like your sizing-decayed pages (which is sad considering those books are very expensive). I'm gonna slap some ground on the remaining pages and hopefully I'll finish the book!

I have lived in a semi arid climate since I have been using watercolor paper and have not noticed any deterioration over time (so far). Some of my older journals (15-20 years) still have blank pages and I will go back and use some of this paper and see what happens. THanks for this video.

Great video! As a sketchbook hoarder, it gives me peace of mind that I can always fix the paper if it deteriorates before I even have a chance to use it.

It would have been helpful to use each product on each paper so we you could compare performance directly against each other. Thank you for providing the idea of using the ground this way. I had only used it to either leverage the tinted versions or to make non-watercolor paper paintable.

Very good, helpful info. Thanks Teoh!

I've bought an opaque white DS ground (like yours) after looking at some reviews on RU-vid. Saw one using a gold ground to paint a box, saw one of Jean Haines using as a correction tool for a painting, saw one using it on canvas (that was one of my main reasons to buy a ground, the practicality of getting to paint something on canvas and then sell afterwards). Decided to use some of it as well as an "eraser" to have a blank new page on watercolor sketchbooks if I hated my watercolor sketch or "spoiled" a page making only brush strokes, for example. But this video of yours is simply genius! I didn't know watercolor paper sizing could deteriorate (actually, everything deteriorates, we just forget it lol), and I have a pad of clairefontaine cold press cotton paper I haven't messed with since 2015. Some painted pages, after I used recently the leftover white space for swatching, had its sizing deteriorated. Since it's a 4 sided bound block, maybe the other pages aren't affected, but I'll see the first page available after I tore off the ones I used for painting years ago. Thank you very much for this video, Teoh. This might be one of the most intelligent uses of watercolor ground I've ever seen. (Speaking of, I'll probably order all of the other colors, especially black, so you get to have almost unlimited supply of black "watercolor" paper :P)

I really enjoy your sketchbook, it feels so freeing. I feel soothed. Thank you, much love

Thanks, Teoh - I have been looking for a solution to add sizing to paper. This was a very timely video!

This is really helpful to me. I didn't know that watercolor sizing could deteriorate over time. Thanks!

Hu I didnt know this was a thing, experienced the problem though.

Great tips! I may actually try that Daniel Smith in a regular 90lb paper sketchbook. I've seen the gold watercolor ground used on a box to paint red tulips on that turned out really nice.

Thanks for another informative video :)

This is such an incredibly helpful video. Thank you!

I used the Daniel Smith Watercolor Ground on a canvas, there was some texture and it was very nice at the end. The watercolor was very vibrant.

Thank you! So helpful and informative.

I was so frustrated when this happened to my handmade sketchbook with Fabriano Artistico papers too. I saw my local art store sells the Daniel Smith ground, so I guess I'll try that one. Thank you so much as I didn't even know this problem can be fixed nor understand what is the use for watercolor ground in the first place. Btw the hot press Arches papers in that same sketchbook are fine. Different brand, different properties I guess.

Thank you for this, I did not understand to dilute the Daniel Smith ground before seeing this

Very helpful video! Seems like I could apply it to non watercolor paper such as heavy weight bristol and be able to use for WC. I will experiment.

I have been searching for this type of video, good job, thank you.

Excellent video! I’ve been meaning to try that Daniel smith stuff and do a demo with it. Beautiful demo, too! I love looking at your sketches.

Thanks Teoh. This is so helpful. I was wondering what for and how to use watercolor ground. I have some paper with sizing issues. Now I can still use it. Yay! 👍💜

I was trying to explain this to some new watercolor learners and they could not grasp what I was talking about. This video explains it so well, and shows what and why the best. Thank you!

Thank you for sharing your insights and I absolutely adore your illustrations too. ♥

I use the Daniel Smith Watercolor Ground. Nice review

Even if one's art is in a sketchbook that doesn't see much exposure, it's a good to scan or photograph one's art if they can. Nice comparison of those two brands and types. If one's going to work on non-watercolor paper of an odd size, shape etc they can transform that paper into watercolor paper. 👍😁

I had no idea that sizing might deteriorate! But, now I know what to do. Thanks, Teoh!

Teoh, this is fantastic information! Thank you very much. I’ve had this problem but had no idea what was wrong. Very helpful!

Very good video! It explained a lot how to fix watercolor papers whose sizing has deteriorated. Congratulations!

