I believe that you need to swatch your paint on the surface that you will will be using, if you create a painting that you consider less than desirable, use the backside for your swatches. Cut the failed attempt into smaller pieces and use your quality papers for this! You can even use the backside to create things like bookmarks or tiny paintings to practice Layouts and color combinations before starting a new painting! Good luck and thanks for the video!
There's a lot of snobbery about paper. Items like this can make you feel intimidated and extra cautious when using them. You can't do your best work when you tighten up. There's absolutely nothing wrong with wood pulp papers like Bockingford. The paint may not sink into it as much as Arches which can be a good thing. You can lift colours far easier on Bockingford and get some terrific affects. Take a look at the watercolour masters work - J M W Turner. He didn't always use top grade paper, it probably wasn't available to him in those days. I've seen some of his work in real life, close up - some of it was on wove paper used for map making. His pigments and brushes were quite crude compared with what is available today, but it didn't stop him from producing some of the best examples of watercolour fine art. Don't get bogged down collecting the finest papers and pigments and looking for that magic brush made from the whiskers of the exotic, rare mouse which is only found in one area of Outer Mongolia. Spend you time painting with abandon and most of all have fun. The rest will follow.
@@smisch7720 Which Arteza? I have their premium watercolor paper and it has the Hahnemuhle cockerel on the back of each sheet. I forget which Hahnemuhle product in the line it was but it is one of their cotton lines rebranded for Arteza.
Agreed! People get very snobby about paper. I am a professional artist and use Bockingford most of the time. It works for me. It's important that it is archival and sized properly. I think that paper is the most important supply, so it needs to be good quality, without being made by Vestal Virgins with water from the fount of youth and cotton picked at midnight under a full moon. Obvs this could only be painted upon with your mouse brush...
For those who want to know, Michaelangelo's ceiling paintings are watercolor painted on Gesso/Plaster. They have lasted the centuries. Here is one way to use watercolor on gesso: put it down thinly on the surface you want to paint, and while it is still wet, paint the watercolor on top of it. This method of watercolor painting is called fresco painting. You can use tempra, you can add egg yolk, you can use cake watercolor or watercolor from tubes; you can make the watercolor paint as think or thin as you want. Let it dry. The watercolor embedds into the gesso as it dries. You can even paint over it again.😊 If you want to use typing paper for trial watercolor use to practice on, glue it first to a stiff surface, then add the gesso, then paint with watercolors. If you find the gesso you are using is too plasticy, add sand, not too much. Painting watercolors on wet gesso/plaster is the very best surface to ensure your work will last. It gives the paint a quality that is ethereal. Good luck. GOD BLESS.
Radiant Pudding, gesso is made of modern (chemical laced) marble dust/chalk/plaster so if you add these to manufactured gesso all you do is make it thicker; manufactured gesso has chemical compounds to react to the above. Sand is an absorbant. Chalk would be the next best, but not as good as sand. Sand will help absorb the watercolor the best (don't use too much sand). Gesso from the manufacturers is mostly acrylic. Acrylic is plastic: plastic resins mixed with pigment to make acrylic (plastic) paint; mixed with glue, white acrylic, and modern plasters/mediums to make (plastic) gesso. Watercolor does not like plastic. You can make your own gesso which is the best, or you can add a little sand to manufactured gesso to get the result wanted. Sand also has texture and adhesive qualities at least when added to gesso. By-the-by, if you add water to thin the gesso, use only distilled water. The gesso should not be too thin or too thick. You will find the right consistency by trial and error. Half the fun of painting in watercolors is trial and error. Good luck. GOD BLESS.
Actually that’s incorrect. I am a trained fresco artist. Dry powdered Pigment mixed/ground with water and egg yolk (as the binder) is indeed called tempera and what was used on the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo . However, the plaster used is intonaco layers of progressively fine limestone and marble plaster where the lime is heated to a very high temperature and then slaked for a long time, years in fact. The paint must be applied to the humid plaster at just the right time, not too wet, but before it dries. This is called “in love”. As the lime plaster dries, it goes through a chemical process, taking in air, then keeping the carbon atom and giving back (gassing off) the oxygen. Thus impregnating the pigment into the plaster as it turns back into stone. It is also wonderful for the living environment because of this chemical,process. This is why the colours do not fade, they become part of the stone. People learned this when they first attempted to clean the ceiling, it was covered in soot (from all those candles burning) and thus many colours were obscured, but once the soot was removed, the colours were as vibrant as the day they were painted. Interestingly, DaVinci tried a new technique on the Last Supper, painting the tempera on after the plaster had dried. This techniques is called fresco secco, meaning fresh second. The paint does not go through the chemical,process of carbonization that a fresco (fresh plaster) does, and therefore, the colours are fading and flaking off the Last Supper.
1)the least expensive way to buy watercolor paper is by the sheet, then cut to size and tape to your backing board. It seems like paper in blocks and tablets is not "sized' the same on front and back, making the backside less useful, i've never noticed a difference, front to back, with sheet paper. 2) with 'throwaway" paintings i rinse off as much paint as i can, tape it down to dry, and now i have great practice paper.
I’ve only ever bought watercolor paper on tablets, i thought I had to throw it away if I messed up and didn’t know there were papers that had a front and back, this is very helpful!
I started off on Baohong academy paper as I was so anxious about spoiling expensive paper. It’s an excellent paper and I continue to use it even though I have switched to other more renowned and yes pricey papers like Arches, Saunders, Fabriano.
@@thismiraart7681 I think a lot of it depends on what you plan to do with the painting and how much water you plan to use. If it's a less water heavy painting, a wood pulp or less expensive paper can do fine. If it is a water heavy painting with many layers of washes, a 100% cotton paper will probably be needed. Also if you are planning to scan and digitize the artwork, some artists prefer wood pulp paper because it has less texture and is easier to scan. There are so many different papers out there and so much of it depends on personal preference, it would be hard to rank them!
I paint on Baohong Academy for most of what I do. I like it better than everything else I've tried, including Arches. Sometimes I use the Baohong Artists grade which is in a whole other category.
Sounds like a good idea! But the thought of a new medium, acrylics, makes me stress. Maybe should've started painting acrylics. I have 5 year watercolor supply. Wish you could share your painting experience with me!
To save paper while practicing, do the mini paintings from Ellen Crimi-Trent's Mini Monday Madness. Do it on a 7×10 block, divide it into six. They will be 3.3"×3.5" instead of 3" square. I got 1/8" masking tape just for it.
I buy the arches pads and then clamp the side edges and apply book binder's glue , creating my own block pad at less then half the cost. (Don't forget to leave a little space for separating sheets) works great and cheaper so I don't feel the pressure to not screw up 😁
I buy the 18” x 24” Arches pad and tear each sheet into as many pieces as I want. Usually 8 or 16, depending on what I am painting. As the experts say “buy the best that you can afford”. And, you can use both sides of Arches paper, with excellent results. ✨✨
That's the size that I got and I was thinking of making it into a sketchbook, could get four 8" by 6" pieces of paper from each sheet, and paint on both sides so one page yields 8 sketches or paintings. Just "feels" like my money goes further that way Edit: nope sorry I got 12" by 16"
Over the last year or so I have found that while, yes, Arches and other "high end" papers are more expensive, you simply can't get the same results on cheap non-rag paper. Even cheap rag paper won't give good results. In fact, I almost gave up watercolor altogether because I thought that I was just horrible with it. You know what? It was the paper. I decided to give Arches a try before giving up and I'm very glad I did. I didn't stink! It was the paper. Even swatching and practicing strokes and techniques on cheaper paper were frustrating and a waste of time because cheap paper simply does not perform. If you are serious about pursuing watercolor, make that investment in yourself and practice on the same paper you'll be painting non-practice pieces on. If one of them goes bad, cut it up to swatch on, use the other side to practice some more, but don't expect to be able to progress if you're not using an excellent paper. In the long-run you'll probably save money not buying paper that's unusable, and you'll definitely save yourself frustration. Also, buy the best quality paints that you can. Not only is there an enormous difference in quality of watercolor papers, but in paints as well. The difference between student and professional grade paints is amazing. If you can only afford a professional set with the primaries and mix the colors you want, then start there. If you're passionate about watercolor, take that step and see what you can really do!
If you were not able to use Arches, or W&N, Saunders etc is there a cruelty free paper you could recommend, please? My faith forbids inflicting suffering on any sentient beings.
@@debramoss2267 Fabriano uses vegetables resins to size their paper making it cruelty free. You might want to look into that. Also Hahnemühle is another brand which does that and in addition provides a type of paper based on bamboo for their sketchbooks.
I too did go through that frustration. Am a beginner. But am glad I tried better quality ones. Now atleast I know I can do better as I know the difference in the outcome.
Many thanks for really useful video- don't forget there's also the option of running your failures under the tap- if you haven't used staining colours you can run water over it, give it a bit of a scrub and then tape it on a board to dry. It won't be as white as new paper, but very usable!
