Thank you Monique! I had the same experience the other way around. I'd been using Arches for years and one day I bought a journal with wood pulp paper in it (without realising). I started to paint in it and gave up after a few minutes.
This is the most thorough discussion/comparison of wood pulp vs. cotton I've seen so far. This was a serious issue for me as a beginner and I almost gave up. So glad I changed paper even when I still had student grade paint and brushes. Great job.
A great video showing the comparison. Many artists have talked about it but never done a proper comparison like this. I feel Arches pricing is out of reach for many people esp those beginning their journey, yet so many CZcams teachers use Arches. I wonder if it will make it less frustrating for the audience to see watercolor being taught on pulp paper or cheaper cotton paper (you know, what the “common people” use) as these are most accessible. If most of us can see how “common paper” is used, then that is the expectation when we practise and we learn the skills accordingly to manage these cheaper types of paper. That way Arches would not have a monopoly on such a beautiful and otherwise popular and accessible art.
I can tell u are a true artist because the result on both are very beautiful. In this video you’ve also proven to me that your skill as an artist is key so I’ll keep practicing. Thank you 😊
My friends and family don't understand why I would prefer 1 sheet of arches instead of a huge pad of cheap watercolor paper, so I gave up I smile and thank you and use it for pen and ink, with a light wash it works very well
Great tutorial, Louise. When I first started watercolor lessons 20 years ago, my instructor said Arches would be our favorite paper...she was right. This was excellent information for beginners.
As a beginner I was certainly frustrated using Canson XL wood pulp paper. Then I bought my first cotton paper, Bee 6 x 9 which Instill use for practice. I actually shrieked with joyful surprise to see how it moved with wet on wet. It was like magic. Thank you, Louise!
Thank you so much! This is the first fair comparison I have seen in a long time. I paint with wood paper a lot (due to availability). There is one trick I have found when using wood pulp paper: It expands when the watercolour sinks into the paper, so gravity causes the watercolour to pool around the edges. For small areas, it can help to use less water, decreasing how much the paper can expand.
Changing my paper to 100% cotton has been the single biggest influence on how I paint. Most of the techniques are very difficult on wood pulp, I found, and as a beginner, I almost gave up, convinced I wasnt doing it properly. But it was the paper. Thank you for this video.
The paper is everything when working with watercolour, but also with gouache and especially with alcohol markers. Once you find the paper of your dreams though, there's no going back. Hats off to you Louise for doing this comparison. It's not easy to paint the same subject twice and keep everything as similar as possible, not least because boredom can take over. With your videos the like gets clicked before I even play it and it's always deserved.
I made a mistake and purchased Holbein’s wood pulp-its just so different and this video explains it well. Since I cant return it, I decided to use it for practice and as long as you’re only doing one layer, the painting will turn out. But, I do not think its worth purchasing-stick with 100% cotton
I purposely buy the Canson XL watercolor paper for swatching. When I buy new paints I use it to swatch the color and put it in my swatch binder and when I'm working on a painting I use it to swatch to make sure the color mix and the consistency is right so I don't ruin a painting!
This is a good way to show the difference between wood pulp paper and a quality cotton paper. I was surprised to see the wood pulp paper made the colors look somewhat faded although the paint tended to sit on top and not soak in like in cotton paper. Also wood pulp paper will yellow over time. I started painting with watercolors as a kid and used cheap paper and would get so frustrated not realizing the problem was the paper I was painting on. Good paper makes all the difference, thanks for this helpful video.
This is a great comparison. A lot of other videos out there label wood pulp paper as garbage but you have demonstrated that it is something you can work with. I agree with the point you make about being more frustrating for beginners due to its limitations, but unfortunately, at the same time, it's more affordable which is something beginners might be leaning towards more, especially if they are not sure how much they are planning to commit to this craft. I have different types of paper as well, not just 100% cotton and wood pulp, but also different GSM, and there's always a period of adaptation when switching between papers. It's a matter of getting to know the tools you are going to use and, like you very well explained, the more experienced you are the more you'll know what to expect.
Thank you for this very detailed video. I'm currently a beginner and have been using cheaper 1264 Fabriano, 140 lb wood pulp paper for practice and learning-- and I find it incredibly frustrating, as you've mentioned. Paint sits on top and doesn't get absorbed, and when painting in layers I just make a thick layer of paint that ends up drying like it would on plastic. Now I know why. I suspected it was my paper all along.
I use winsor and newton paper which has 25% cotton in it. I am still learning so this is a great compromise in my opinion. I can paint as much asI like without it being too expensive. I have some 100% cotton for what I call special paintings but tbh I prefer the winsor and newton.
As always wonderful video. I am still at a beginning level but when I was first starting out would get so frustrated and my paint and painting not acting like all the tutorials I was following. People would say it was because I was using cheap paper. True I was not using super spendy stuff but I was not reaching for the bottom either. I can see now how the fiber not necessarily the price makes a difference.
Thanks Lauren. I get messages telling me I make it look so easy and I think a lot of that could be because I'm using good paper while they might be struggling with their paper.
