I bought some of the Canson XL and didn't like how the paint pooled on top, though it makes it easier to lift staining colors, so I prepare the paper before I use it now. I tape it down, wet the entire surface with a large brush (not too much water), just once from side to side across the page then top to bottom across the page. Then I blow it dry so water doesn't settle anywhere and warp the paper. I was surprised at how flat it dried. When I painted on the paper, it absorbed the paint much better and I found it easier to paint on.

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Nice Kathy! Thanks for sharing! Maybe I'll try stretching mine :)

@bleachisneededhere8898

4 жыл бұрын

Kathy Trombetta yeah but you should not have to prep paper. I have always had problems with pigmentation and warping when it came to canson. I tried arches today and I never want to go back.

@liliyadudko9959

4 жыл бұрын

i liked it for portraits, especially you need to lift color up it's easy with Canson XL. if any mistake you can easily correct it just with wet brush. and colors can be without harsh edges what it important when you paint skin.

@waymire01

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you. Some of us would happily prewet to save that kind of money and be able to keep painting.

I have found that Arches is more forgiving, but Fabriano gives more consistent and superior results. Across many different sheets Fabriano just seems to have a more constant threshold at which it absorbs water. The downside of Fabriano is if you mess up it's more obvious and harder to make adjustments.

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing!

I’m sorry for spacing out on a lifting test! It was my intention to do so, but I was trying to get this done under a deadline and simply forgot. I will do a separate video for this using the same swatches you see here, as well as add some notes about practical application. Stay tuned! P.S. every paper I have ever tried is in this video. No need to ask if I've tried others :) At this time of recording this video, this is all of them.

@anjuliambani5835

7 жыл бұрын

wasn't*?

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

It was my intention to include one :)

Oh Wow! You have the most incredibly thorough reviews/comparisons...I love them!

I've found that, when using hot press paper for botanicals, one must limit the amount of liquid in the brush, therefore using more thin washes to build up color. I find this to be rather tedious, but necessary.

BRAVO! Yes Paper is the Most Important when painting, even if your a beginner or pro. People hate the cost, but it is just one of the 1st Rules of watercolor painting. Over many years, people who I tell just don't get it. Painting Watercolor the Paper has to be the most important. Then Paints and then brushes. All 3 make for good Art.

Thank you so much for this video! As a beginner, I have been using W&N Cotman for practicing and exercises and the Sennelier Aqua Mini when I paint botanicals which I am most interested in. Paper has been the most intimidating because many of the brands feel the same to me. So many artists use Arches but I would be too worried to use it as I am not yet over the feeling of being worried about wasting paper. So I really appreciate the prices and information you found on each paper

@InLiquidColor

6 жыл бұрын

I'm glad the information was helpful! At the very least, I'd definitely recommend the Aqua Bee in 6x9 sheets if it's available where you live. It's affordable, great for sketches, and still 100% cotton :)

@princessmanitari4993

5 жыл бұрын

I myself have a huge love for fabriano; since you can also get 75 sheets in one of their jumbo blocks! And i easily do atleast 10 months with one block. So therefor fabriano also is my main paper that i work with. Also causes less worries. ❤

Thank you so much for doing such an expansive overview! This has definitely introduced me to a few new papers, and I'm sure it's been helpful for others as well!

Thank you for an awesome video on paper!! I especially love how you showed us the samples together and then really close up individually.

@InLiquidColor

6 жыл бұрын

You're welcome! I'm glad it is helpful :D

Thank you very much! This video is by far the most informative in explaining different paper types and comparisons. I have spent so much, too much money on paper (Arches) as a beginner. Please continue making these videos. Has been a huge help! Thank you & God bless!

Thank you so much for your commitment to this test! Was super helpful and I appreciate the scientific approach.

Exceedingly informative thank you Denise!

Amazing series. Thank you for doing these!

Wow, Denise, what a workout! You went through SUCH a lot of hard work for this video. Great job! I had wondered about other paper is heard of and this truly helps me know that what I currently have and can get is the best for me. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for working so hard on this...for us!!! Hugz, Tree

I love this video even though I wish I had seen it a year ago when I started to paint 😀. I almost gave up because of the issues I encountered painting on cheap watercolorpaper. I just assumed I was the problem since I tried a bunch of different paper brands (all cheap 😞) and just could not do what I saw others do when they painted with watercolors. I decided to give it one more chance with the paper all others Said was the best, Arches. I bought all 3 types of 140 lb (300g/m2) and all of a sudden I could get the paper and colors to ”sing” in harmony. I still think that professional watercolors (i use Schmincke Horadam, Qor and Daniel Smith at the moment) combined with a good quality watercolor paper make my learning a lot easier, I mean A LOT easier. So I would recommend to use the best watercolorpaper and watercolors you can afford even from the beginning. All the issues I had have become managible thanks to good quality. Now I can continue learning and enjoy the journey. Thanks for all the videos you (and others) post on KZread, they give me knowledge and inspiration whiles I try my best to grown whilest enjoing myself ❤️

@clairebourbonniere6937

5 жыл бұрын

Kaja Nilsson, Do Qor wc paints mix well with other watercolours like Daniel Smith ?