🤗🤗🤗🤗 you are the best! I have half of a roll of arches that seems to have bad sizing. ( it has taken me a long time to use and I live in a humid state). I hope I can salvage it for watercolor use. I thought I would just have to use ink or other drawing materials.

A very informative video, thank you so much :) I love the transparent watercolor ground from Daniel Smith, by the way. I sometimes paint two or three coats of it on colorful cardboard to create toned watercolor paper. It's fun to paint on lightblue on beige paper, for example.

I just came across a bunch of paper with deteriorated sizing. I'm doing a comparison of these two products thanks to your video. Thank you!

Huh. Had no idea this type of product even existed! Very helpful.

Very helpful video!! I have Daniel Smith watercolor ground in white and black. I didn't know you could dilute them with water. They are very thick - so it's great to know! Thanks so much for sharing!!

Wow.. I did not know about sizing deterioration over time. Glad I came across this video.

Thank You Teoh! I made a sketch book with Fabriano Artistico paper and was careful to place the pages so if you open a page, the right sides and wrong sides were together. So you open a page you have front, front, flip the page you have back, back, etc. The problem is I noticed right away on the back pages the paint bled. And I got this paper only a few weeks ago.Not terrible, but bad enough to be annoying as I painted. So I was pretty bummed that I spent all that time binding a book. I am so glad your video popped up! I just love your videos! BTW, Please be careful of the Coronavirus! I do not trust our news media very much, but if it is as bad as they say, stay healthy!!!!

Thank you! Very informative, as usual!

For a fair comparison both sizings should be tested on the same paper.

Thanks for sharing this useful information!

Thank you so much. Just returning to painting after too long and my paper has all gone bad. You've made my day!

Whoa! 50 seconds in the video and i had to press the like button! Nobody explained watercolour & paper relationship so much perfectly and amazingly without using either watercolour or paper! Just hands! YOU are genius!

watercolor ground is basically a primer.. it contain not only sizing, but also watercolor paper inside them.. so when you are painting with them, you are basically painting with liquid watercolor paper.

im in love with those sketches

Thank you, Teoh; you have just saved me a fortune! I have a huge pile of 20 year old WC paper and noticed the sizing was 'gone'. So, I do want to thank you for this tremendously helpful tip!!!

You try a lot of really helpful things. I didn't know this could happen. Thank you!

Great video, both the content and the presentation. Very helpful - thank you.

Wow very informative! I didn’t realize paper can go bad.. I had some sample of 100% cotton hotpress Moulin du roy and it had that weird texture and same problem as you showed.. I thought it was the brand that is bad quality. Thanks for sharing this! I will have to check my old papers if they need new sizing

I have been holding off from buying the DS watercolour ground for months because I couldn't find a decent review for it. Thank you so much for such a detailed and up close demonstration of it! I only wanted the black one but seeing how effective it is I want to buy all the colours...

I was looking for this. Thanks for the informative video.

Thank you. This is very informative and helpful.

Very helpful, thanks!

Very good information to know. Thank you so much!

Literally life changing ! Thank you !! : )

That was actually quite informative. I knew I have some sheets that behave that way, but I attributed it more to the residue from unclean hands when I sketch. Thank you~

Great advice, thank you!

Clear tips and helpful :) thanks!

Wow, great info! Thanks so much. 😃

Thank you. I just bought some 100% cotton but they turned out yellow & absorb all of the water to the next page. I have no clue until I found this, very informative video. I'll give them a try and report back

Great information, thank you!!!

This is so helpful! Thank you :D

I have a Clairfontaine hotpress paper bought in Overjoyed few months ago. The sizing is spoil, water just go thru the paper. And I have been wondering how to restore it. Thanks for the video! I will go buy one of this to restore the paper.

Thanks, very useful information

In the intro you forgot to mention that starch is also used for sizing watercolour paper. I am certain that Fabriano Artistico paper is certified vegan-friendly, ie, it is not sized with gelatine but with modified starch. I use the paper as it cruelty free.

Thanks so much for this!

Thanks. This is happening to me big time to me in Kolkata

Very interesting information. I would think the sizing would work better since wc ground is mostly gesso and modeling paste. But I definitely am interested because I have affected paper. The ground is harder on the brushes. Thanks for the information! I could see myself sizing all my sketchbooks. Yikes!

I find some papers which are quite new, can be over absorbent. I recently bought some Saunders Waterford HP and am finding it rather variable from sheet to sheet and absorbent. I actually did what you are doing with the Daniel Smith watercolour ground.