I am a beginner and was looking for information about wood pulp vs cotton paper. I wasn't sure that, as a beginner, I should be using cotton paper for practice. I have tried wood pulp paper and was very frustrated chasing the pigment around the paper, thinking that perhaps watercolors weren't for me. After watching this video, I can see that part of my difficulty was the paper. I'm buying a small pad of Arches and starting over. Thank you for this informative video.
Thank you so much for this video. I have purchased other watercolor paper and was struggling… I’m going to buy Arches and I’m sure I will be much happier with my results. Thank you for sharing. Your tips are so helpful.
Thank you for another helpful tutorial. You asked what we'd like to see in upcoming tutorials. I would love to see you do a seascape with crashing waves against a rock.
Taking your advice early on, I started right out with 100% cotton paper and have only tried wood pulp paper a little bit here and there. I agree completely that it (wood) is nowhere near as satisfying to use, and any of my serious attempts at producing nice images will definitely be on cotton paper! Very helpful video for those just starting out! Thanks, Louise! 😊
Thanks Lydia. It's good advice and I always worry that some beginners will give up painting in watercolour because of the frustrations of painting on wood pulp paper. They won't get to experience what a beautiful medium it is to use. Have a wonderful weekend. 💕
Thanks Louise for your time, and lovely purple freesia. It reminds me of the smell of them in my old home as a child, growing up in Hurstville Grove. I think Reeves and it's sizing is fairly sustainable and known for a good to great student quality. If you were to do the test again with two different papers, like 100% cotton 300gsm Fabriano Artistico, and a wood pulp paper that is less dependable by name, cheaper, and thinner, I think the degree of difference would be greater. I think the edges of the petals on the Arches, looked difficult, for me with the rough texture as you had to go over the same spot to get a nice edge. I think it looked difficult to lift, I don't lift often, but I like it if it comes up with one very dry to damp spongey stroke, and one press on the serviette. I prefer the Fabriano Artistico CP 300gsm full sheet, buy 3 get one free in a pack. So I get good prices. I could also try the brand Legion 640gsm CP Stonehenge, and they do a black watercolour paper that looks nice too, which is cheaper than Fabriano. Sample packs of most papers, are from Jacksons Art in UK are only a few dollars, and shipping is free after a certain amount is a great way to test and try new things. The approx 10 x 6cm Legions are a pad of 10, and great for swatch cards in palettes, or little test, or miniature work. One can buy a bulk pack of all the types of Legion, or the Japanese rice papers which are lovely for ink, as well as a lot of UK made papers. For a sketchbook, the Etchr sketchbook 230gsm CP 100% cotton in white linen, an A4 landscape orientation. It is a paper that I love for the washes, edges and a slightly random texture of the paper, and it behaves more like a 300gsm in weight with no buckling, and I can draw, write or create ink borders with an EF fountain pen on it. I can do mixed media, ink, collage with tissue papers with rice paper glues, "Yamato" or "Matte Mod Podge for Paper", watercolour, coloured pencil and I fell in love with it on first use, 2nd page, while on a course with Jane Blundell. I bought 6 more, so now I have a sketchbook for all different topics. I will buy another 6 as I have used them all! I am told though that the Fabriano Artistico CP and HP is different to the older versions, where a lot of Botanical artists liked it as their number 1 choice back then. I know that there is a difference in the full sheets, to the pads. Not a fan of Arches. As for a journal, I love the Bespoke Letterpress, made in Bowral, NSW. It takes watercolour washes, ink well, and is a creamy linen paper with light wide lines which is thicker gsm. Two colours per year in hard cover linen. No bleedthrough, again I buy it in bulk. As artistes over 40 years, we get so familiar with our choices, our comfort zones, that we barely stray when we each find something we like. One less decision or choice is welcome. As a beginner it is harder to know what you like straight away. I love your work, Louise, particularly your animal portraits. xx In kindred spirit, Eliza Dulwich Hill, Sydney Sunday 7th of August 2022 12:14pm xx
I'm a beginner but have used both cellulose and tried Arches also. I do small paintings of florals (4" x 6")... so if I'm not putting lots of water onto the paper first, cellulose is OK. I'd like to start using my 100% cotton paper cold press 140lb paper. It needed more water on my brush... I've stopped painting for 2 months... now it's like starting over... I'm thankful for that... I'll let my favorite colors draw me back again... Thank you 😊 for sharing your journey... a California Gramma ♥️
Dear Ann, Yes use your 140lb paper soon! Have no fear. Say, "I can do this." All the best watercolour artists do this self talk. Why not start with a thin wash, or collage, then do your pencil work over that! It is then easier to not feel like it is precious, rather it is now the every day paper. Or you could adapt to new paper, with excitement, standing work from the shoudler to do a few prompts to exercise your arm and wrist. You can start with abstraction, and end with something that you see in your work. No time like the present to tackle the best stuff everyday, so you will then get better with every piece! (While you are at it, get out the best china tea cups and saucers, your favourite teapot, and enjoy the finer things in life.) Let us know, back here, how you feel about using the new now, everyday paper! In kindred spirit, Eliza xx Australia 5:19pm
How kind of you for the encouragement Eliza! ... from beautiful Australia! How inspiring to just think of my good paper as every day paper... thank 😊 you so much! A California Gramma ♥️
This is the best video I have come across on comparison of wood pulp and 100% cotton paper. I bought a 100% cotton paper which I thought was my best purchase but it was behaving so much like the wood pulp paper leaving me frustrated. It seems like wood pulp papers have some amount of cotton mixed in them so they behave close to a good 100%cotton papers but is time consuming and gives uneven results.