@katnilsson

5 жыл бұрын

Claire I’m a beginner that paint fantasy and floral mostly, I do think Qor blends well with my other paints. Qor paints move a lot more on wet surfaces so I use them often together with Daniel Smith and Schmincke so I can control the areas I don’t want as much movement in.

@clairebourbonniere6937

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your reply Katja !

I love the Strathmore 500 watercolour paper. It's so affordable and I can get gorgeous pieces from it. I use the hot press usually, but I've decided to try the cold press to give it a try. I do a lot of animal pieces, and the hot press is great for getting those little details

Wow this is the best and most thorough review I've ever seen! Bravo Denise! Thank you very much! I usually buy whatever's on offer (in the 300+ cp range) and try to force myself to be flexible :)

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

frouk fgb thank you! Part of my desire for doing this was a lack of other larger scale comparisons so I do hope that it proves to be useful for the community :)

Great video! Such an incredibly expansive comparison!

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Thank you Grace!! :)

Thank you for all the exellent work you are putting down ! Very helpful :-)

Such an awesome video! 👏🏿 I know this just have been a ton of work. Really makes me want to try out some heavyweight Moulin de Roy! Also got me itching to do my own tests!

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Sadie Saves the Day yay! I'm glad you liked it 😁

Thank you! Yes, this was very helpful!

Everytime I'm on a quest about anything related to watercolor I end up watching a video of yours. Here I am once again. I'm "watercoloring" for about 6 months now and doubts about watercolor supplies never end, it seems. Have you tried Hahnemühle's Expression paper? Not much about it, in video especially. I guess it's a recent or not very popular product yet. The price, unlike Arches, Fabriano or Heritage, is more... "sympathetic to my pocket". 😸 Thank you so much for everything. It's very kind and generous of you to help us out in so many ways. Take care! Xx 🇧🇷👩‍🎨

@lakshmibiswas763

3 жыл бұрын

I'm considering Hahnemuhle Expression myself as I found its the cheapest 100% cotton paper out of the main brands. How have you found using it compared to other watercolour paper?

@lindyk7132

2 жыл бұрын

@Lakshmi Jaiswal Sorry, I haven't seen your comment before. I've painted a lot with the Expression paper ever since and have tested a few others as well. Among the cheapest ones, I agree with Denise that the XL is the best choice against Montval. Montval can't handle as much fixing and brushing/layering as the XL. On the other hand, the XL does not do well with a lot of water, as in the wet-on-wet technique, because it warps and does not get perfectly flat again. With that in mind, I use it to practice Anna Mason's tutorials, for example, and it works really well. Even though it's not the whitest paper, I also like the vibrancy of colors on it. Finally, about Expression: it was a great first cotton paper. Today, I'm not sure if it's my perception, but it feels unreliable and very difficult to fix and lift. I don't remember having any major issues when I bought it, though. I might not have noticed much at first or, I suspect, it might be a storage-related issue. I live in a coastal area, very humid and rainy, and I confess that I had no idea how much this could affect the performance of the papers overtime. Today I keep my pads in a zip plastic bag, inside a cabinet. I hope it's enough, lol. I'm still researching on papers, testing samples, and one that I really liked due to its resistance and color vibrancy was Cézanne Rough. Unfortunately, it's not one of the most affordable. How about you? All the best.

Thank you so much!!! This video was so important for me. 😍

very comprehensive review. nice resource!

I have the same experience with Arches and granulation. I used a granulating cerulean for a sky yesterday, and the way it behaved on the nice Arches paper vs in my watercolor sketchbook was startling. It wasn't necessarily bad, but I definitely wasn't going for that distinct level of granulation.

Thanks for sharing this comparison demo.

@InLiquidColor

4 жыл бұрын

I'm glad it was helpful!

When it comes to watercolor paper review, this is very thorough. You usually see youtubers just talking about the paper itself and their experience with it but you show how several techniques work with the paper and compare them side by side. This really helps to let us viewers choose which paper is best for ourselves.

