For watercolor artists, paper is often the most used canvas. Coming in a variety of shapes, weight, and textures – it’s easy to find your preference of paper once you have the chance to work with the different types.

There are two main differences between watercolor papers, cold-pressed or hot-pressed. To make “cold-pressed” paper, pulp is pressed through felt covered metal rollers at a cold temperature. The rollers contribute to the bumpy, “rough” texture of the paper. This is the most popular type of watercolor paper to use because it allows the paint to move through the texture and create more expressive paintings. “Hot-pressed” paper is pressed at a high pressure between heated rollers. This gives the paper a smooth, even surface to allow for more precise watercolor painting. 

Weight also plays an important roll on how watercolor paper reacts to the paint applied to the surface. The heavier the paper, the less likely it is to buckle when it is wet. 300 gsm is the standard for “heavy” watercolor paper and anything smaller than that is not going to allow wet, layered watercolor work without warping.

Though it is called “watercolor” paper, different mediums would also be suitable on heavyweight paper due to its durability and strength. Acrylic paint, gouache paint, alcohol inks, pastels, and various writing utensils can all be used in addition to watercolor paints. 

See how many artists use Watercolor Paper in our Paper Idea Gallery!