Even on wood pulp paper you did a beautiful job. Goes to show that skill is just as important as the quality of paper. I am a beginner and only have wood pulp paper now and i do find a lot of pooling and bleeding in the paper. It’s really hard to blend and layer. It’s worse when there’s more water but a bit better with less water. Blending different colours gives hard edges. It is quite frustrating. I might try some better paper in the future.
I always thought the paint i had was at fault because it always comes out as less saturated and doesn't always blend the way i expect so i thought maybe buying a different watercolor brand but when i started using 100% cotton, my colors became a bit more vibrant and i can blend it so easily especially that i use wet on dry technique. Sometimes the quality of the material matters too!
Such an excellent video! I've thought before that all cotton paper makes a very big difference in the result of a painting but was not sure why, this video explains it,thank you!!
Thank you for this thorough discussion of the papers. The explanation of the "slippery "wood pulp was mind blowing. The swatch samples were also very informative. Would you please consider a lesson on how you create your images for painting? Do you draw free hand or do you have an image that you trace? Are your images your own or do you use sources like Pixaby? Thank you for all you have done!
I'm assuming paper that doesn't say it's 100% cotton is wood pulp. I have some small pads that I experiment on with mixing colors. However, even cotton papers differ in quality. Your best bet is to get samples if you can. I recently bought a Hannemuhle 100% cotton,120lb sketchbook (A6 size) that I love. I'm definitely going to buy a larger one. 😊
I think that's good advice MaryAnn - if it doesn't have 100% cotton printed on the cover of the pad then it is probably wood pulp. I had to contact Reeves to find out about the paper I used in this video. It didn't have it printed anywhere on it.
I love that you give such details as you paint and that you include the paint color and brushes you use. Yours are the absolute best tutorials I’ve see on CZcams. I haven’t searched your channel yet but do you have a tutorial on how to paint glass objects? If not I would love to see one.
I'm currently in highschool. I have a specialization in Visual arts. And this year, our teacher told us to practice on watercolor. So I begged my mom to buy me a watercolor block. And my parcel just arrived today, and I realized I bought, 100% wood pulp. I froze and began my research and trying to calm myself by saying "wood pulp is good. No biggie.." And I painted on it and it sucked all the water on my brush. And it didn't blend really well. And I then stumbled in this vid. Thank you. From now on, I'll be careful. 😭
Thanks Suzanne. I bought a journal a year or two ago without realising it was wood pulp paper. I started to paint in it and I gave up after 5 minutes. I'll keep it and let my grandson paint in it when he's older.
You’re a better man than I am, Ahab… (An Americanism meaning I wouldn’t do it, due to sheer spinelessness.) In the photography game, paper and matting for archival stability is paramount and wood pulp needs a fair amount of acidity to make into paper and boards; they need additional pH buffering to get above 7.0 and are unreliable for long-term use. So 100% cotton (or rag) is all we’d use. Of course I’ve carried this to watercolor as well. That’s mine own 2ȼ… It’s great you are showing us the differences. The only real wood pulp paper I can find locally is newsprint, which isn’t available in a heavy weight for serious purposes. Thanks again for sharing, Louise! Have a great week, Ma’am. 🥳
Nice demonstration Louise! I hope next time you make a side to side comparison of Arches vs Baohong artist grade watercolor paper. A lot of watercolorists say the latter is comparable to the former. I want to know what's in the Arches that people consider it as one of the best paper. If I get convinced that Baohong is almost as good as Arches, I'll probably stick to it coz I can have a good quality paper without breaking the bank.
Thank you Adrian. I have been using Baohong to do studies lately. I have found it to be one of the better - less expensive papers. It won't replace Arches for me but I recommend giving it a try. I talk about it briefly in this video czcams.com/video/4WSNxGxNUsU/video.html
I would like to see more videos on composition and color harmonies, like how do you choose reference photos, do you take your own, how do you arrange subjects, do you combine reference photos, how do you handle different lighting situations in different references etc. I know you buy photos from a wildlife site but do you purchase just single photo, do you have the right to paint it or do you need a special kind of license to use it as a reference for work that will be sold?
Great suggestions. Thank you Katarina. Always check the usage licences when you download a free photo. Pixabay and Unsplash are the free sites I use. Wildlife Reference Photos is another good site where you can buy a subscription and download a few photos.
Thanks for such great info and photography! Recently, I purchased Canson XL and Strathmore Visual Journal sketchbooks, based on high ratings. I see many artists do amazing things in them, but they are frustrating me to no end. I use a lot of water and overwork so, and that may be why. Perhaps eventually they will "break" me of these habits, but now just my spirit is broken. With your skill, I am sure painting on a paper shopping bag would yield good results for you! I have a fair amount of Arches that I bought on sale many years ago and have started to use it again for "good" work (whatever that is). There have been many complaints that the sizing on Arches is not up to the former standards. You may have addressed this before, but have you run into any problems with it recently?
