A massive variety of watercolor paper is available, and it is arguably the most critical watercolor supply. The paper determines how the paint reacts and moves, which is one of the marvels of watercolor painting.
Arches watercolor paper is the gold standard in the watercolor community. Baohong and Baohong Academy offer a budget-friendly alternative that reacts very similarly to Arches. Regardless of brand, you should choose at least 300 gsm so the paper is thick enough to withstand water and prevent excessive buckling. Cold press texture is the most versatile for both detailed and looser paintings.
Now, I’ll review some of the best features of each recommendation.
Arches Watercolor Paper
Arches watercolor paper is the gold standard. It is the GOAT.
The Arches Papermill started in 1492, so clearly a LONG history of quality. Throughout the years, there have been advancements and changes. In 1826, the standard for sizing went away from gelatin to a cheaper alternative, but Arches chose to stay with the tried-and-true process, which maintained the quality.
In 1895, Jules Perrigot developed the cylinder mold, which is still used for Arches papers to this day. Arches papers, made with these cylinder molds, are just as high quality as handmade paper but highly consistent. The cylinder mold process makes the paper less likely to deform when wet, which is obviously ideal for watercolor painting! It also makes the texture more natural and less uniform.
Arches Aquarelle is the watercolor paper line. It comes in hot pressed, cold pressed, and rough. All Arches Aquarelle papers are made from 100 % long cotton fiber, making them strong and long-lasting. Gelatin is used to size the paper internally ‘to the core,’ which means the gelatin is applied to the paper fibers to control the absorbency and spread of the paint, resulting in consistent surfaces for water and paint application and extreme tolerance to water application. When you use Arches, it will react very consistently every time.
Arches offers both natural and bright white options in sheets that give the artist variety. The pads and blocks are only offered in natural white, so if you prefer a bright white option, you should choose full sheets.
Baohong Watercolor Paper
Baohong Watercolor paper is the relative “new kid on the block.” The Baohong paper mill is not new; they previously created high-end fiduciary papers and high-quality handmade paper suited to Chinese watercolor techniques. The papers were not designed for the Western approach to watercolor that focuses more on washes and layers than the Eastern techniques.
In 2015, the family-owned mill wanted to branch out and contacted two Australian watercolor artists. Through multiple collaborations with various artists and a few years of work, Baohong developed its own professional watercolor paper.
Baohong Artisti’s Watercolor paper is 100% cotton (long fiber), acid free, and sized traditionally (internally and externally) with gelatin. The paper is 300 gsm, offering an excellent weight for watercolor painting.
The papers are cylinder mold made (just like Arches), and they offer the three traditional textures: hot pressed, cold pressed, and rough. they have a huge range of sizes with eight different block sizes, plus full sheets, half-sheets, and quarter-sheets. The paper color is natural white.
Baohong is quickly becoming a well-known and recommended brand of watercolor paper. It offers a similar quality and experience as Arches at a lower price point, making it an excellent alternative.
Academy Watercolor Paper
I honestly cannot find much information on Baohong Academy paper. It is made by the same company as Baohong Artist (profession) grade paper. Both Artist and Academy are 100% cotton, acid free, and archial quality. Both are natural white color.
Regarding the differences, I cannot find many in the descriptions. With use, Academy cold pressed texture is much smoother than Baohong Artist cold pressed. The Academy rough is closer to Baohong Artist cold pressed. The cotton fibers used in Academy are probably shorter and a bit more easily damaged, but I have scrubbed and lifted extensively on the paper without a shred of damage noted. I cannot find information about the sizing, but it feels incredibly similar to Baohong Artist paper.
Overall, I LOVE Baohong Academy Watercolor paper. Though labeled as “paper pad,” the blocks, which are glued on all four sides, are fantastic for preventing excessive buckling and ensuring the painting is flat once dried. The price point is remarkable for the quality of the paper, especially since it is a block, which is typically much higher priced than a pad (glued only on the top edge.)
So, though it says Academy or student grade, I still use it for professional works, especially since it is acid free and archival quality.
Best Beginner Watercolor Paper
I highly recommend Baohong Academy Watercolor paper for beginners. This will provide a reasonably affordable option that is still 100% cotton with excellent sizing (the way watercolor paper is treated to provide optimal water absorption). The paper reacts so similarly to watercolor paints as professional-grade papers that the transition between the beginner “student” grade and the professional “artist” grade will be seamless! If you start painting on lower-quality papers, there is quite a learning curve to transition to higher-quality, 100% cotton papers.
Best Budget Watercolor Paper
If you are looking for a budget-friendly option for watercolor paper, I recommend Artiza watercolor paper or Canson XL. These allow you the opportunity to paint on larger (9×12) sheets, costing around $.50 per sheet. This is half the price of my typical recommendation, Baohong Academy, which for a 10×7 block costs around $1.00 a sheet.
These papers are made from cellulose (vs. cotton) and, therefore, react differently to watercolor paint and water. Still, they are durable and heavyweight, offering a good painting surface. Though they are not the same quality as 100% cotton papers, they provide an excellent surface for painting, and you can produce outstanding work on them.
Note that wet-on-wet techniques will differ when working with non-cotton papers. These papers can be “harder” to work on because they require more precise water control to achieve smooth transitions and blends, but you can accomplish these smooth results with practice and patience.
To be 100% transparent, I started with Artiza Watercolor Paper and really enjoyed working on it. I found it excellent for lifting out paint for highlights or even to correct mistakes. I found it more tricky to create landscapes that I was happy with on these cellulose papers, but I love it and still choose it for loose figures with minimal large washes of color. I also like to use it when I occasionally paint loose florals.
I hope this information about watercolor paper was helpful. If you have any other questions, ask in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!
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