Watercolor Paper, Blocks, & Pads

Blick offers a wide range of watercolor paper choices that include individual sheets, pads, sketchbooks, watercolor blocks, watercolor panels, watercolor boards — even elegant watercolor cards for creating one-of-a-kind hand-painted greetings. The type of watercolor painting paper you choose will ultimately determine the quality of the paintings you produce.There are two main grades of watercolor paper — artists' quality and students' quality. Artists' quality watercolor paper, sometimes known as archival paper, is acid-free and designed to endure. Papers that aren't acid-free will become yellow and brittle over time. If you're a beginner or just practicing, you can try students' quality paper.

If you’re just starting out, it’s good to keep in mind that even though most student-quality watercolor papers may feel and look like a professional watercolor paper, the artwork you create on them won’t last as long. Professional artists may find the quality and price of these papers acceptable for practicing and refining their work, but won’t want to use them for finished work that might end up in a gallery, museum, home, or office setting. For professional watercolor works, an acid-free, 100% cotton rag paper is preferred, as it will last virtually forever.

The choice of paper weight and finish are also important things to consider. Learn about the differences between Hot Press watercolor paper, Cold Press watercolor paper, and Rough Finish watercolor paper on our Paper Info Page, as well as other useful information.

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