Lol- Thank you Joy! I bought a Strathmore Visual journal - never again. I'll keep it for my grandson to paint in when he's older. I have not noticed an issue with sizing on Arches lately. I have noticed that the sizing deteriorates over time. You can paint on both sides of the paper so I keep old failed paintings in a drawer. When I need to demonstrate something here on CZcams or in one my longer tutorials I'll get out one of those old failed paintings (they might be 4 or 5 years old) and sometimes when I paint on the back I notice the paper resists the paint in some areas- which I think is a deterioration in the sizing.
@@LouiseDeMasi Thank you for your gracious reply! That is lighting a fire under me to use the Arches that I have been saving for many years. I was worried about "wasting" good supplies when I was learning, but now I realize that the only wasted supplies are those that are unused. I took a workshop (my first!) in 2001 with Tony Couch, who is very famous in the US. He emphatically stated, "To me, there is only one paper - Arches".
I too bought many Arches and as a beginner only have used it a few times. I heard there's a learning curve on Arches... which I saw... it's more thirsty than pulp. I need to restart my journey after 2 months off... loving the comments from utube because there's so much to learn... Bless you, from a California Gramma ❤️
So beautiful...I love your work! I have a question for you, not sure if you are able to answer. Do you know what watercolor paint Marjolein Bastin uses? Your work reminds me of hers. Stunning
Louise , was this video made by your son? If so, it is different ! It has additional elements that make it like more entertaining more rich! Congratulations!
As a beginner I started on 100% cotton but just can't afford to buy it anymore and have stopped painting. I bought several makes of cotton paper and noticed that they were all different. It would be helpful to know what process we can use to find out the good and the bad of each paper and then how to adapt to that paper.
Strathmore is putting paper out now they say is 100% cotton but it is not 100% cotton. You can tell right away because of how it acts when you erase a pencil mark...if there is paper in the fibers the eraser mark will mar the page and pill. Also, if it is 100% cotton when it dries on a stretched block, it will spring back flat when it dries. The Strathmore block I just bought on Amazon is totally buckled after the first little bit of water I put on it on top of the pilling. You have to be careful what you buy even if it says its cotton.
My only issue with cotton paper is the lifting. Or rather the lack of being able to lift properly. I assume not all cotton paper is the same, however. I've only been using the Baohong Academy watercolor paper, which is also 100% cotton, but lifting on that one is pure torture, imo. The paint seeps into the paper and you can't get it out of there properly anymore. Which really bothers me because I really like that paper otherwise and it's the most affordable one for me. Guess I'll have to live with it and use masking fluid so I don't have to rely on lifting so much anymore. And Gouache of course.
Lol- Thank you Adriane! I never used to say it correctly but I went into an art supplies store in Sydney a few years ago and the owner told me how it was pronounced. I also contacted Arches and asked them how to say it correctly. When I started pronouncing it properly here on CZcams I got a very abrupt message from someone telling me I was saying it incorrectly and I needed to pronounce it like the 'Arches on a bridge.' 😳
Hi Yii, if you are talking about Skillshare, last time I looked it's about $168 for a yearly subscription. I have 13 watercolour classes published on there. There are thousands of other watercolor classes on Skillshare. The rest of my tutorials are on my Patreon site. I have over 130 on there now.
When I bought my first pad of Arches I was shocked at the difference cotton paper makes. This is a very useful video for beginners.
Thank you Monique! I had the same experience the other way around. I'd been using Arches for years and one day I bought a journal with wood pulp paper in it (without realising). I started to paint in it and gave up after a few minutes.
This is the most thorough discussion/comparison of wood pulp vs. cotton I've seen so far. This was a serious issue for me as a beginner and I almost gave up. So glad I changed paper even when I still had student grade paint and brushes. Great job.
Great to hear! Thank you Erica. It makes a huge difference and I'm glad you swapped before you gave up.
A great video showing the comparison. Many artists have talked about it but never done a proper comparison like this. I feel Arches pricing is out of reach for many people esp those beginning their journey, yet so many CZcams teachers use Arches. I wonder if it will make it less frustrating for the audience to see watercolor being taught on pulp paper or cheaper cotton paper (you know, what the “common people” use) as these are most accessible. If most of us can see how “common paper” is used, then that is the expectation when we practise and we learn the skills accordingly to manage these cheaper types of paper. That way Arches would not have a monopoly on such a beautiful and otherwise popular and accessible art.
I can tell u are a true artist because the result on both are very beautiful. In this video you’ve also proven to me that your skill as an artist is key so I’ll keep practicing. Thank you 😊
Thanks so much Vivian. I guess a better test would have been to get a beginner painter to try out both papers. 💕
My friends and family don't understand why I would prefer 1 sheet of arches instead of a huge pad of cheap watercolor paper, so I gave up I smile and thank you and use it for pen and ink, with a light wash it works very well
Yes exactly! There's paper and there's paper! Thanks Pierre.
Great tutorial, Louise. When I first started watercolor lessons 20 years ago, my instructor said Arches would be our favorite paper...she was right. This was excellent information for beginners.
Thanks very much Judy. If I could only choose one paper to use it would be Arches.