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks Wendy! I'm one of you guys! One of the reasons I wanted to make this video so thorough is because I myself was looking for comparison videos and most only have a handful. I know this isn't even close to ALL of the papers out there, but it's a step in a good direction for this type of video I think :)

@Watching_Koi

7 жыл бұрын

I also recently bought some watercolor samples from Jacksons. Some of them are the ones that you missed out on like the St. Cuthberts sample pack, Stillman & Birn, & Jackson's watercolor papers. I didn't manage to get any of the Fabriano Artistico or Canson Heritage papers offered, but I can wait until they're available and then do a similar test to yours.

Great review! I miss layering and lifting, but you have done a massive job! My absolute favourites are Arches and Mouline du Roy, then Fabriano and Stonehenge, and finally Canson XL for loose quick sketches.

@InLiquidColor

6 жыл бұрын

There's a part two for lifting! :) Thanks so much for watching and commenting :)

Arches really is the best, and what I always go back to. I especially like that both sides of the paper are usable, though slightly different in feel, especially the cold press, so a with a painting that doesn’t work out, one can always use the back. I like Sennelier watercolor paper too. One that I’d like to try is the Kilimanjaro.

thank you so much! in my own art, I personally really like the Fluid or Arches (whichever I happen to have on hand tbh) hot press for my pieces and Canson XL for testing color mixes and concept.

@InLiquidColor

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing!

Great video, thank you! As I have said before, Mulin Du Roy is my absolute favourite in cold press, it can take a lot of abuse too. It works extremely well with a watercolour underlayer and colour pencil on top. I’ve never been much of an Arches fan. I like fabriano artistico for hot press, but I don’t like their cold press at all, colours look muted and dirty on it, it’s dull. It also doesn’t feel like cotton. I love the new version Saunders hot press. I have ordered some Saunders cold press to try more indepth.

Thank you so much for doing this video. Probably saved me a lot of money!

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Linda Logan Marcrum you're welcome. I'm glad it's helpful!

Thank you so much for this Denise 😍

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks Allan! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Very helpful. Thank you

WOW. This is incredibly thorough, and super helpful. My current favorite paper is Cheap Joe's Kilimanjaro line, but gosh... There are a couple of papers I'd love to try from your video! Thanks for the super just incredible amount of work you put into this.

@MeowMeowKapow

6 жыл бұрын

P.S. For the kilimanjaro papers, I get mine in the block format and experience NO BUCKLING whatsoever as a result. They also have a "natural" finish and a "bright white" type and I've actually found that the natural one adds a really nice warmth that I didn't expect to enjoy.

@InLiquidColor

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you! I do really look forward to getting some more Kilimanjaro when the budget allows!

@MeowMeowKapow

6 жыл бұрын

In Liquid Color when I saw your prices I was super confused, because I buy them a couple at a time since they're so cheap....but then I realized you're using the 9x12 loose sheets, while I'm using the 6x4 blocks. The blocks I get are mayyyyyube $7, but they have sales every now and then and I think I got 4 of them for $12 last year and haven't run out yet. Anyway! If you want to play with them more, I'd recommend going for the small blocks since they're so much less expensive, and it's super easy to find 4x6 frames for paintings. :D

I know this is an older video of yours but I'm so happy you made it Denise, always awesome quality, love your work and want you to know it.

@InLiquidColor

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Angie! I'm due for an updated one where we test out more samples that I've acquired since then!

@angiewright-artist8246

5 жыл бұрын

@@InLiquidColorI'll be watching for it! Yay! If you've never tried it, I like Bocking Ford, st. Culberts mill in England makes it, it not cotton its made with felting and is gallery archival for artists, I wasn't sure if you knew about it yet so wanted to share. Take care Denise xoxo thank you

Great video Denise! 😁 I actually have quite a few of these papers in some form...there's only a couple that I don't have. Finding the right paper can be a be daunting for the very personal look one is going for. Great comparison! 😃👍

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks as always Valarie! :) Like I needed more things to put on my list, right? hehehe

I am an Arches cold press user from even back in college, I still find it to be a much used paper for me. That said I found Union Square Blocks from Jerry's That I got from a closeout sale and I just love these papers I bought several sizes and have found nothing bad to be said of any of them! They just look wonderful and I will look to buy more when I run out, which may be a while as I overbought because the sale was so good and I was worried about using up all of my Arches on practice work coming back after a hospital stay!

Extremely informative! Thank you for your effort. I truly appreciate it!

Thank you for your extensive review! Must be quite laborious to film & edit

hi Denise! thanks for the intensive, very valuable content. it's going to become a go-to resource for watercolor artists, both professional and amateur. I sincerely thank you. BTW, Hobby Lobby in my rural Tennessee home stocks the Canson Montval papers at about $3/imperial sheet...22"x30". I would check your local Hobby Lobby if I were you. And l believe the can ship to you... thanks again for ALL your valuable videos. They are so informative.