@@RadishTheFool I imagine that it would affect the sizing. It may depend on whether the paper is internally or externally sized. I believe people who use this method are mostly using the paper for practice or color swatching.
If one feels that they messed up just refurbish the paper. Get some white Daniel Smith watercolor ground and apply it if it is a smaller area or have fun and apply acrylic gesso and use it again and again wiping off the oops and look for happy mistakes and set it aside for a few days. Recycling old dogs gives experience to learned techniques without having to throw it away. That’s what is in this Ampersand boards so why not just use it on your paper, I have.
I alos live in Canada and love Arches paper! My solution was to buy large sheets by folding, then tearing with a straight edge, you can create a variety of sizes of paper for your paintings. I've been told to never cut wc paper with scissors. I enjoy the cost savings as well as the variety of paper sizes I can create.
I encourage students to use decent paper from the beginning, and not think 'I'll use cheap until I'm good'. Cheap paper is so frustrating. Decent paper does not have to be the most expensive, but it needs to be sized properly and archival with enough weight to avoid buckling unless you want to stretch.
I buy my paper straight from arches in the big sheets and cut it myself. You get about twice as much for the same price and you can pick types they don’t offer in stores or in blocks
The word “paper “ throws some off. Think of it as canvas. Maybe that way the price of good quality watercolor paper won’t seem so expensive. When an artist uses, for instance, acrylics the surface may not matter as much. Beautiful work may be painted on even cheap surfaces. But for watercolor even a brand new beginner will benefit from using quality watercolor paper.
The way you store your watercolor paper is important, especially when you live in an area with a harsh climate. Watercolor sizing can go bad on stored paper but you can resize it using gelatine, and HWC Multi Sizing works too. I noticed you cut your paper up if you don't like the painting on one side, but you can also use the back to paint a different painting.
I bought a couple of sample packs from Cheap Joes. Not cheap but you get several different brands and weights of paper. It’s a good way to learn what paper you like for what technique you want to use.
What I have really noticed is when you get a set of paints, some have arches swatch cards inside. some of the paint sets I sent back because I was Swatching them on cheap Student paper, thinking the paint was weak and dull. It was not the paint it was the paper I was using to swatch. It makes such a difference to use good paper.
Thanks for doing this! I've drawn for many years, but the watercolor/pastel line is new to me. Related to what was mentioned about cutting down the paper, I'm very fond of the Art-N-Fly 5.5" X 8.5" pads, designed more for on the go, but works well for me at home. It's 140 pounds/300 GSM (rather thick!) and is handily spiral-bound, which is great as I want to keep just about anything I work as a reference later as to what is messed up and what I got almost right! Pastel paper is what's driving me crazy. I've bought a few brands of paper designated for pastel, and they're just too toothy, the oil and soft pastels don't lay down very vividly. So, I use a similar spiral bound book as above, but it's a smoother paper.
It is also possible to use relatively cheap watercolorpaper 100% cotton. First you can buy 5 sheets (58-78cm) for 15$ (cheap Brand) or 25$ (arches...), everybody does that i guess... Then there are also asian brands (baohong for exemple) with low prices. Have a good day
Try bamboo paper, chinese Xuan papers are made for watercolors, 1000s years ago in China. 100 paper around $15-20 in Amazon. BUT there’s many type. Thin, see through, thick and heavy.......
If you live in the US or Canada, you can get 10"x14" arches pads at Micheals and with their coupons I usually pay between $20-$16 per pad sometimes less. It's one of the cheapest ways I can obtain high quality paper and it really makes a difference.
Absolutely! I had learned that lesson over 40 years ago! I had started painted in oils as when I was 10. It followed by a short period with acrylics when I was in my mid 20’s and subsequently to this day entirely in watercolors. Getting married and having 3 little boys had put a stop on the chemicals and specially in a house without proper ventilation during the winter. Things were a lot different back then artists have so many resources now. Acrylics were not easier to deal with either, the paints would dry too quickly between diaper changes. I was about to throw my hands up in frustration when I found an old tin palette filled with Windsor & Newton’s Artist Grade Watercolor, a gift from my father when I was a young teen. It was a a wonderful surprise to discover these little “gems” plump and full of brilliant pigments. My first mistake was using cheap watercolor paper. Although I had never painted in watercolor before, my first painting was absolutely beautiful. The only mistake I had made was using cheap watercolor paper! Many have offers been over the decades, to purchase that first painting, which is still on my studio walls. I had learned the error of using such papers immediately. I had struggled with painting it . It had been so very frustrating and rewarded by preserving but, I didn’t know why until I used up that pad of paper. I then purchased an Arches 140 lb block of WC paper and there was sigh of relief that followed. I have plenty of quality paper, much more than I will ever get a chance to paint on now. You either learn from your mistakes or never learn at all.
Thanks for all the pricing info. You can practice brush strokes with cheap paper but you won’t be able to practice those important watercolor techniques without quality cotton paper. That is why I found it hard to agree with the main point of this video. I have learned my lesson from using the cheap paper from the beginning. Almost gave up if i had not changed to baohong cotton paper.
I'm not sure if this was mentioned in the comments yet but Arches (or any other high end watercolour paper) watercolour pads are more economical than to purchase a block that is glued on all four sides. Huge savings!!! The pads can be turned into blocks if at home if you prefer working on a block. The paper can be torn off the pad then taped down on a flat surface. Or it can be converted to a block these two very simple ways.... glue all sides using a glue gun --except for a two inch slot to get a tool into separate the paper from the block once you are ready to remove the top sheet. I have also PVA book binding glue to glue the pads. Both worked perfect. The glue gun method turned out to be a bit cheaper as those glue sticks are super economical. Happy painting and thank you so much for your insights!!! Super helpful! :D
Great tip! No one has shared the glue gun method yet. It seems like several out there are taking advantage of the lower price on pads and making their own blocks out of them. Clever solution!
@@ArtSummits that's fantastic!!! When I started out I didn't know enough about pads and blocks to know there was a difference. I was a real game changer once I figured it out and made it so much more economical! I now buy buy the roll and make my own watercolour journals. I love having good paper in the journals. I have only made two so far but am looking forward to making a few more soon! :D
@@katepanthera7265 it's so true! We have to be so very aware and careful where you buy Arches or other 100% good quality paper. There are some people or companies selling it at grossly inflated prices. I tend to buy locally as I am lucky enough to have an good high end art store in the city I live in. But I also buy from Jackson's in the UK, online. I avoid Micheles as their prices are way inflated and I don't find much of what I am looking for there. About a year ago I did find a fantastic sale on Amazon for Bee 100% rag paper on the roll and bought two. It's a bit light weight but fantastic for making smaller art and for practicing. I really like it as well as Arches.
@@northerngardengirl Both Michaels and Hobby Lobby both have cut way back on the selection of Arches in blocks or pads and have only sheets - which is OK. but not always what I want. I've waffled back and forth on whether or not I ever want to try the Bee paper - some people give it a good review, others a bad one. Based on your evaluation of it's quality, I might give it a go some day. Thanks for the input!
I don't know. The complications I read about concerning watercolor makes me resist doing it at all. I have DSmith tubes of colors, Arches and other papers, good brushes yet I get panic attacks every time I want to start. I try simple things like flower petals or leaves, then feel utterly sick after every result. And I have online lessons to guide me. I've swatched colors on them, lots. But all the failures and all the details of this and that simply overwhelm me. Finally I pull out Copics and color pencils just to create anything. I love to see watercolor but I don't know how to address this block other than having a drink which didn't help me paint at all.
We can definitely relate to your frustration with watercolor! It can be a really tricky medium to get used to. It sounds like you have a good stash of quality supplies. The best advice we can give is keep at it and hopefully things will "click". Even when we mess up or make mistakes it helps us learn and grow for next time. Best of luck to you!
Try if you can get rid of the idea that you have to get a good result, that you have to produce a good and beautiful painting. Enjoy simply putting paint to the paper, watching how it flows or blends. Have fun experimenting. Whether or not you like the outcome, you had fun doing it and you have learned something, even if you don't realise it. It's your expectations that kill the fun. Learn to enjoy the process and forget about the result. This helped me to overcome the block you describe.
I am a beginner to watercolor also... watched videos for about a year... started painting small poppies a few weeks ago. I've not been using good watercolor paper for making color charts for my paints... hopefully I can do loose watercolor... I painted shades of blues and greens - across bottom half of paper. Wet it before during and after... to see the colors make an ocean waves with beach. It was easy ... wet, color lines and spray. But now I need to start trying new... leaves... good feelings to your work... have fun... BOB ROSS "THERE ARE NO MISTAKES IN ART" - What would people say to Picasso? Do use both sides of paper! Enjoy!