As a beginner I was certainly frustrated using Canson XL wood pulp paper. Then I bought my first cotton paper, Bee 6 x 9 which Instill use for practice. I actually shrieked with joyful surprise to see how it moved with wet on wet. It was like magic. Thank you, Louise!
Thank you so much! This is the first fair comparison I have seen in a long time.
I paint with wood paper a lot (due to availability). There is one trick I have found when using wood pulp paper: It expands when the watercolour sinks into the paper, so gravity causes the watercolour to pool around the edges. For small areas, it can help to use less water, decreasing how much the paper can expand.
Glad it was helpful! That's a great tip. Thank you Janine.
Changing my paper to 100% cotton has been the single biggest influence on how I paint. Most of the techniques are very difficult on wood pulp, I found, and as a beginner, I almost gave up, convinced I wasnt doing it properly. But it was the paper. Thank you for this video.
The paper is everything when working with watercolour, but also with gouache and especially with alcohol markers. Once you find the paper of your dreams though, there's no going back. Hats off to you Louise for doing this comparison. It's not easy to paint the same subject twice and keep everything as similar as possible, not least because boredom can take over. With your videos the like gets clicked before I even play it and it's always deserved.
I made a mistake and purchased Holbein’s wood pulp-its just so different and this video explains it well. Since I cant return it, I decided to use it for practice and as long as you’re only doing one layer, the painting will turn out. But, I do not think its worth purchasing-stick with 100% cotton
I purposely buy the Canson XL watercolor paper for swatching. When I buy new paints I use it to swatch the color and put it in my swatch binder and when I'm working on a painting I use it to swatch to make sure the color mix and the consistency is right so I don't ruin a painting!
Good advice. Thank you Kelly.
This is a good way to show the difference between wood pulp paper and a quality cotton paper. I was surprised to see the wood pulp paper made the colors look somewhat faded although the paint tended to sit on top and not soak in like in cotton paper. Also wood pulp paper will yellow over time. I started painting with watercolors as a kid and used cheap paper and would get so frustrated not realizing the problem was the paper I was painting on. Good paper makes all the difference, thanks for this helpful video.
Thank you! I didn't realise it might yellow over time. Thank you for the tip. 💕
@@LouiseDeMasi Well usually wood pulp isn't archival. I think it would yellow.
Comparison tutorials are the most helpful for me, thank you.
This is a great comparison. A lot of other videos out there label wood pulp paper as garbage but you have demonstrated that it is something you can work with.
I agree with the point you make about being more frustrating for beginners due to its limitations, but unfortunately, at the same time, it's more affordable which is something beginners might be leaning towards more, especially if they are not sure how much they are planning to commit to this craft.
I have different types of paper as well, not just 100% cotton and wood pulp, but also different GSM, and there's always a period of adaptation when switching between papers. It's a matter of getting to know the tools you are going to use and, like you very well explained, the more experienced you are the more you'll know what to expect.
Thank you for this very detailed video. I'm currently a beginner and have been using cheaper 1264 Fabriano, 140 lb wood pulp paper for practice and learning-- and I find it incredibly frustrating, as you've mentioned. Paint sits on top and doesn't get absorbed, and when painting in layers I just make a thick layer of paint that ends up drying like it would on plastic. Now I know why. I suspected it was my paper all along.
I use winsor and newton paper which has 25% cotton in it. I am still learning so this is a great compromise in my opinion. I can paint as much asI like without it being too expensive. I have some 100% cotton for what I call special paintings but tbh I prefer the winsor and newton.
As always wonderful video. I am still at a beginning level but when I was first starting out would get so frustrated and my paint and painting not acting like all the tutorials I was following. People would say it was because I was using cheap paper. True I was not using super spendy stuff but I was not reaching for the bottom either. I can see now how the fiber not necessarily the price makes a difference.
Thanks Lauren. I get messages telling me I make it look so easy and I think a lot of that could be because I'm using good paper while they might be struggling with their paper.
I am a beginner and was looking for information about wood pulp vs cotton paper. I wasn't sure that, as a beginner, I should be using cotton paper for practice. I have tried wood pulp paper and was very frustrated chasing the pigment around the paper, thinking that perhaps watercolors weren't for me. After watching this video, I can see that part of my difficulty was the paper. I'm buying a small pad of Arches and starting over. Thank you for this informative video.
Amazing watercolor!
Thank you so much, so beautiful I love your all videos
Excellent video to help show the differences- although it looked like your skill came to the rescue to minimise the differences!!!
Thank you so much for this video. I have purchased other watercolor paper and was struggling… I’m going to buy Arches and I’m sure I will be much happier with my results. Thank you for sharing. Your tips are so helpful.
Glad it was helpful. Thank you Kate.
Thank you for another helpful tutorial. You asked what we'd like to see in upcoming tutorials. I would love to see you do a seascape with crashing waves against a rock.
Very useful info, thank you❤️
Taking your advice early on, I started right out with 100% cotton paper and have only tried wood pulp paper a little bit here and there. I agree completely that it (wood) is nowhere near as satisfying to use, and any of my serious attempts at producing nice images will definitely be on cotton paper! Very helpful video for those just starting out! Thanks, Louise! 😊
Thanks Lydia. It's good advice and I always worry that some beginners will give up painting in watercolour because of the frustrations of painting on wood pulp paper. They won't get to experience what a beautiful medium it is to use. Have a wonderful weekend. 💕
Thanks Louise for your time, and lovely purple freesia. It reminds me of the smell of them in my old home as a child, growing up in Hurstville Grove.