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for your kind words Pam! I really appreciate it, and I'll look into that source!

I mostely use canson montval but will try the arches and the canson xl, they look pretty good. thx for this video it really helped!!!

@kalebsok2947

6 жыл бұрын

Liesbeth Verhaeghe is canson montval good?

I enjoy working with the Canson XL and I think it's worth mentioning accessibility since you can likely find this paper in pads and spiraled sketchbooks at stores like Michaels. Accessibility can really help with regards to affordability. I have invested in the hot press arches and have to agree that I am not pleased with it (probably hot press in general) but would love to try the cold press at some point.

@JenniferCharleeArt

7 жыл бұрын

Also, I wanted to commend you on putting together such an in depth and comprehensive review of so many papers! Great work

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Thank you Jennifer! I completely agree about the accessibility. It's very easy to find. I'd recommend the Canson Heritage for sure for hot pressed if you want something closer to cold pressed but that still has a smooth finish. That was a convoluted sentence but hopefully it made sense haha. Jacksons Art has a great range of samples if you want to try it out very inexpensively and if you don't get anything large or heavy, shipping is negligible :)

@JenniferCharleeArt

7 жыл бұрын

I had actually never heard of Jackson's until this video :o I saved their site in my bookmarks 🙃😌

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Jennifer Charlee Art yay! It's where I got my Sennelier travel box recently and slid some extra paper samples in :)

@JenniferCharleeArt

7 жыл бұрын

Nice!

Wondering if you have done an update to this test? It was very informative... I have been away from painting for 30-plus years and much of what I knew was forgotten... so this definitely helped me choose materials... ty.

Denise, If you like the Canson Heritage experience on the side with the logo, you might like the back side even better. According to the company, the side without the logo is the side that has the sizing on it and its the side meant to use. Meaning the sizing is only on one side of the paper. One person learned this by trial and error and it was amusing to see how she discovered the difference. kzread.info/dash/bejne/k4mhqshxgpXIk6g.html The same thing happened to me as well with my Canson Heritage sample. LOL! Thank you so much for testing these papers. I find I'm now considering giving the Canson Moulin du Roy a try. PS, Some watercolor paper works best when soaked and stretched to remove a bit of the outer sizing. Arches hot pressed is one of them. I do this with it all the time.

Great video really interesting, Might give the moulin du roy cold pressed a go as its around the same price as arches on jackson s though i do like the W&N coldpressed . Other than arches the other decent brands of hot pressed in your video are quite expensive where I am so will have to see what I can get as im currently using student paper and am starting to stuggle with warping and buckling.

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

I'm definitely going to try a sheet of the Canson Heritage HP out. It's the only one that reminded me of CP in regards to the way that it handled the paint :)

My first experience with cotton paper was sobering, mainly because I was hoping for a much better paper, because many people believed and had the experience that cotton paper is very good and cellulose paper is so difficult and bad. My expectations were maybe too high for a paper. The Artistico in CP 300g / m2 was my first cotton paper and was bought before the changeover in 2016. It was better but not that it felt e.g. much better like 10 times better and it's a lot easier to paint on. I also never had the feeling that I had to fight against my cellulose paper, which is also due to my somewhat loose painting style. Maybe the other people had awful papers before and from something bad to very good there is a very big difference and from good to very good the difference is much smaller. I previously had 2 private label papers a cheap 200g and an expensive 275g with cloudy texture, Etival by Clairfontaine, Fabriano Watercolor and Canson Montval and I like all these papers for their peculiarities. I think that very good paper with special properties is only needed with a very precise painting style and that the paper has to support the working method very precisely instead of the certain pictures failing due to the material if it is not quite as optimal. The colour, for example, dries up exactly as desired and that there can then be no deviations, so a paper 100% must meet the requirements and with 99% it is not enough. So I'm not so perfectionist and paint more loosely, so I can deal with my paper selection more loosely, I still like to paint on these papers even if i have tried other papers. I prefer to paint on cloudy paper and there are not many papers that have this structure apart from the private label paper, there is for example the Fontaine paper in cloudy from Clairfontaine 100% cotton, Fabriano Artistico in soft also cotton, Reflex Aqaurell No 10 Esparto paper from desert grass for which not as much water is used for cultivation as for cotton.

@askialuna7717

4 жыл бұрын

in case someone asks, I had already tested some Cotton watercolour papers, and they were very similar to each other for my loose painting style. Some dried a bit faster others took a little more time so the papers were just a little different within a texture group. Masking fluid did not work on all papers a few broke when I tried to get the masking fluid away. I could not erase on these papers as much as on others, because they also broke on the spot. So the only paper that is very different is the Millford paper, on it paint are dried differently from the edges of the appearance and the colors do not sink at all and can be completely removed. The paper probably has as much sizing inside as it could hold.