I like to repurpose my failed paintings by tearing them up (sometimes angrily) into smaller pieces for swatches and to practice strokes, color or techniques for another painting. These are usually Arches paper since it will give me a truer reflection of what I'm going to experience on a fresh try. Baohong (aka Meeden) paper seems to be a decent practice (or final) paper option per YT reviews. We'll see.
Valerie🇨🇦 Curry's sells 9x12 " Arches pads for $18.00 and change. Make your own block with binder clips and white school glue, leaving a space with Nogueira so you can insert pallet knife to remove sheet. You can order on line and get free shipping over a set purchase amount.
Thanks to all the artists who shared their knowledge! I'm new to all this and only have a basic knowledge about the watercolor paper. Does anyone know of a TH-cam channel where I can learn about why I need to tape my paper flat and the way to glue paper to make a sketch notebook? A lot of really basic stuff. Again, thanks to all!
I like mind of water color. He has a video about stretching paper. Basically even good watercolor paper wrinkles when it gets wet, taping it down fixes the issue. People don't like the look of wrinkled paper for various reasons, like, it looks unprofessional, it looks cheap, it looks amateurish and depending on what you attempting to do, buckling can be a problem while you are painting. It all depends on what you want to achieve. You can also buy really heavy paper, 300lb, that is thick like mat board and not have to worry about stretching but those can be even more expensive.
@Radiant Pudding explained it well. Taping helps minimize warping or buckling of the paper as it gets wet. If you use a block of watercolor paper, it's already glued down so you don't have to tape it. There are also tricks for flattening out your paper if it does buckle (either with or without taping) such as spritzing it with water and then weighing it down with books or even ironing it. Several commenters have given tips on how to glue the sheets together to either make a sketch book or block. Most seem to clamp it together and then apply the glue. Hope that helps and best of luck!
When I don't like a painting of mine, I gesso over it and then use the paper for acrylics or oils. That way every sheet will sooner or later turn into a success. So if you also use other mediums, consider repurposing your paper if you don't like how it turns out.
Don't use cheap paper to practice on, it doesn't perform the way good quality paper does and will discourage you. I was following some TH-cam watercolor tutorials and I was not getting the same results that the TH-camr was. I switched paper and voila I don't stink like I thought I did ha. I almost gave it up completely because I thought I couldn't get the hang of it, but it was the paper. Just cut your paper in half so you can create more pictures on it instead of using one big sheet and possibly messing up or not liking it and end up wasting the whole sheet. And buy everything a little at a time but definitely don't skip on quality.
I absolutely love Arches and I find that I can often paint a whole new painting on the back. I do think in the states Blick watercolor paper is almost as good as Arches but at a much lower cost.
Rank beginner with watercolour and bought some Arches and some cheaper. The cheaper is absolutely a waste of money. Even I can tell it’s awful. So sadly yes, if you waste a sheet or more, you can use the backs for swatches and stuff. But the paper is something you just have to suck it up because the cheaper (less than 100% cotton) stuff does you no favours at all
Arches is 100 percent cotton so I decided give it a try and wash my old and ugly paintings on Arches in the washing machine , just like I would do any other cotton rag, but using delicates/hand wash option of the machine with no detergent. It somehow seems to be working for non-staining colors and removed most of the colors from the paper. Washed paper was not totally white but still workable, there were no scratches on the paper so I was able to to repaint them. I am not sure if the removed colors or any paper particles could damage the washing machine though. But Arches paper is definitely washable (I would not try it with any other watercolor paper since the regular paper can clog the machine).
@@ArtSummits I am not a professional artist and a bit lazy to stretch the paper. Arches does not buckle much and I put my watercolor paintings in frames so I don't bother with stretching the paper. So I just let it dry as it is on a flat surface.
I tend to use paper that's okay quality but actually meant for printers whenever I need a scrap paper for watercolor. I've found that printer paper is often much more capable of handling watercolor than cheap watercolor paper is. Printer paper is thin and warps but unlike bad watercolor paper, it won't have a crisis and streak terribly when you add some water to it.
Just go to a good art store... and buy sheets. 22x30 sheets of archs are MUCH cheaper then blocks and pads. You can easily tear it down to half and quarter size sheets. You can also look at all the other options like rough texture that is hard to find in pads. Also there are some very good non arch options in sheets. The local art store I go to has arch sheets for $9 Canadian each or $2.25 per 11x15 (or a little over $1 for 11x7.5) sheet. However I actually perfer Fabriano Artistico cotton sheets for most things I do... and they are only $7 a sheet. Another good option is bockingford paper. Its not Cotten... but its not pulp really either its made with felt. $5 a 22x30 sheet where I am. Some people actually prefer it to cotton.
I have to take issue with the idea that the best cheap paper is 140 lb, and that *just* because it's thicker it will perform better. I find that the sizing is the most important thing, and I actually like the 90 lb Strathmore 200 more than the thicker 300 and 400. It actually does wet on wet much better, because the other wood pulp Strathmore papers are sized too hard and they literally repel water. The thicker Strathmore papers also warp worse. I really wish we could get good wood pulp paper here in the US, but Bockingford and Hahnemuhle wood pulp papers are either unavailable or so expensive as to defeat the point. It's totally possible to make good wood pulp paper, but we just can't get it here!
Ok there’s people saying don’t worry about high quality paper and materials, and others saying you won’t progress if you don’t use high quality stuff! This is so confusing!!!
Yes, it can get confusing! Some of it comes down to personal preference. It can also depend on the style/technique you are using. Generally, the more water you are using (for example, a painting with multiple layers of washes), the more important it is to use high quality paper. Ashley has a great comparison of less expensive watercolor paper that really demonstrates the difference paper can make when you're painting! >>> th-cam.com/video/SZoQW7R5cZU/w-d-xo.html
It's never occurred to me to NOT use the back side of the paper, esp. when swatching colors or color mixes, and doing small or individual studies (like sketchbook type subjects).
In the comments of another video I watched a few days ago, a woman mentioned that she stumbled on the absolute score of a 12x24 Arches block at a thrift store... for I think she said $15. (!) Now, I think I may have started one painting in that size... ever. And with my space limitations, it would be hard to work on something that large, even taped off. But... I'm something of a "Skills Dragon" (which sounds so much cooler than "skills hoarder")*, so if I were to come across something like that, I have another option. A little bit of good padding compound, a book press (or boards and bricks/clamps), a straight edge and sharp cutting blade, a steady hand (uh-oh), and some patience (... damnit!), and I could have four 9x12 pads, eight 6x9 pads, sixteen 4.5x6 pads, or some combination of all three. Being a "jack of all trades, master of none" personality may have it's drawbacks, but for me at least, the versatility is worth the price. What are the chances of my getting as lucky as that other woman? Pretty slim. But hey, a woman can dream, can't she?
Arches makes an 18 x 24” block but not a 12 x 24” one. I would be very unsure of purchasing watercolor paper sized as Arches is without knowing how long it has sat around. Why? The sizing is animal based and deteriorates so if it has even sat around 5 years there could be a huge issue with absorbtion and spotting. I buy sheets and break them down. From time to time if there is an issue like in my watercolor sketchbook it can be revived by using a coat of white watercolor ground by Daniel Smith. I definitely would not trust it from a second source. Even these days I make my own hard bound watercolor sketchbooks with Arches and LanAquarelle watercolor paper, it’s a lot less expensive for me and what I go through and any sketchbook worth anything are just too expensive.
I always enjoy your videos and articulation. I have a question at 3:16 of your video. I have purchased the Legion Stone Age Block, and notice that my masking tape removes the paper surface. Yes, blue, purple and yellow masking tape. I noted your writing on the blue block and thought, oh same experience. Can you share more of your insight on this subject? What masking tape would work, et al. Thanks so much, Jim
We have had the same issue with Legion Stonehenge. So far, we haven't had any luck finding a tape that works well with it. We've also tried the tricks with warming the tape with a hair dryer or sticking it to your pants first without much luck. Your best bet would be to use the pre glued blocks so you don't have to use tape. Let us know if you find anything that works!
@@ArtSummits Thanks so much, glad to know it is not totally me! I actually do have the LS pre-glued block and mask the paper to provide a border. I'll keep searching and if I find a solution I sure will share. Blessings, Jim
I am starting watercolor paining, like the advice, only need to know what kind of tape to use to tape the paper down. No art supply store in my small city so I am looking for advice on TH-cam.
You can use painters tape, or washi tape. I’ve also seen where scotch tape, lightly drawn over jeans can work, so that when you pull it up, it doesn’t tear your paper. Try them out on a small piece of your paper 1st, to see how it works. Good luck!
We agree with Patti that you should double check the tape you're going to use on a scrap piece before taping down a whole sheet. Some papers are more sensitive to certain tapes, such as scotch tape and will be more prone to tear. Among watercolorists, it seems that painter's tape and scotch or masking tape are the most popular. Also keep in mind that if you buy a block, the edges will already be adhered and you won't have to tape them down.