Yesterday I tried out a watercolor paper a friend of mine gave to me, it's 300gsm. I used my Schmincke paints and I had ALL those issues...I tried both sides of the paper and both had the same problems (the back side more bc it was smoother). I knew it wasn't the paints fault bc they look amazing even in the Canson XL watercolor paper. They were looking super pale, as if i painted on Sketch paper. I thought maybe it was bc it's cellulose paper but it turns out it's just expired! Thank you Teoh, I didn't know this! Obs: I live in a tropical climate

Thank you!

Thank you, that was helpful…

Daniel Smith also sells a transparent watercolor ground. I have been meaning to try the black ground but I haven't bought it yet.

Very useful information. I'm planning to make some paper and have been looking into how I can make it watercolour by internal and and external sizing. I will probably use an absorbent or watercolour ground for the external sizing. I'm thinking Methylcellulose &/or gelatin for the internal. May also test a combination of internal and external sizing. Lots of playing and experimenting to do. :)

you're my favorite!

Thank you so much. Now i know what to get😅

New subscriber here from Korea 😎😎😎😎😎

I tried to size my affected watercolour paper with Daniel smith watercolour ground and it didn’t really work that well for me. I think perhaps over dilution of the ground is something to be aware of, only dilute it as much as you need to to be able to paint it on smoothly and no more, I diluted it quite a lot and it didn’t work so well. I have just resized the paper with some gelatine water mixture so hopefully I have been able to repair the paper! :-) thanks as always Teoh for a great video !

That Daniel Smith watercolor ground works great, and the gold variety looks exceptional. When it's applied with a sponge or roller, the micah in the paint itself pebbles in an intriguing way. I must advise: the Qor brand of watercolor prime seems significantly less absorbent. I absolutely swear by Liquitex Clear Gesso for watercolor purposes too.

On the Holbein website it says to dilute the sizing with warm water before you apply the sizing.

Great info thank you! How do you know how much to dilute the watercolor ground?

Update: nowhere online can I find Sizing Liquid and tutorials on how to make and use your own Size make it look not-straightforward (in drying the paper). So I'll be using Watercolour Ground which you can find all over the place and which in any case seems the better solution according to this video.. though it comes second in the video and one might miss it.

Great review! I didn't even know this kind of product existed! Do you think they would work as a base for watercolor on a wood panel?

Great video. Mayby one obout how to warnish watercolors, and if that nesesery at all..?

You can use egg white for this. Beat the egg white until you have a thick stiff foam and let it sit over night so a liquid form at the bottom of the bowl. This liquid can be use to seize watercolour paper that is to absorbent.

I confess to be a bit of a watercolor paper hoarder. I buy in bulk when it’s on sale. How long does paper last before it needs repairing? I assumed Arches and Fabriano would be fine for years and years. If that’s not true, I need to stop hoarding. I had bought the Khadi journals and I hated them. I think it was precisely because it had been sitting too long somewhere. The colors just soaked through and had the mottled paper texture you showed in this video. Maybe it can be repaired. But lesson learned to not keep stuff lying about without using them. 😳

thank you for this video! Frustratingly, I've recently experienced this problem with some expensive arches paper that I've been storing for over a decade...whwn I painted on it the paint just soaked in and I was like...huh...whats going on here?! I knew it wasn't normal, and now I have confirmation 😪 hopefully I can salvage it....

Great info! Thanks for the video. Can I take HP smooth paper and make it more like CP with the DS Watercolor ground?

Great tutorial! Did you use cotton or wood type paper? Thanks!

A bit late to this video but have a whole batch of Jackson’s eco watercolour paper which is 100% cotton with decked edges, very substantial stuff but with very low sizing naturally. It absorbs colour like crazy! So have been looking for a solution for using it, otherwise gouache seems to be the only way. The DS ground seems a good solution especially if significantly diluted. My only concerns are how evenly it will go onto large sheets. I was really looking for a gelatine based fix but if the DS does better I have no problems, and any issues of whiteness can surely be fixed with the addition of a very small amount of relevant colour to the diluted mix? Well some testing to be done I suppose…..

Daniel Smith has different color grounds.

Went into my "local" art store to get some loose sheets, and asked about sizing. She'd never had anyone ask about it and didn't know.. Despite being an art teacher and running an art store. Since I'd heard about sizing from several YT artists I thought it'd be more common knowledge.

Wow, this is really excellent. I had no idea this was possible. Thank you, Teoh! Might this be used on paper that not watercolour paper? ;-)