I think Reeves and it's sizing is fairly sustainable and known for a good to great student quality.
If you were to do the test again with two different papers, like 100% cotton 300gsm Fabriano Artistico, and a wood pulp paper that is less dependable by name, cheaper, and thinner, I think the degree of difference would be greater.
I think the edges of the petals on the Arches, looked difficult, for me with the rough texture as you had to go over the same spot to get a nice edge. I think it looked difficult to lift, I don't lift often, but I like it if it comes up with one very dry to damp spongey stroke, and one press on the serviette.
I prefer the Fabriano Artistico CP 300gsm full sheet, buy 3 get one free in a pack. So I get good prices.
I could also try the brand Legion 640gsm CP Stonehenge, and they do a black watercolour paper that looks nice too, which is cheaper than Fabriano.
Sample packs of most papers, are from Jacksons Art in UK are only a few dollars, and shipping is free after a certain amount is a great way to test and try new things. The approx 10 x 6cm Legions are a pad of 10, and great for swatch cards in palettes, or little test, or miniature work. One can buy a bulk pack of all the types of Legion, or the Japanese rice papers which are lovely for ink, as well as a lot of UK made papers.
For a sketchbook, the Etchr sketchbook 230gsm CP 100% cotton in white linen, an A4 landscape orientation. It is a paper that I love for the washes, edges and a slightly random texture of the paper, and it behaves more like a 300gsm in weight with no buckling, and I can draw, write or create ink borders with an EF fountain pen on it. I can do mixed media, ink, collage with tissue papers with rice paper glues, "Yamato" or "Matte Mod Podge for Paper", watercolour, coloured pencil and I fell in love with it on first use, 2nd page, while on a course with Jane Blundell. I bought 6 more, so now I have a sketchbook for all different topics. I will buy another 6 as I have used them all!
I am told though that the Fabriano Artistico CP and HP is different to the older versions, where a lot of Botanical artists liked it as their number 1 choice back then. I know that there is a difference in the full sheets, to the pads. Not a fan of Arches.
As for a journal, I love the Bespoke Letterpress, made in Bowral, NSW. It takes watercolour washes, ink well, and is a creamy linen paper with light wide lines which is thicker gsm. Two colours per year in hard cover linen. No bleedthrough, again I buy it in bulk.
As artistes over 40 years, we get so familiar with our choices, our comfort zones, that we barely stray when we each find something we like. One less decision or choice is welcome. As a beginner it is harder to know what you like straight away.
I love your work, Louise, particularly your animal portraits. xx
In kindred spirit,
Eliza
Dulwich Hill, Sydney
Sunday 7th of August 2022
12:14pm
xx
I'm a beginner but have used both cellulose and tried Arches also. I do small paintings of florals (4" x 6")... so if I'm not putting lots of water onto the paper first, cellulose is OK. I'd like to start using my 100% cotton paper cold press 140lb paper. It needed more water on my brush...
I've stopped painting for 2 months... now it's like starting over... I'm thankful for that... I'll let my favorite colors draw me back again...
Thank you 😊 for sharing your journey... a California Gramma ♥️
Dear Ann, Yes use your 140lb paper soon! Have no fear. Say, "I can do this." All the best watercolour artists do this self talk.
Why not start with a thin wash, or collage, then do your pencil work over that!
It is then easier to not feel like it is precious, rather it is now the every day paper.
Or you could adapt to new paper, with excitement, standing work from the shoudler to do a few prompts to exercise your arm and wrist.
You can start with abstraction, and end with something that you see in your work.
No time like the present to tackle the best stuff everyday, so you will then get better with every piece!
(While you are at it, get out the best china tea cups and saucers, your favourite teapot, and enjoy the finer things in life.)
Let us know, back here, how you feel about using the new now, everyday paper!
In kindred spirit,
Eliza xx
Australia
5:19pm
How kind of you for the encouragement Eliza! ... from beautiful Australia! How inspiring to just think of my good paper as every day paper... thank 😊 you so much! A California Gramma ♥️
This is the best video I have come across on comparison of wood pulp and 100% cotton paper. I bought a 100% cotton paper which I thought was my best purchase but it was behaving so much like the wood pulp paper leaving me frustrated. It seems like wood pulp papers have some amount of cotton mixed in them so they behave close to a good 100%cotton papers but is time consuming and gives uneven results.
Even on wood pulp paper you did a beautiful job. Goes to show that skill is just as important as the quality of paper. I am a beginner and only have wood pulp paper now and i do find a lot of pooling and bleeding in the paper. It’s really hard to blend and layer. It’s worse when there’s more water but a bit better with less water. Blending different colours gives hard edges. It is quite frustrating. I might try some better paper in the future.
Lovely comparison, thank you. 🌷
I liked the mini struggle at the end with “wood pulp paper”. 😊
Looking forward to watch more of your tutoring.