Also, remove the tape from your painting within a few days if possible. The longer the tape sits on the painting, the more likely it will tear the surface of your paper when you remove it (speaking from personal experience). It's a good incentive for me to finish a painting timely 😄
1st, Arches is made from wood pulp too, look it up. Second, "100% cotton paper" *is not 100% cotton* look this fact up too. Just incase you don't know, Canson, the number one "cheap" paper is the owner of Arches. So what makes "100% cotton paper" different from *cotton pulp cheaper Canson?* Chemicals. It all about how the paper absorbs the warercolor *not what it is made from* And that makes all paper useful and up to personal choice, what you like as an artist. Bees watercolor paper is 100% cotton and is even more cheaper than Canson XL. Typing paper slaped with gesso makes good watercolor paper. Don't buy watercolor paper for any reason except that it works for you and you like it.
I tried the gesso this week. It is a totally different surface than watercolor paper because it does not absorb a single drop of water or pigment. I was pleased with the way the colors looked but it is nothing like painting on watercolor painting. I love the Bee Inspired 140 lb paper that I have but mine is NOT 100 percent cotton. I've found that all the cheaper papers will work if you don't wet the entire page, only sections. I can't find any info that says Arches cotton paper is actually made from pulp. Cotton will absorb more water than pulp.
A lot of it is definitely about personal preference. We know many professional artists that use Arches but quite a few others that use less expensive paper like Canson too. You have to find what works best for you and your methods!
Do you have a source for that claim about Arches? I seriously doubt Arches will put "100% Cotton" on their block and pad covers if it weren't so. They have numerous products, so it's possible they have some wood pulp papers in their line, but they won't be labelled 100% cotton. Canson also makes watercolor papers in a wide range of quality, with Canson Heritage and Moulin du Roy at the top of their line, both 100% cotton and which get high ratings from respected artists. Cotton and wood pulp are both cellulose, and so is linen (and some other plant fibers). So all watercolor papers are cellulosic, but there are significant structural and qualitative differences between cotton fibers and pureed tree pulp. And of course the various additives that papermills use, whether for sizing, pH control, color, etc., will also greatly impact the performance of a paper for watercolor painting. Anyway, I think we are be saying the same thing, which is not to go ONLY by the brand name of a watercolor paper, whether Arches, Canson, Bee or whatever. Try everything you can get your hands on ,and work with what you like (within budget 😃).
Look up this fact where? If you're making the statement, it's up to you to prove it. Do you mean it's not 100% cotton because it also has pulp? That's false. Do you mean it also has gelatin? Yes we all know that. All watercolor paper has to be sized.
Tbh you should treat EVERY Painting you do as if its a practise sketch, the minute you get serious in your head with lofty plans for your painting, it will likely go wrong.
The biggest mistake learners make with watercolours is not the price of the paper. But trying to use thin gutless paper. If you use 300gsm and above. ( I use 625gsm mostly) you will find that the handling effect of the water is paramount to your success. Your watercolour work will improve 10 fold. Because a good thick paper is more forgiving than a thin one. The dreaded cauliflowers are created by the thin gutless paper during too quickly
@@ArtSummits Perhaps I should explain that I don little actual watercolour painting. I use watercolour to colour dip pen drawings and one of the best affordable dip pen papers I have found is a laserprinter paper.
@@schwarzerritter5724 Ahh, there are so many versatile uses for watercolor. A lot of it does depend on the methods you are using! Have you tried the HP Premium32 paper? It's a favorite among many of our calligraphy and lettering friends (who also use ink as the primary medium). Watercolor paper might give you something new to experiment with as well. If the texture of cold press paper interferes with your dip pen, then hot press watercolor paper might be good to try. It has a smooth texture. The more water/watercolor you use in your artwork, the more you will benefit from watercolor paper.
Just do not use Canson. Stonehenge or Liegon is my Nemisis as I have NEVER recieved a block that has been fully glued. At, $17.00 (WA tax 8%, $18.36 total US) on Amazon an Arches pad (12 sheets 9x12 140lb cold press sheets. Not a block) is relatively inexpensive and well worth it in my humble opinion. I just need to stop buying so much paint (I am addicted to Dan Smith's Quinacridones).
Find a 100% cotton paper that works for you. Burn through the initial learning curve. Get good quicker and youll get better way faster. Or buy cheaper paper, learn how to do it on cheaper paper, waste money on cheaper paper, and not get the same results on 100% cotton paper. It the cost of learning.
Strangely, there are a few comments here that use almost the same language, as if one person is posting similar comments over and over under different names. Very odd . . . They seem to be advocating for using Arches paper. Hmmmmm.
Even the first idea is totally wrong. In my opinion never practice on a cheap paper, the result is total different on a cheap and on an expensive watercolor paper. Unfortunately the good quality watercolor paper is always expensive, no way to avoid this.
It will be different to be sure, but we wouldn't say it is wrong. A lot of it depends on personal preference and the watercolor methods that you use. For example, if you are doing a water heavy painting with several layers of washes it is more essential to use a higher quality paper.
Preferences can vary a lot from artist to artist. That's why it's a great idea to play around and try different papers when you can! You never know what you'll end up loving.
You have to be willing to waste some money until you get the results you want. But it is painful to work so hard and you just want to trash it. If you have a crappy drawing, just let yourself go crazy on it, it's already wasted, and you might find that the problem is you were too tight.
In general, I would say no. Classes can be so helpful in unlocking tools and techniques to help you grow in your artistic journey. There's no substitute for playing and exploring on your own, but I find classes can help be a "shortcut" as you are learning. They can also help ease or avoid a lot of frustration. If you feel like you are starting to copy one particular artist or style too much, it can help to diversify the teachers you are learning from or your sources of inspiration.
Arshh, it is pronounced Arshh. Silly French. ALSO, Arches is not animal friendly. Vegans beware. Gelatin is used (pig fat) as an ingredient in their size recipe.
The biggest waste is the paper sitting unused in storage. . . atleast for me.
Indeed!
I believe that you need to swatch your paint on the surface that you will will be using, if you create a painting that you consider less than desirable, use the backside for your swatches. Cut the failed attempt into smaller pieces and use your quality papers for this! You can even use the backside to create things like bookmarks or tiny paintings to practice Layouts and color combinations before starting a new painting! Good luck and thanks for the video!
That's a good point! The same paint color can look different on different types of paper.
There's a lot of snobbery about paper. Items like this can make you feel intimidated and extra cautious when using them. You can't do your best work when you tighten up. There's absolutely nothing wrong with wood pulp papers like Bockingford. The paint may not sink into it as much as Arches which can be a good thing. You can lift colours far easier on Bockingford and get some terrific affects. Take a look at the watercolour masters work - J M W Turner. He didn't always use top grade paper, it probably wasn't available to him in those days. I've seen some of his work in real life, close up - some of it was on wove paper used for map making. His pigments and brushes were quite crude compared with what is available today, but it didn't stop him from producing some of the best examples of watercolour fine art. Don't get bogged down collecting the finest papers and pigments and looking for that magic brush made from the whiskers of the exotic, rare mouse which is only found in one area of Outer Mongolia. Spend you time painting with abandon and most of all have fun. The rest will follow.
Great advice, John!
Tell me more about the mouse whiskers brush. (But wouldn’t their eyelashes be finer?) 🤔😉
@@smisch7720 Which Arteza? I have their premium watercolor paper and it has the Hahnemuhle cockerel on the back of each sheet. I forget which Hahnemuhle product in the line it was but it is one of their cotton lines rebranded for Arteza.
Amen!
Agreed! People get very snobby about paper. I am a professional artist and use Bockingford most of the time. It works for me. It's important that it is archival and sized properly. I think that paper is the most important supply, so it needs to be good quality, without being made by Vestal Virgins with water from the fount of youth and cotton picked at midnight under a full moon. Obvs this could only be painted upon with your mouse brush...
For those who want to know, Michaelangelo's ceiling paintings are watercolor painted on Gesso/Plaster. They have lasted the centuries. Here is one way to use watercolor on gesso: put it down thinly on the surface you want to paint, and while it is still wet, paint the watercolor on top of it. This method of watercolor painting is called fresco painting. You can use tempra, you can add egg yolk, you can use cake watercolor or watercolor from tubes; you can make the watercolor paint as think or thin as you want. Let it dry. The watercolor embedds into the gesso as it dries. You can even paint over it again.😊 If you want to use typing paper for trial watercolor use to practice on, glue it first to a stiff surface, then add the gesso, then paint with watercolors. If you find the gesso you are using is too plasticy, add sand, not too much. Painting watercolors on wet gesso/plaster is the very best surface to ensure your work will last. It gives the paint a quality that is ethereal. Good luck. GOD BLESS.
