Your choice of watercolour paper can have a significant impact on the calibre of your work. Low-quality paper may allow you to make some financial savings, but you’ll discover that some watercolour methods are challenging to execute since watercolour pigments do not react well on cheap surfaces. Additionally, you don’t want the paper to start falling apart if you employ sloppy approaches like scrubbing. Additionally, the paper must be durable and devoid of acid.
Your paper must be durable enough to endure numerous washings, not yellow, have enough weight, and have a consistent texture. Watercolour papers typically have one of three surface types: Hot Pressed, Cold Pressed, or Rough.
The weight of the paper is an important factor to keep in mind. The most accurate measurement of a watercolour paper’s weight is its gsm. The thickness of each individual sheet of paper is measured in grams per square metre, or gsm. The paper will crease more as it dries the lower the gsm.
The weights of 190 gsm, 300 gsm, 356 gsm, and 638 gsm watercolour paper are the most popular.
While keeping all these aspects under consideration, It’s great to venture outside of your comfort zone and experiment with papers of various sizes, weights, and textures.
[image from art-is-fun.com]