Sizing in watercolour paper: what it does and why it matters
A practical guide to watercolour-paper sizing, absorbency, washes, lifting and how to test an unfamiliar sheet.
Materials
Materials
Cotton vs wood pulp watercolour paper: is the difference worth the price
Cotton is worth paying for when lifting, glazing or heavy wet-in-wet work will push the sheet. Wood pulp remains a sensible choice for studies and practice.
Materials
How to stretch watercolour paper: when it is worth doing
A practical guide to when stretching a loose watercolour sheet is worth the preparation, and when a block or heavier paper may be enough.
Materials
Watercolour blocks vs pads vs loose sheets: which format to use when
A practical guide to choosing watercolour blocks, pads or loose sheets according to preparation, working rhythm and format flexibility.
Materials
What cold press means in watercolour paper
A practical guide to cold press and NOT watercolour paper, its textured surface, its variation and when it suits the work.
Materials
Watercolour paper weight explained: 190gsm, 300gsm and 640gsm
Choose watercolour paper weight by how much water you use, from light 190gsm sheets to stable 640gsm paper.
Materials
Arches vs Fabriano Artistico: tested across washes, wet-in-wet and lifting
Two papers that painters argue about constantly, tested under the conditions that actually separate them.
Materials
What watercolour pigment codes actually mean, and why they matter
A practical guide to reading Colour Index pigment codes on watercolour tubes, and understanding what they do and do not reveal.
Materials
Best watercolour paper for beginners in the UK
Start with 300gsm cold press paper: Bockingford for affordable practice or Saunders Waterford for a cotton upgrade.
Getting Started
The five mistakes watercolour beginners make in the first month and how to avoid them
Most early frustrations with watercolour come down to the same handful of problems. Understand what they are and why they happen, and the medium becomes considerably less mysterious.