Thanks for sharing, Miriam! This sounds like a really interesting method to experiment with.
that's watercolor? Amazing
What advantage does adding sand have over marble dust/plaster?
Radiant Pudding, gesso is made of modern (chemical laced) marble dust/chalk/plaster so if you add these to manufactured gesso all you do is make it thicker; manufactured gesso has chemical compounds to react to the above. Sand is an absorbant. Chalk would be the next best, but not as good as sand. Sand will help absorb the watercolor the best (don't use too much sand). Gesso from the manufacturers is mostly acrylic. Acrylic is plastic: plastic resins mixed with pigment to make acrylic (plastic) paint; mixed with glue, white acrylic, and modern plasters/mediums to make (plastic) gesso. Watercolor does not like plastic. You can make your own gesso which is the best, or you can add a little sand to manufactured gesso to get the result wanted. Sand also has texture and adhesive qualities at least when added to gesso. By-the-by, if you add water to thin the gesso, use only distilled water. The gesso should not be too thin or too thick. You will find the right consistency by trial and error. Half the fun of painting in watercolors is trial and error. Good luck. GOD BLESS.
Actually that’s incorrect. I am a trained fresco artist. Dry powdered Pigment mixed/ground with water and egg yolk (as the binder) is indeed called tempera and what was used on the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo . However, the plaster used is intonaco layers of progressively fine limestone and marble plaster where the lime is heated to a very high temperature and then slaked for a long time, years in fact. The paint must be applied to the humid plaster at just the right time, not too wet, but before it dries. This is called “in love”. As the lime plaster dries, it goes through a chemical process, taking in air, then keeping the carbon atom and giving back (gassing off) the oxygen. Thus impregnating the pigment into the plaster as it turns back into stone. It is also wonderful for the living environment because of this chemical,process. This is why the colours do not fade, they become part of the stone. People learned this when they first attempted to clean the ceiling, it was covered in soot (from all those candles burning) and thus many colours were obscured, but once the soot was removed, the colours were as vibrant as the day they were painted. Interestingly, DaVinci tried a new technique on the Last Supper, painting the tempera on after the plaster had dried. This techniques is called fresco secco, meaning fresh second. The paint does not go through the chemical,process of carbonization that a fresco (fresh plaster) does, and therefore, the colours are fading and flaking off the Last Supper.
1)the least expensive way to buy watercolor paper is by the sheet, then cut to size and tape to your backing board. It seems like paper in blocks and tablets is not "sized' the same on front and back, making the backside less useful, i've never noticed a difference, front to back, with sheet paper.
2) with 'throwaway" paintings i rinse off as much paint as i can, tape it down to dry, and now i have great practice paper.
I’ve only ever bought watercolor paper on tablets, i thought I had to throw it away if I messed up and didn’t know there were papers that had a front and back, this is very helpful!
I believe the least expensive way is big rolls. Sheets come second.
I started off on Baohong academy paper as I was so anxious about spoiling expensive paper. It’s an excellent paper and I continue to use it even though I have switched to other more renowned and yes pricey papers like Arches, Saunders, Fabriano.
I'm also currently using Baohong Academy CP and HP. From Arches Saunders and Fabriano, how would you rate them from the best to the least?
@@thismiraart7681 I think a lot of it depends on what you plan to do with the painting and how much water you plan to use. If it's a less water heavy painting, a wood pulp or less expensive paper can do fine. If it is a water heavy painting with many layers of washes, a 100% cotton paper will probably be needed. Also if you are planning to scan and digitize the artwork, some artists prefer wood pulp paper because it has less texture and is easier to scan. There are so many different papers out there and so much of it depends on personal preference, it would be hard to rank them!
I paint on Baohong Academy for most of what I do. I like it better than everything else I've tried, including Arches. Sometimes I use the Baohong Artists grade which is in a whole other category.
I just hae a cycle. I do a water color, dislike it, cover it with gouache, dislike it, then eventually make a final work with acrylics over it.
Sounds like a good idea! But the thought of a new medium, acrylics, makes me stress. Maybe should've started painting acrylics. I have 5 year watercolor supply. Wish you could share your painting experience with me!
To save paper while practicing, do the mini paintings from Ellen Crimi-Trent's Mini Monday Madness. Do it on a 7×10 block, divide it into six. They will be 3.3"×3.5" instead of 3" square. I got 1/8" masking tape just for it.
I buy the arches pads and then clamp the side edges and apply book binder's glue , creating my own block pad at less then half the cost. (Don't forget to leave a little space for separating sheets) works great and cheaper so I don't feel the pressure to not screw up 😁
That's genius, Susan! Thanks for sharing!
Clever!
@@ArtSummits pllp
I buy the 18” x 24” Arches pad and tear each sheet into as many pieces as I want. Usually 8 or 16, depending on what I am painting. As the experts say “buy the best that you can afford”. And, you can use both sides of Arches paper, with excellent results. ✨✨
That's the size that I got and I was thinking of making it into a sketchbook, could get four 8" by 6" pieces of paper from each sheet, and paint on both sides so one page yields 8 sketches or paintings. Just "feels" like my money goes further that way
Edit: nope sorry I got 12" by 16"
Over the last year or so I have found that while, yes, Arches and other "high end" papers are more expensive, you simply can't get the same results on cheap non-rag paper. Even cheap rag paper won't give good results. In fact, I almost gave up watercolor altogether because I thought that I was just horrible with it. You know what? It was the paper. I decided to give Arches a try before giving up and I'm very glad I did. I didn't stink! It was the paper. Even swatching and practicing strokes and techniques on cheaper paper were frustrating and a waste of time because cheap paper simply does not perform. If you are serious about pursuing watercolor, make that investment in yourself and practice on the same paper you'll be painting non-practice pieces on. If one of them goes bad, cut it up to swatch on, use the other side to practice some more, but don't expect to be able to progress if you're not using an excellent paper. In the long-run you'll probably save money not buying paper that's unusable, and you'll definitely save yourself frustration.
Also, buy the best quality paints that you can. Not only is there an enormous difference in quality of watercolor papers, but in paints as well. The difference between student and professional grade paints is amazing. If you can only afford a professional set with the primaries and mix the colors you want, then start there. If you're passionate about watercolor, take that step and see what you can really do!
The cost of premium art supplies definitely gives credence to the term “starving artist”! 😂
I totally agree with you as I am experiencing the same frustration you have.
If you were not able to use Arches, or W&N, Saunders etc is there a cruelty free paper you could recommend, please? My faith forbids inflicting suffering on any sentient beings.
@@debramoss2267 Fabriano uses vegetables resins to size their paper making it cruelty free. You might want to look into that. Also Hahnemühle is another brand which does that and in addition provides a type of paper based on bamboo for their sketchbooks.
I too did go through that frustration. Am a beginner. But am glad I tried better quality ones. Now atleast I know I can do better as I know the difference in the outcome.
Many thanks for really useful video- don't forget there's also the option of running your failures under the tap- if you haven't used staining colours you can run water over it, give it a bit of a scrub and then tape it on a board to dry. It won't be as white as new paper, but very usable!
Great tip, Christina!
But won't rinsing and scrubbing remove the sizing?
@@RadishTheFool I imagine that it would affect the sizing. It may depend on whether the paper is internally or externally sized. I believe people who use this method are mostly using the paper for practice or color swatching.
If one feels that they messed up just refurbish the paper. Get some white Daniel Smith watercolor ground and apply it if it is a smaller area or have fun and apply acrylic gesso and use it again and again wiping off the oops and look for happy mistakes and set it aside for a few days. Recycling old dogs gives experience to learned techniques without having to throw it away. That’s what is in this Ampersand boards so why not just use it on your paper, I have.
I alos live in Canada and love Arches paper! My solution was to buy large sheets by folding, then tearing with a straight edge, you can create a variety of sizes of paper for your paintings. I've been told to never cut wc paper with scissors. I enjoy the cost savings as well as the variety of paper sizes I can create.
I encourage students to use decent paper from the beginning, and not think 'I'll use cheap until I'm good'. Cheap paper is so frustrating. Decent paper does not have to be the most expensive, but it needs to be sized properly and archival with enough weight to avoid buckling unless you want to stretch.
I buy my paper straight from arches in the big sheets and cut it myself. You get about twice as much for the same price and you can pick types they don’t offer in stores or in blocks
The word “paper “ throws some off. Think of it as canvas. Maybe that way the price of good quality watercolor paper won’t seem so expensive. When an artist uses, for instance, acrylics the surface may not matter as much. Beautiful work may be painted on even cheap surfaces. But for watercolor even a brand new beginner will benefit from using quality watercolor paper.
The way you store your watercolor paper is important, especially when you live in an area with a harsh climate. Watercolor sizing can go bad on stored paper but you can resize it using gelatine, and HWC Multi Sizing works too. I noticed you cut your paper up if you don't like the painting on one side, but you can also use the back to paint a different painting.