I always thought the paint i had was at fault because it always comes out as less saturated and doesn't always blend the way i expect so i thought maybe buying a different watercolor brand but when i started using 100% cotton, my colors became a bit more vibrant and i can blend it so easily especially that i use wet on dry technique. Sometimes the quality of the material matters too!
Such an excellent video! I've thought before that all cotton paper makes a very big difference in the result of a painting but was not sure why, this video explains it,thank you!!
Thank you Louise.
Thank you Louise some clear, good information on the different papers xxx
My pleasure Amanda. Thank you. Enjoy your weekend. 💕
Thank you for a very helpful video Louise 👌😊
You’re welcome. Thanks Cheryl. 😊
Thank you for this thorough discussion of the papers. The explanation of the "slippery "wood pulp was mind blowing. The swatch samples were also very informative. Would you please consider a lesson on how you create your images for painting? Do you draw free hand or do you have an image that you trace? Are your images your own or do you use sources like Pixaby? Thank you for all you have done!
Thank you for helping me choose the right paper. 😊
Happy to help!
I'm assuming paper that doesn't say it's 100% cotton is wood pulp. I have some small pads that I experiment on with mixing colors. However, even cotton papers differ in quality. Your best bet is to get samples if you can.
I recently bought a Hannemuhle 100% cotton,120lb sketchbook (A6 size) that I love. I'm definitely going to buy a larger one. 😊
I think that's good advice MaryAnn - if it doesn't have 100% cotton printed on the cover of the pad then it is probably wood pulp. I had to contact Reeves to find out about the paper I used in this video. It didn't have it printed anywhere on it.
Thank you Louise, a great comparison video, very informative
You’re welcome. Thanks Susan.
I love that you give such details as you paint and that you include the paint color and brushes you use. Yours are the absolute best tutorials I’ve see on CZcams. I haven’t searched your channel yet but do you have a tutorial on how to paint glass objects? If not I would love to see one.
Thank you so much Jane, that's very kind of you. 😀 I painted a glass vase in this video: czcams.com/video/tAzycmhZlbU/video.html
Merci pour cette vidéo très instructive. La Démonstration est très parlante...
I'm currently in highschool. I have a specialization in Visual arts. And this year, our teacher told us to practice on watercolor. So I begged my mom to buy me a watercolor block. And my parcel just arrived today, and I realized I bought, 100% wood pulp. I froze and began my research and trying to calm myself by saying "wood pulp is good. No biggie.."
And I painted on it and it sucked all the water on my brush. And it didn't blend really well. And I then stumbled in this vid. Thank you. From now on, I'll be careful. 😭
Great information. Now I know what's wrong with my sketchbook. Thank you Louise for an other great video
Thanks Suzanne. I bought a journal a year or two ago without realising it was wood pulp paper. I started to paint in it and I gave up after 5 minutes. I'll keep it and let my grandson paint in it when he's older.
You’re a better man than I am, Ahab… (An Americanism meaning I wouldn’t do it, due to sheer spinelessness.)
In the photography game, paper and matting for archival stability is paramount and wood pulp needs a fair amount of acidity to make into paper and boards; they need additional pH buffering to get above 7.0 and are unreliable for long-term use. So 100% cotton (or rag) is all we’d use. Of course I’ve carried this to watercolor as well. That’s mine own 2ȼ…
It’s great you are showing us the differences. The only real wood pulp paper I can find locally is newsprint, which isn’t available in a heavy weight for serious purposes. Thanks again for sharing, Louise! Have a great week, Ma’am. 🥳
Your videos are always so helpful and beautifully done, thank you.
VERY helpful!
You did such a great job on both papers.
Thanks very much. 💕
Nice demonstration Louise! I hope next time you make a side to side comparison of Arches vs Baohong artist grade watercolor paper. A lot of watercolorists say the latter is comparable to the former. I want to know what's in the Arches that people consider it as one of the best paper. If I get convinced that Baohong is almost as good as Arches, I'll probably stick to it coz I can have a good quality paper without breaking the bank.
Thank you Adrian. I have been using Baohong to do studies lately. I have found it to be one of the better - less expensive papers. It won't replace Arches for me but I recommend giving it a try. I talk about it briefly in this video czcams.com/video/4WSNxGxNUsU/video.html
Thank you for this , really helpful
Love your new studio! Thank you for your experiment, experience and sharing.
My pleasure and thank you Gayle.
Lovely comparison. 😊
Thank you, Louise!
My pleasure. Thank you!
Thanks and the outtakes are wunderfull best wishes from Cologne Germany
Glad you like them. Thank you Beate.
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Louise for the comparison. It is such a shame that all the good paper from overseas is so expensive here in Australia.
🥰🥰🥰👏👏👏👏maravilloso video!!!!
I also invested and started with Arches. But practiced on cheaper paper like Canson.
I would like to see more videos on composition and color harmonies, like how do you choose reference photos, do you take your own, how do you arrange subjects, do you combine reference photos, how do you handle different lighting situations in different references etc. I know you buy photos from a wildlife site but do you purchase just single photo, do you have the right to paint it or do you need a special kind of license to use it as a reference for work that will be sold?
Great suggestions. Thank you Katarina. Always check the usage licences when you download a free photo. Pixabay and Unsplash are the free sites I use. Wildlife Reference Photos is another good site where you can buy a subscription and download a few photos.