Awesome video Denise! Thanks for the great info. I've been playing with Strathmore 500 and it's growing on me. I definitely have to check out the Canson Heritage. 😁 Oh, I totally agree about the hot press, I figure if you can master washes on hot press paper you can master them anywhere. Also, have you tried non traditional surfaces? Like aqua board or watercolor canvases?

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Funny Dude I have been playing with the samples you sent me as well and they are growing on me. I'll be doing a part two to this video for the lifting and I'll see if I have time to add in some more notes about practical application.

Great video!!! Thank you for all the time and effort you put in every one of them, it really resorts in the quality of the content ;)I currently use Canson XL and it's the second papier I've ever used, the first one was a pad of no brand paper, but it was actually (slightly) better, I'm indeed really struggling with the canson XL... But I ordered a pack of 12 sheets of 100% cotton, 300 gsm, cold press paper from different brands and lines.(Arches, Fabriano, Canson...)But I didn't touch them yet I'm too scared lol

Very useful video! Thank you for all the info. I'm curious though, as to how those papers react to glazing and other techniques. Some are probably better than others for layering, and to some it might be hardly possible.

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Lethargic Ophelia I don't have glazing specifically but I did do a lifting test which can help with that question!

@Denise: the Canson moulin du Roy is much cheaper than Arches when I buy 22 by 30 full sheet. This is generally the case when I get it from Jackson’s or even my local art supply store. There is a difference of about CAD 6-8 per sheet depending on where I get it from. moulin du Roy is manufactured differently than Arches but both are owned by Canson (as far as I know). I also really like Moulin du Roy. I am in Western Canada by the way.

@InLiquidColor

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the info!

Have you tried Magnani Portofino? :) I love it! I also use Fabriano Artistico + Studio, and Arches, all hotpressed. :)

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Lina Sundqvist everything I've ever tried is in this video :)

I am currently using fabriano studio jumbo block and the canson montval jumboblock keep in mind the last one is lower than 140 so it does need to be stretched and yes you can tell it's the cheap stuff but for practice it works just fine, I now use canson more for stamping as ink tends to stay more on survace than wc,so it does get a fair use. I hope you have the info down in a blog cause my beginner brain got a flatline after 15 minutes,lol.

Thank you for a GREAT comparison! I enjoy your channel, and appreciate the exta special care you take in being so thorough and detailed in every tutorial you bring us! Your creative process with demonstrations, techniques bring us watercolor products in your tutorials always packed with information that is truly one of a kind. I've learned so much and have been introduced to more products than I knew existed. I'm relativity new to watercolor and appreciate your very detailed information about all the various up to date products available to us. Your testing of different products with total unbiased review's and honesty is so refreshing. Thank you very much for bringing us all this. I appreciate your personal preference and professional opinions, on the products and topics you bring us as well, which for me are so helpful and welcomed! Have you ever thought about teaching online watercolor courses in the near future?

@InLiquidColor

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for the kind words Linda! It means so much to me that my content is valued. I'd love to create an online watercolor course, but I wanted to gain more traction (a larger audience in which to market it to) before committing to such a huge task. I'm thinking perhaps I'll start working on it after the holidays? *crosses fingers*

I've been enjoying your videos lately and really appreciate how informative they are, thank you! Regarding my preferences for paper, fortunately my first watercolor teacher got us started on Arches so in my mind that is the go-to paper. But of course I looked later for cheaper alternatives and explored cellulose papers such as Strathmore 400 140lb CP, Canson Monval, and Canson XL. These are actually in my order of preference. I like the Strathmore and Montval okay, but I thought the Canson XL was horrible and now I use leftover paper for anything BUT watercolor. My main complaint was that it deteriorated so easily, plus was difficult to work with as you have mentioned. I of course agree that cotton is best and am resolved to mostly use cotton now, even for little 4x6" on-location sketches (I've learned to make my own watercolor blocks). I do appreciate Arches 140lb cold press but I have found over the years that I think I enjoy Fabriano Soft Press the best. It's got a soft pliable feel (which I love over the rather stiff Arches paper) and a nice balance between cold press and hot press for texture and handling. I like to incorporate ink lines into my watercolor paintings often and this paper lends itself well to that. I have tried Fabriano CP but not impressed enough to get again in any quantity (and as I am trying to transition to being more vegan I wanted to like it). I tried the Legion Stonehenge Aqua sample pack and that was nice. That was my first time using 300lb paper and it was a fun experience.