I bought a couple of sample packs from Cheap Joes. Not cheap but you get several different brands and weights of paper. It’s a good way to learn what paper you like for what technique you want to use.
That sounds like a great way to get to try different papers! There's no substitute for hands on experimenting 😊
What I have really noticed is when you get a set of paints, some have arches swatch cards inside. some of the paint sets I sent back because I was Swatching them on cheap Student paper, thinking the paint was weak and dull. It was not the paint it was the paper I was using to swatch. It makes such a difference to use good paper.
Yes, it does make quite a difference!
Thanks for doing this! I've drawn for many years, but the watercolor/pastel line is new to me. Related to what was mentioned about cutting down the paper, I'm very fond of the Art-N-Fly 5.5" X 8.5" pads, designed more for on the go, but works well for me at home. It's 140 pounds/300 GSM (rather thick!) and is handily spiral-bound, which is great as I want to keep just about anything I work as a reference later as to what is messed up and what I got almost right!
Pastel paper is what's driving me crazy. I've bought a few brands of paper designated for pastel, and they're just too toothy, the oil and soft pastels don't lay down very vividly. So, I use a similar spiral bound book as above, but it's a smoother paper.
If all else fails gesso it over and paint with acrylics.
I might not like my entire painting in its entirety, but there could be parts that would make greeting card fronts or frameable small paintings.
Use end scraps to paint bookmarks, gift tags, small painting for a thankyou card...
It is also possible to use relatively cheap watercolorpaper 100% cotton. First you can buy 5 sheets (58-78cm) for 15$ (cheap Brand) or 25$ (arches...), everybody does that i guess... Then there are also asian brands (baohong for exemple) with low prices. Have a good day
if you want good watercolor paper, Clairefontaine Etival is a good option, I use it for my art course :) Its not too expensive :)
Try bamboo paper, chinese Xuan papers are made for watercolors, 1000s years ago in China. 100 paper around $15-20 in Amazon. BUT there’s many type. Thin, see through, thick and heavy.......
If you live in the US or Canada, you can get 10"x14" arches pads at Micheals and with their coupons I usually pay between $20-$16 per pad sometimes less. It's one of the cheapest ways I can obtain high quality paper and it really makes a difference.
Great tip!
Thank you for the review! I’m on a really tight budget, so it’s really nice to know even before spending $10 on something that it’ll be worth it.
Glad it was helpful!
Absolutely! I had learned that lesson over 40 years ago! I had started painted in oils as when I was 10. It followed by a short period with acrylics when I was in my mid 20’s and subsequently to this day entirely in watercolors. Getting married and having 3 little boys had put a stop on the chemicals and specially in a house without proper ventilation during the winter. Things were a lot different back then artists have so many resources now. Acrylics were not easier to deal with either, the paints would dry too quickly between diaper changes. I was about to throw my hands up in frustration when I found an old tin palette filled with Windsor & Newton’s Artist Grade Watercolor, a gift from my father when I was a young teen. It was a a wonderful surprise to discover these little “gems” plump and full of brilliant pigments. My first mistake was using cheap watercolor paper. Although I had never painted in watercolor before, my first painting was absolutely beautiful. The only mistake I had made was using cheap watercolor paper! Many have offers been over the decades, to purchase that first painting, which is still on my studio walls. I had learned the error of using such papers immediately. I had struggled with painting it . It had been so very frustrating and rewarded by preserving but, I didn’t know why until I used up that pad of paper. I then purchased an Arches 140 lb block of WC paper and there was sigh of relief that followed. I have plenty of quality paper, much more than I will ever get a chance to paint on now. You either learn from your mistakes or never learn at all.
That's so true, Jaqueline! A big part of the artistic process is learning through trial and error. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for all the pricing info. You can practice brush strokes with cheap paper but you won’t be able to practice those important watercolor techniques without quality cotton paper. That is why I found it hard to agree with the main point of this video. I have learned my lesson from using the cheap paper from the beginning. Almost gave up if i had not changed to baohong cotton paper.
I'm not sure if this was mentioned in the comments yet but Arches (or any other high end watercolour paper) watercolour pads are more economical than to purchase a block that is glued on all four sides. Huge savings!!! The pads can be turned into blocks if at home if you prefer working on a block.
The paper can be torn off the pad then taped down on a flat surface. Or it can be converted to a block these two very simple ways.... glue all sides using a glue gun --except for a two inch slot to get a tool into separate the paper from the block once you are ready to remove the top sheet. I have also PVA book binding glue to glue the pads. Both worked perfect. The glue gun method turned out to be a bit cheaper as those glue sticks are super economical. Happy painting and thank you so much for your insights!!! Super helpful! :D
Great tip! No one has shared the glue gun method yet. It seems like several out there are taking advantage of the lower price on pads and making their own blocks out of them. Clever solution!
@@ArtSummits that's fantastic!!! When I started out I didn't know enough about pads and blocks to know there was a difference. I was a real game changer once I figured it out and made it so much more economical! I now buy buy the roll and make my own watercolour journals. I love having good paper in the journals. I have only made two so far but am looking forward to making a few more soon! :D
Yeah, I noticed that the other day when i was tooling around online looking for arches paper. Seems like a rip-off.
@@katepanthera7265 it's so true! We have to be so very aware and careful where you buy Arches or other 100% good quality paper. There are some people or companies selling it at grossly inflated prices. I tend to buy locally as I am lucky enough to have an good high end art store in the city I live in. But I also buy from Jackson's in the UK, online. I avoid Micheles as their prices are way inflated and I don't find much of what I am looking for there.
About a year ago I did find a fantastic sale on Amazon for Bee 100% rag paper on the roll and bought two. It's a bit light weight but fantastic for making smaller art and for practicing. I really like it as well as Arches.
@@northerngardengirl Both Michaels and Hobby Lobby both have cut way back on the selection of Arches in blocks or pads and have only sheets - which is OK. but not always what I want.
I've waffled back and forth on whether or not I ever want to try the Bee paper - some people give it a good review, others a bad one. Based on your evaluation of it's quality, I might give it a go some day. Thanks for the input!
I don't know. The complications I read about concerning watercolor makes me resist doing it at all. I have DSmith tubes of colors, Arches and other papers, good brushes yet I get panic attacks every time I want to start. I try simple things like flower petals or leaves, then feel utterly sick after every result. And I have online lessons to guide me. I've swatched colors on them, lots. But all the failures and all the details of this and that simply overwhelm me. Finally I pull out Copics and color pencils just to create anything. I love to see watercolor but I don't know how to address this block other than having a drink which didn't help me paint at all.
We can definitely relate to your frustration with watercolor! It can be a really tricky medium to get used to. It sounds like you have a good stash of quality supplies. The best advice we can give is keep at it and hopefully things will "click". Even when we mess up or make mistakes it helps us learn and grow for next time. Best of luck to you!
Try if you can get rid of the idea that you have to get a good result, that you have to produce a good and beautiful painting. Enjoy simply putting paint to the paper, watching how it flows or blends. Have fun experimenting. Whether or not you like the outcome, you had fun doing it and you have learned something, even if you don't realise it. It's your expectations that kill the fun.
Learn to enjoy the process and forget about the result. This helped me to overcome the block you describe.
I am a beginner to watercolor also... watched videos for about a year... started painting small poppies a few weeks ago. I've not been using good watercolor paper for making color charts for my paints... hopefully I can do loose watercolor... I painted shades of blues and greens - across bottom half of paper. Wet it before during and after... to see the colors make an ocean waves with beach. It was easy ... wet, color lines and spray. But now I need to start trying new... leaves... good feelings to your work... have fun... BOB ROSS "THERE ARE NO MISTAKES IN ART" - What would people say to Picasso? Do use both sides of paper! Enjoy!
I like to repurpose my failed paintings by tearing them up (sometimes angrily) into smaller pieces for swatches and to practice strokes, color or techniques for another painting. These are usually Arches paper since it will give me a truer reflection of what I'm going to experience on a fresh try. Baohong (aka Meeden) paper seems to be a decent practice (or final) paper option per YT reviews. We'll see.
Valerie🇨🇦 Curry's sells 9x12 " Arches pads for $18.00 and change. Make your own block with binder clips and white school glue, leaving a space with Nogueira so you can insert pallet knife to remove sheet. You can order on line and get free shipping over a set purchase amount.
Thanks to all the artists who shared their knowledge! I'm new to all this and only have a basic knowledge about the watercolor paper. Does anyone know of a TH-cam channel where I can learn about why I need to tape my paper flat and the way to glue paper to make a sketch notebook? A lot of really basic stuff. Again, thanks to all!
I like mind of water color. He has a video about stretching paper. Basically even good watercolor paper wrinkles when it gets wet, taping it down fixes the issue. People don't like the look of wrinkled paper for various reasons, like, it looks unprofessional, it looks cheap, it looks amateurish and depending on what you attempting to do, buckling can be a problem while you are painting. It all depends on what you want to achieve. You can also buy really heavy paper, 300lb, that is thick like mat board and not have to worry about stretching but those can be even more expensive.
