Watercolor Papers

Artists select fine watercolor papers by finish and by weight. Manufacturers generally sell three or more finishes, usually labeled Rough, Cold Press, and Hot Press.

For transparent watercolors, most artists prefer a Rough or Cold Press finish. A smoother finish, such as Hot Press, is desirable for opaque watercolors, and for printmaking and drawing.

A paper's weight is the weight, measured in pounds, of one ream, approximately 500 Imperial Sheets (22" × 30"). A light paper typically has a weight of about 90 lb, while a heavyweight paper may be 300 lb or greater.

Because of the complexity of this traditional English system for weighing paper, the watercolor world is embracing a metric alternative, grams per square meter (gsm). A standard 140 lb watercolor papers has a metric weight of approximately 300 gsm.

The traditional sheet size since pre-industrial times has been the 22" × 30"  Imperial Sheet and its 15" × 22"  half sheet. Even in a metric world, the A0/B0 standard and other metric sheet sizes have made little headway.

Student grade watercolor papers are designed to have a texture and feel similar to artist grade papers, but they are not made of archival grade materials. Although they are acid buffered, the buffering will eventually be used up, depending on air quality, and the paper will begin to discolor and deteriorate.

Use a student grade paper for practice work, but not for a work that is for sale.

Archival watercolor papers are made with a fiber source, such as 100% cotton rag, that will last for centuries without conservation. Acid-free papers, based on cellulose fiber, will evenutally yellow as their buffering is exhausted, depending on atmospheric conditions where they are stored and displayed. Although conservation is possible, their lifespan without conservation should be measured in decades, not centuries.