@stacyegan5719

6 жыл бұрын

I wanted to also add that I've also had experience making my own sketchbooks, and found that Strathmore Aquarius II paper is great for that purpose because it is thin (80lb), pliable, and doesn't buckle too badly. The down side of this paper for me is that it makes my colors look a bit anemic.

@InLiquidColor

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for adding so much to the discussion!

Great comparison, really useful (: Today I tested out for the first time my new Legion paper (cold-pressed), and I loved it!

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Liron Yanconsky awesome!

This is so helpful and comes in handy before I go buy too many papers just to try out! thanks a lot! If you had to choose between Canson Heritage and Arches, 300gsm Cold Press which one would you go for? Thank you in advance!

@InLiquidColor

5 жыл бұрын

Arches is my go to :)

@AnushaIvaturi

5 жыл бұрын

@@InLiquidColor thanks a lot! :)

Try an artist grade paint. I use Qor. Their colors are intense and cost is within $5-$10 of the Cotman student grade set. Holbein gouache might be a nice add in too. Good color and good paper are worth the investment. Wonder if you would try another comparison of newer papers on the market like Stonehenge blocks that lay flat in hot press, cold press and 300. You might like the fluid 100’s better in block form as well since block lay flat better. Nice demo.

thanks for this information it was very helpful. my favorite paper is the pentalic aqua journal paper or aqua bee 140 # i found the 140 at michaels for about 15 bucks for about 25 sheets. 100 % cotton and i love it! which pentalic watercolor journsl was that paper from? theres the field book...the aqua journal..theres also the green label and a couple more.

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Oh cool! I hadn't seen the 140lb Aqua Bee. I'll keep an eye out for it. That sheet of the Pentallic was from the field book, but I also have the aqua journal and its pretty close. I just couldn't bear to cut a piece out of the aqua journal haha.

@alexserra9605

7 жыл бұрын

In Liquid Color i know i keep hearing people say 90# bee paper and i wasnt sure if it was aqua bee or not because i havent seen 90# and it seems like thats all thats out there. if you want i can send you the 140 its really nice and it feels marvelous. also how do you feel about the field book vs. aqua journal? idk it seems like i love my paintings alot more in the aqua journal than in my field sketchbook.

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Here's the link for the bee paper: amzn.to/2sgghHq I think I like the Aqua Journal a bit more, but I do still have some sketches in the field book that I like quite a bit too. The Aqua Journal feels softer to me, not as rigid. I don't know if that makes any sense haha. I also have on my radar to do a watercolor journal comparison at some point. If you'd like to send a sample, that would be very kind! My happy mail address is PO Box 5055, San Jose, CA 95150

I use Saunders Waterford CP and HP because it's local but I do remember liking the texture of Canson Moulin du Roy CP. Has anyone figured out what the difference is between the Moulin du Roy and Heritage lines are? Heritage looks like it's positioned as the top of the range but the actual product description does not define any real distinction from the Moulin du Roy...

Thanks for the video, but where do you find Arches sheets for 99 cents? In germany, they go for 5.25€/sheet.

@gorway7

5 жыл бұрын

I know, I can't justify the price of Arches - it's close to £6 a sheet in the UK. I stick to Saunders or Fabriano Artistico.

@Everyyoueverymiau

4 жыл бұрын

That’s why I stick to Hahnemühle Expression for now. It’s by far the most affordable here in Germany.

I'm just part way through the video, but I've found that hot press works great with watercolor pencils.

Great comparison, but you also inadvertently showed how weak the Cotmans were. Thank goodness you used the TBO so we could see what a pigmented paint looked like!

Lots of work, great to see. My favs Sennelier 100 percent cotton, 300g/m2 140 lb. This paper I only purchase on sale. And my runner up is Stonehenge cold press 300 gsm 140 lb. Having said that, not for playing around. On the kilmonjaro I like the journals and have some of the extra heavy weight too. I like Arches in cold press and spiral journal. I did take notes from what you tested, thanks for all the information. Maybe I could send you samples for the next time.

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Thank you Essie! I'm glad it was helpful :)

Id love expensive paper, always lovely to dream about them~ really wanna try arches now but my 99 cent 15 packs will have to do for practicing for now XD i take out my other paper like Canson xl and bee paper on a rainy day heh

@TheWipal

3 жыл бұрын

@Awenda oohh thank you for the suggestions!! :D

Thanks so much for the thorough review! Bonus points for reusing your Talenti pints! Have you tried the coconut almond chocolate yet? To die for! =D

@InLiquidColor

6 жыл бұрын

Oo I haven't tried that one yet! :D

Very thorough vid. You can tell from how thorough you are on this vid that you were a teacher. Lol. It looks just like my Mom's classwork. She taught elementary school.