@Radiant Pudding explained it well. Taping helps minimize warping or buckling of the paper as it gets wet. If you use a block of watercolor paper, it's already glued down so you don't have to tape it. There are also tricks for flattening out your paper if it does buckle (either with or without taping) such as spritzing it with water and then weighing it down with books or even ironing it. Several commenters have given tips on how to glue the sheets together to either make a sketch book or block. Most seem to clamp it together and then apply the glue. Hope that helps and best of luck!
You can also paint on the back of the paper for more practice 🙂
When I don't like a painting of mine, I gesso over it and then use the paper for acrylics or oils. That way every sheet will sooner or later turn into a success. So if you also use other mediums, consider repurposing your paper if you don't like how it turns out.
Don't use cheap paper to practice on, it doesn't perform the way good quality paper does and will discourage you. I was following some TH-cam watercolor tutorials and I was not getting the same results that the TH-camr was. I switched paper and voila I don't stink like I thought I did ha. I almost gave it up completely because I thought I couldn't get the hang of it, but it was the paper. Just cut your paper in half so you can create more pictures on it instead of using one big sheet and possibly messing up or not liking it and end up wasting the whole sheet. And buy everything a little at a time but definitely don't skip on quality.
Different paper/paint combos can definitely behave quite differently!
I absolutely love Arches and I find that I can often paint a whole new painting on the back. I do think in the states Blick watercolor paper is almost as good as Arches but at a much lower cost.
Thanks for your post - I didn't know that Blick had it's own brand of paper, and that's it's good quality. Good to know!
You're right! I've tried the Blick cotton watercolor blocks and they're very good quality AND more affordable!
Rank beginner with watercolour and bought some Arches and some cheaper. The cheaper is absolutely a waste of money. Even I can tell it’s awful. So sadly yes, if you waste a sheet or more, you can use the backs for swatches and stuff. But the paper is something you just have to suck it up because the cheaper (less than 100% cotton) stuff does you no favours at all
Arches is 100 percent cotton so I decided give it a try and wash my old and ugly paintings on Arches in the washing machine , just like I would do any other cotton rag, but using delicates/hand wash option of the machine with no detergent. It somehow seems to be working for non-staining colors and removed most of the colors from the paper. Washed paper was not totally white but still workable, there were no scratches on the paper so I was able to to repaint them. I am not sure if the removed colors or any paper particles could damage the washing machine though. But Arches paper is definitely washable (I would not try it with any other watercolor paper since the regular paper can clog the machine).
Creative solution! It's amazing how durable 100% cotton paper can be. Did you tape or weigh it down to help flatten it as it dried?
😄😄😄😄
@@ArtSummits I am not a professional artist and a bit lazy to stretch the paper. Arches does not buckle much and I put my watercolor paintings in frames so I don't bother with stretching the paper. So I just let it dry as it is on a flat surface.
I tend to use paper that's okay quality but actually meant for printers whenever I need a scrap paper for watercolor.
I've found that printer paper is often much more capable of handling watercolor than cheap watercolor paper is.
Printer paper is thin and warps but unlike bad watercolor paper, it won't have a crisis and streak terribly when you add some water to it.
Just go to a good art store... and buy sheets. 22x30 sheets of archs are MUCH cheaper then blocks and pads. You can easily tear it down to half and quarter size sheets. You can also look at all the other options like rough texture that is hard to find in pads.
Also there are some very good non arch options in sheets. The local art store I go to has arch sheets for $9 Canadian each or $2.25 per 11x15 (or a little over $1 for 11x7.5) sheet. However I actually perfer Fabriano Artistico cotton sheets for most things I do... and they are only $7 a sheet.
Another good option is bockingford paper. Its not Cotten... but its not pulp really either its made with felt. $5 a 22x30 sheet where I am. Some people actually prefer it to cotton.
Luckily i found arches block on clearance so if i mess up once i wont be too upset
Just for Fun use woodchip wallpaper with Gesso as Ground.
I have to take issue with the idea that the best cheap paper is 140 lb, and that *just* because it's thicker it will perform better. I find that the sizing is the most important thing, and I actually like the 90 lb Strathmore 200 more than the thicker 300 and 400. It actually does wet on wet much better, because the other wood pulp Strathmore papers are sized too hard and they literally repel water. The thicker Strathmore papers also warp worse.
I really wish we could get good wood pulp paper here in the US, but Bockingford and Hahnemuhle wood pulp papers are either unavailable or so expensive as to defeat the point. It's totally possible to make good wood pulp paper, but we just can't get it here!
I never waste it. I get A3 cut it in half and paint on both sides.👍
Yes! AND you can buy a small jar of sizing and add it to cheaper paper if you like.
Great tip!
What is sizing? Never heard of it, I'm a beginner also.
Ok there’s people saying don’t worry about high quality paper and materials, and others saying you won’t progress if you don’t use high quality stuff! This is so confusing!!!
Yes, it can get confusing! Some of it comes down to personal preference. It can also depend on the style/technique you are using. Generally, the more water you are using (for example, a painting with multiple layers of washes), the more important it is to use high quality paper. Ashley has a great comparison of less expensive watercolor paper that really demonstrates the difference paper can make when you're painting! >>> th-cam.com/video/SZoQW7R5cZU/w-d-xo.html
@@ArtSummits thank you!😊
Tip #5 - if possible, reuse the cotton paper on the back side.
Definitely! You can use the back of pieces you don't want to keep for swatching or even other practice paintings.
It's never occurred to me to NOT use the back side of the paper, esp. when swatching colors or color mixes, and doing small or individual studies (like sketchbook type subjects).
I also buy larger paper sizes and cut them myself. It costs less in the long run!
Inexpensive! Not cheap! ;)
😉
Watercolors can be the cheapest of paints but can have the most expensive of papers
In the comments of another video I watched a few days ago, a woman mentioned that she stumbled on the absolute score of a 12x24 Arches block at a thrift store... for I think she said $15. (!)
Now, I think I may have started one painting in that size... ever. And with my space limitations, it would be hard to work on something that large, even taped off.
But... I'm something of a "Skills Dragon" (which sounds so much cooler than "skills hoarder")*, so if I were to come across something like that, I have another option. A little bit of good padding compound, a book press (or boards and bricks/clamps), a straight edge and sharp cutting blade, a steady hand (uh-oh), and some patience (... damnit!), and I could have four 9x12 pads, eight 6x9 pads, sixteen 4.5x6 pads, or some combination of all three. Being a "jack of all trades, master of none" personality may have it's drawbacks, but for me at least, the versatility is worth the price.
What are the chances of my getting as lucky as that other woman? Pretty slim. But hey, a woman can dream, can't she?
Good luck hunting! 😉
Arches makes an 18 x 24” block but not a 12 x 24” one. I would be very unsure of purchasing watercolor paper sized as Arches is without knowing how long it has sat around. Why? The sizing is animal based and deteriorates so if it has even sat around 5 years there could be a huge issue with absorbtion and spotting. I buy sheets and break them down. From time to time if there is an issue like in my watercolor sketchbook it can be revived by using a coat of white watercolor ground by Daniel Smith. I definitely would not trust it from a second source. Even these days I make my own hard bound watercolor sketchbooks with Arches and LanAquarelle watercolor paper, it’s a lot less expensive for me and what I go through and any sketchbook worth anything are just too expensive.
@@jenniefrench1338 That's great information about the sizing, Jennie! Making your own sketchbooks sounds like a really good way to save.
Hi Jennie! I'm with You! 100% cotton paper and best paint you can afford. Sketchbooks are fun and I filled up my homemade one in no time.
I always enjoy your videos and articulation. I have a question at 3:16 of your video. I have purchased the Legion Stone Age Block, and notice that my masking tape removes the paper surface. Yes, blue, purple and yellow masking tape. I noted your writing on the blue block and thought, oh same experience. Can you share more of your insight on this subject? What masking tape would work, et al. Thanks so much, Jim
We have had the same issue with Legion Stonehenge. So far, we haven't had any luck finding a tape that works well with it. We've also tried the tricks with warming the tape with a hair dryer or sticking it to your pants first without much luck. Your best bet would be to use the pre glued blocks so you don't have to use tape. Let us know if you find anything that works!
@@ArtSummits Thanks so much, glad to know it is not totally me! I actually do have the LS pre-glued block and mask the paper to provide a border. I'll keep searching and if I find a solution I sure will share. Blessings, Jim
Very helpful for an artist like me☺️
I am starting watercolor paining, like the advice, only need to know what kind of tape to use to tape the paper down. No art supply store in my small city so I am looking for advice on TH-cam.