Thanks for such great info and photography! Recently, I purchased Canson XL and Strathmore Visual Journal sketchbooks, based on high ratings. I see many artists do amazing things in them, but they are frustrating me to no end. I use a lot of water and overwork so, and that may be why. Perhaps eventually they will "break" me of these habits, but now just my spirit is broken. With your skill, I am sure painting on a paper shopping bag would yield good results for you! I have a fair amount of Arches that I bought on sale many years ago and have started to use it again for "good" work (whatever that is). There have been many complaints that the sizing on Arches is not up to the former standards. You may have addressed this before, but have you run into any problems with it recently?
Lol- Thank you Joy! I bought a Strathmore Visual journal - never again. I'll keep it for my grandson to paint in when he's older. I have not noticed an issue with sizing on Arches lately. I have noticed that the sizing deteriorates over time. You can paint on both sides of the paper so I keep old failed paintings in a drawer. When I need to demonstrate something here on CZcams or in one my longer tutorials I'll get out one of those old failed paintings (they might be 4 or 5 years old) and sometimes when I paint on the back I notice the paper resists the paint in some areas- which I think is a deterioration in the sizing.
@@LouiseDeMasi Thank you for your gracious reply! That is lighting a fire under me to use the Arches that I have been saving for many years. I was worried about "wasting" good supplies when I was learning, but now I realize that the only wasted supplies are those that are unused. I took a workshop (my first!) in 2001 with Tony Couch, who is very famous in the US. He emphatically stated, "To me, there is only one paper - Arches".
I too bought many Arches and as a beginner only have used it a few times. I heard there's a learning curve on Arches... which I saw... it's more thirsty than pulp. I need to restart my journey after 2 months off... loving the comments from utube because there's so much to learn... Bless you, from a California Gramma ❤️
So beautiful...I love your work! I have a question for you, not sure if you are able to answer. Do you know what watercolor paint Marjolein Bastin uses? Your work reminds me of hers. Stunning
Thank you very much Gene. I love Marjolein Bastin's work. I don't know what she uses I'm sorry.
Louise , was this video made by your son? If so, it is different ! It has additional elements that make it like more entertaining more rich! Congratulations!
Hi Maria, yes it was. Thank you very much. I showed him your message and he was chuffed! 🥰
As a beginner I started on 100% cotton but just can't afford to buy it anymore and have stopped painting. I bought several makes of cotton paper and noticed that they were all different. It would be helpful to know what process we can use to find out the good and the bad of each paper and then how to adapt to that paper.
Jill Poyerd Fine Art has a good video on the Performance of Different watercolor papers, very detailed and useful. Hope it helps
@@lexiharon9088 Thank you, I'll head over there now ♥
Strathmore is putting paper out now they say is 100% cotton but it is not 100% cotton. You can tell right away because of how it acts when you erase a pencil mark...if there is paper in the fibers the eraser mark will mar the page and pill. Also, if it is 100% cotton when it dries on a stretched block, it will spring back flat when it dries. The Strathmore block I just bought on Amazon is totally buckled after the first little bit of water I put on it on top of the pilling. You have to be careful what you buy even if it says its cotton.
You look so good today. Colour in clothes and livhter hair. Very beautiful
Oh thank you Judy.
I’m wondering if you’ve tried Etchr’s wood pulp paper? I’ve found it to be pretty comparable to a cotton, but would love to hear your take on it.
My only issue with cotton paper is the lifting. Or rather the lack of being able to lift properly. I assume not all cotton paper is the same, however. I've only been using the Baohong Academy watercolor paper, which is also 100% cotton, but lifting on that one is pure torture, imo. The paint seeps into the paper and you can't get it out of there properly anymore. Which really bothers me because I really like that paper otherwise and it's the most affordable one for me. Guess I'll have to live with it and use masking fluid so I don't have to rely on lifting so much anymore. And Gouache of course.
thanks for sharing. For me I think I choose wood pulp ❤️ but I don't know if available here in my place.
A pleasure Don. Thank you.
Great to hear someone pronounce aches properly 😊
Lol- Thank you Adriane! I never used to say it correctly but I went into an art supplies store in Sydney a few years ago and the owner told me how it was pronounced. I also contacted Arches and asked them how to say it correctly. When I started pronouncing it properly here on CZcams I got a very abrupt message from someone telling me I was saying it incorrectly and I needed to pronounce it like the 'Arches on a bridge.' 😳
Chị hướng dẫn bài "Ta là của nhau" đi ạaaa
Hi Louis, after one month free class, how much should I pay for the next course? Thank you.
Hi Yii, if you are talking about Skillshare, last time I looked it's about $168 for a yearly subscription. I have 13 watercolour classes published on there. There are thousands of other watercolor classes on Skillshare. The rest of my tutorials are on my Patreon site. I have over 130 on there now.
Thank you.
hm,m never used wood pulp paper before, maybe be better for gouache than watercolour
Hello. Could you please tell me wich brush do you use?
This video helped me to understand some of my troubles. Thank you!
That's great. I use Da Vinci maestro brushes. Thanks Veronica.
Thanks, Louise! Which series, please.
Cotton is actually cellulose too.