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

bastet469 💜 Teachers unite! Hahah. Thank you kindly :)

Have you considered updating this one? It’s been five years and I imagine with what’s available now and your years of experience the outcome might change. I’ve enjoyed all of your sketchbook reviews (actually all of your videos and Skillshare classes, lol) and would love to get your current opinion on pads or loose sheets. Thanks for all you do!

@InLiquidColor

Жыл бұрын

I sure have! It's a maaaaassive undertaking and I haven't been able to tackle it yet. However, there is a mighty large pile of watercolor paper samples awaiting me... haha.

@NoFri11s

Жыл бұрын

@@InLiquidColor Lol! That sounds horrifying! As a fellow spoonie I say take all the time you need. 👊🏼❤️

I don't like the hot press either. I use Fabriano Studio for my cheap paper and my favorite cold press to work on is Fabriano Artistico. Can't say I love Arches for some reason. I love Moulin du Roi [roa] but I only had a sample sheet. I also have some German handmade paper that works beautifully for geatural floral painting) I have the habit of making myself sketchbooks with mixed papers so I can test them in real painting situations.

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Meda Halmaciu oh fun!

Thank you for this! My favorite paper is Langton Prestige. 100% cotton, a bit cheaper than arches, and it is also somehow softer than arches. That being said, I also really want to try out Moulin de Roy and the new paper from winsor and newton, as they are also cheaper than Langton!

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Ellen Wilberg thanks Ellen! I've heard good things about Langton as well :)

@msellenandrea

7 жыл бұрын

I wish I had been more aware about you collecting papers, I could have sent you both cold press and hot press :)

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Ellen Wilberg aw thank you for the thought! I do have a couple more still trickling in. If I get enough, I could add an addendum video in a month or two.

@msellenandrea

7 жыл бұрын

Let me know if you want some samples! :) I am so happy to send some!

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Ellen Wilberg I'd be very grateful if you'd like to :) my Happy mail address is PO Box 5055 San Jose CA 95150.

The granulation also comes to the fact that Cotman is student quality watercolour with much more granulation than artist ones. It would be interesting to see this using a artist grade watercolour instead. I bet my shirt, you would not have that granulation happening.

Another marvelous video Denise! This is an extremely informative video! I'm only a beginner but I bought a small block of Fabriano artistico CP 140lb/300gsm 100% cotton extra white paper and I have been reallly loving it. I also tried the canson Montval but it just didn't impress me. The Fabriano is also a lot easier to get here so for the time being I think I'm gonna stick with that.

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Perfect! I only use Montval for my quick paintings. Rarely every on things I intend to be proper pieces :)

Hello! I would like to ask you sth. I bought Arches watercolour paper for the fist time. I'm thinking of buying a bigger set of W&N Cotman watercolour pan set which is quite expensive. Are those good quality or not. Are they a student product and what's the difference between student and pro watercolour sets. Also i prefer the pan style watercolours more.

@terinagray9447

2 жыл бұрын

They are pretty good quality but contain less pigment than the professional paints and are probably less lightfast. You can still do a nice painting with them, but the paper makes more of a difference than the paint I think. I guess you’ve tried them by now, what did you think?

So I tried fabiano artistico with a sample pack I got. I totally hated it. It bowed, I couldn't get a clean line, blending was bad, etc. Unfortunately I had ordered 10 sheets of their soft press around the same time. Last night I thought let's just see if it's different since my samples were cold pressed. It is probably one of the best papers I've ever used. So I went back to that sample pack and wanted to see if by any weird chance the bright white, which is what my soft press is, handled differently than the natural white. It worked beautifully. It didn't have any of the previous issues and the only difference seemed to be that the extra white seemed like a totally different paper than their traditional white. I will never buy the natural white again but went ahead and ordered some cold pressed extra white from jerry's because it's super cheap right now.

@askialuna7717

4 жыл бұрын

Mine does not do that, it is already a few years old and therefore bought before the changeover in the manufacturing process. It has got worse, unfortunately the sizing is no longer uniform. Strangely enough, the Designo 5 which also had a changeover, it is still a good paper .

So Canson for portraits and Arches for landscape then? :)

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Lina Sundqvist sounds good to me :)

You need to update with a new paper from Stonehenge "aqua". It's inexpensive and 100% cotton, comes in CP and HP in all basic weights except for Hp isn't offered in the 300lb yet. I like the paper and especially the price. I did have some trouble with it easily lifting but I can fix that by choosing different pigments. Easy fix. Take care!

@erins.5420

6 жыл бұрын

Oh if you contact Stonehenge they will send you samples.