You can use painters tape, or washi tape. I’ve also seen where scotch tape, lightly drawn over jeans can work, so that when you pull it up, it doesn’t tear your paper. Try them out on a small piece of your paper 1st, to see how it works. Good luck!
We agree with Patti that you should double check the tape you're going to use on a scrap piece before taping down a whole sheet. Some papers are more sensitive to certain tapes, such as scotch tape and will be more prone to tear. Among watercolorists, it seems that painter's tape and scotch or masking tape are the most popular. Also keep in mind that if you buy a block, the edges will already be adhered and you won't have to tape them down.
Also, remove the tape from your painting within a few days if possible. The longer the tape sits on the painting, the more likely it will tear the surface of your paper when you remove it (speaking from personal experience). It's a good incentive for me to finish a painting timely 😄
The back side of Arches paper is very good too. So why not use it for another try?
Definitely!
Cheap watercolors paper will frustrate any beginner there are cheaper cotton paper like Baohong and New York central paper which are 100% cotton!
Lol i got thar same thing for 10$ at hobby lobby when i snagged a 60% off once
1st, Arches is made from wood pulp too, look it up. Second, "100% cotton paper" *is not 100% cotton* look this fact up too. Just incase you don't know, Canson, the number one "cheap" paper is the owner of Arches. So what makes "100% cotton paper" different from *cotton pulp cheaper Canson?* Chemicals. It all about how the paper absorbs the warercolor *not what it is made from* And that makes all paper useful and up to personal choice, what you like as an artist. Bees watercolor paper is 100% cotton and is even more cheaper than Canson XL. Typing paper slaped with gesso makes good watercolor paper. Don't buy watercolor paper for any reason except that it works for you and you like it.
I tried the gesso this week. It is a totally different surface than watercolor paper because it does not absorb a single drop of water or pigment. I was pleased with the way the colors looked but it is nothing like painting on watercolor painting. I love the Bee Inspired 140 lb paper that I have but mine is NOT 100 percent cotton. I've found that all the cheaper papers will work if you don't wet the entire page, only sections. I can't find any info that says Arches cotton paper is actually made from pulp. Cotton will absorb more water than pulp.
A lot of it is definitely about personal preference. We know many professional artists that use Arches but quite a few others that use less expensive paper like Canson too. You have to find what works best for you and your methods!
Do you have a source for that claim about Arches? I seriously doubt Arches will put "100% Cotton" on their block and pad covers if it weren't so. They have numerous products, so it's possible they have some wood pulp papers in their line, but they won't be labelled 100% cotton. Canson also makes watercolor papers in a wide range of quality, with Canson Heritage and Moulin du Roy at the top of their line, both 100% cotton and which get high ratings from respected artists.
Cotton and wood pulp are both cellulose, and so is linen (and some other plant fibers). So all watercolor papers are cellulosic, but there are significant structural and qualitative differences between cotton fibers and pureed tree pulp. And of course the various additives that papermills use, whether for sizing, pH control, color, etc., will also greatly impact the performance of a paper for watercolor painting.
Anyway, I think we are be saying the same thing, which is not to go ONLY by the brand name of a watercolor paper, whether Arches, Canson, Bee or whatever. Try everything you can get your hands on ,and work with what you like (within budget 😃).
Look up this fact where? If you're making the statement, it's up to you to prove it. Do you mean it's not 100% cotton because it also has pulp? That's false. Do you mean it also has gelatin? Yes we all know that. All watercolor paper has to be sized.
Nice advice, thank you so much
Tbh you should treat EVERY Painting you do as if its a practise sketch, the minute you get serious in your head with lofty plans for your painting, it will likely go wrong.
Ahh, that is a good way to take the pressure off!
The biggest mistake learners make with watercolours is not the price of the paper. But trying to use thin gutless paper. If you use 300gsm and above. ( I use 625gsm mostly) you will find that the handling effect of the water is paramount to your success. Your watercolour work will improve 10 fold. Because a good thick paper is more forgiving than a thin one. The dreaded cauliflowers are created by the thin gutless paper during too quickly
Oh, and one more thing -- you can paint on BOTH SIDES of good watercolor paper, like Arches. Just flip it over, and use it again. Twice the value!!!!!
So... what you are saying is that there are people who don't use printer paper for their watercolour?
😉
@@ArtSummits Perhaps I should explain that I don little actual watercolour painting. I use watercolour to colour dip pen drawings and one of the best affordable dip pen papers I have found is a laserprinter paper.
@@schwarzerritter5724 Ahh, there are so many versatile uses for watercolor. A lot of it does depend on the methods you are using! Have you tried the HP Premium32 paper? It's a favorite among many of our calligraphy and lettering friends (who also use ink as the primary medium). Watercolor paper might give you something new to experiment with as well. If the texture of cold press paper interferes with your dip pen, then hot press watercolor paper might be good to try. It has a smooth texture. The more water/watercolor you use in your artwork, the more you will benefit from watercolor paper.
@@ArtSummits I will try hot pressed watercolour paper.
Try Cannon XL. Heavy paper at affordable price.
energy vampire alert🧛♂
So true my dude
@@deliriumtremens3751 Right
If you feel that you have wasted it with watercolours , simply flip it, gesso it and use it for acrylic colours.. 😀
Worst comes to worse, use pastel to fix the dog or create a new painting. You can also use gouache.
I'd add another tip: Buy imperial size sheets and cut them up yourself! Much cheaper!!!
Just do not use Canson. Stonehenge or Liegon is my Nemisis as I have NEVER recieved a block that has been fully glued. At, $17.00 (WA tax 8%, $18.36 total US) on Amazon an Arches pad (12 sheets 9x12 140lb cold press sheets. Not a block) is relatively inexpensive and well worth it in my humble opinion. I just need to stop buying so much paint (I am addicted to Dan Smith's Quinacridones).
Helpful tips! Thank you. 😊 FYI-I could not find any links below. Could be user error but you might want to check on that.
You mentioned providing a link about watercolor mixing charts. Where can I find that link?
Just added them! Thanks for catching that!
Find a 100% cotton paper that works for you. Burn through the initial learning curve. Get good quicker and youll get better way faster. Or buy cheaper paper, learn how to do it on cheaper paper, waste money on cheaper paper, and not get the same results on 100% cotton paper. It the cost of learning.
Strangely, there are a few comments here that use almost the same language, as if one person is posting similar comments over and over under different names. Very odd . . . They seem to be advocating for using Arches paper. Hmmmmm.
Even the first idea is totally wrong. In my opinion never practice on a cheap paper, the result is total different on a cheap and on an expensive watercolor paper. Unfortunately the good quality watercolor paper is always expensive, no way to avoid this.
It will be different to be sure, but we wouldn't say it is wrong. A lot of it depends on personal preference and the watercolor methods that you use. For example, if you are doing a water heavy painting with several layers of washes it is more essential to use a higher quality paper.
I'm just making my own paper. It's cheaper to just make it than buy it.
I buy cheaper paper not archers! Experience Paper!
Yeah but newsprint acrylic gouache really pisses them off it step-by-step but oh shadow frameable
I am 100% not a fan of arches. Go to an art store and see if they have a comparable in weight and 100% Cotton.
Preferences can vary a lot from artist to artist. That's why it's a great idea to play around and try different papers when you can! You never know what you'll end up loving.
stop calling me out lol
😂
Don’t practice on cheap wood pulp. That’s like a Kentucky derby jockey practicing on a Shetland pony. Don’t do it.
Good one 👍
I never waste my expensive paper because so far I didn't dare to use it since my watercolor skills are not good enough 😁😭
Don't be scared to use it! It's all part of the learning process ☺️
❤❤
Don’t forget there’s 2 sides..
Go ahead and waste it.
It's all part of the process, right? ☺️
Stop Telling Me What To Do
It's not worth it to use non cotton paper.
You have to be willing to waste some money until you get the results you want. But it is painful to work so hard and you just want to trash it. If you have a crappy drawing, just let yourself go crazy on it, it's already wasted, and you might find that the problem is you were too tight.
It's all part of the process, right? Even when we make mistakes it helps us grow as artists ☺️
it is not arches arrchheez, it is arsh
I'm sure they're not going to get angry like you are, just because English speaking people say Arch-ez.
i was told years ago by an artist friend, if you take classes you may loose your own style….do you agree?
In general, I would say no. Classes can be so helpful in unlocking tools and techniques to help you grow in your artistic journey. There's no substitute for playing and exploring on your own, but I find classes can help be a "shortcut" as you are learning. They can also help ease or avoid a lot of frustration. If you feel like you are starting to copy one particular artist or style too much, it can help to diversify the teachers you are learning from or your sources of inspiration.
Arshh, it is pronounced Arshh. Silly French. ALSO, Arches is not animal friendly. Vegans beware. Gelatin is used (pig fat) as an ingredient in their size recipe.
Not pig FAT, but pig skin and bones.