Hey Denise, I have tried almost all the papers out there as well and agree with your findings. Some other notes: I usually like CP more, but when it come to Fabriano Artistico I don't like the cp and LOVE the hp! Weird, I know! As far as the Fluid paper goes, I noticed a difference too. Then, I JUST order some Moulin du Roy paper today actually! I loved the CP and just like you I surprisingly liked the rough after I painted on it. I almost didn't even try it based on the look of it and was happy I did! I also ordered the Heritage (loved the sample I tried) as well as the new W&N. I haven't tried the W&N, so I just hope it's good!!

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Jessica Gaudette that's so neat we had similar findings! I had the exact same reaction to that rough moulin paper! I was like "what is this nonsense?" But glad I gave it a shot as well and it's sitting in my shopping cart! Let me know how you like the WN :)

Interesting how prices vary based on location. In our local stores Arches is 65€, while Canson papers are very cheap, Moulin du Roy is supposed to be pricer but is still 15€ for the same size (A3) :)

@InLiquidColor

6 жыл бұрын

It varies SO much!!

You could go back and try lifting, glazing over a detail line, and erasing pencil line. Those set apart good papers a great deal.

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

AnneM G the lifting video is already up.

@AnneGoggansQHHT

7 жыл бұрын

In Liquid Color Thank you!!! I'm sorry 😁.

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

AnneM G no worries :)

Super fun and interesting--thank you! I adore Kiliminjaro--it goes on deep sales 2-3 times a year. I just switched to the new Legion Stonehenge Aqua after running paper tests. Can't believe how inexpensive it is--probably because its made in the USA and doesn't have import fees. I'm more interested in lifting/glazing/softening off abilities, so Montval way outperforms XL as my sketching/swatching paper.

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Rebecca Page I'm bummed I didn't get to try the Stonehenge but will try to pick some up. I'm sorry I didn't get the lifting in this video but I'll get it out to you all next week! I'll have to keep my eyes out for that Kilimanjaro sale!

@rebeccapage4411

7 жыл бұрын

In Liquid Color This was a great video--don't apologize for anything! You asked us to share what we used here in the comments. I did and shared why as part if that conversation. I do paper tests, but never have done them all at once with so much control. This was an eye opener for me!

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

No I appreciate you sharing! I just feel bad for leaving out the lifting, which I completely intended to include. I don't lift much or at all so I always forget people want to see that :)

@rebeccapage4411

7 жыл бұрын

everart okelli Based on the name, price, and working qualities I would guess this is a St Cuthberts/British product. I was fortunate enough to get a sheet of Whatman paper when I was first painting, and it is very similar. I would try the new Millford paper from St Cuthberts that rolled out production around the same time.

Possibly, one of your Fluid samples was not the '100' and not cotton paper. Just a thought, it might explain the difference

Non-traditional I guess... so far my all time favorite is the back (wrong) side of Strathmore #140 pound Journal watercolor paper (cold press.) I wrote Strathmore and they said it is their 400 Series same as pad and blocks. Well, I went looking and all I've seen in those is #130... such an odd weight and, so far, not willing to invest. Absolutely hate Canson XL #140 but then I feel the same way about Arches #140 cold press block for different reasons... evidentally, I don't like 100% cotton.... go figure. I've heard that what I don't like about the Arches block paper is shared by others who say its only the blocks there are problems with and that the pads are different. So, at this point, punt or just keep using the backs of journal pages or the Strathmore post cards which I like as well... I just want to find a paper I can work bigger on. Edit: looks like I may have found it thanks to SpinDoctor... Milford #140 cold press... I'll try it... sizing equal sit on top like wrong side of Strathmore..., vibrant colors... no soak in like Arches dull almost chalky colors left (expensive pigments... block Arches is a problem.. so relieved to see SpinDoctor show exactly the same thing... don't feel such an odd ball now.

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Oh interesting! I use both the Arches blocks and loose paper. I have a slight preference for the loose paper, but love the convenience of the blocks. I don't have a problem with my main paints (mostly Daniel Smith and Schmincke) soaking in and becoming chalky, but as this video shows, some colors react very differently like that transparent brown oxide.

Great video Denise! JSYK, "Moulin du Roy", Roy is pronounced roo-a. It's "king" in French ;) I love how methodical and thorough you are, thank you very much! (I still want all the papers though lol)

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Eve Bolt - Bolt's Vault thanks Eve! Never would have figured that out on my own :p I'm glad you enjoyed the video! 💜

@laurabean4525

7 жыл бұрын

Eve Bolt - Bolt's Vault it's like the hockey player Patrick Roy lol

@EveBolt

7 жыл бұрын

Probably, as long as it's pronounced "à la French"! (I'm a very lamentable Canadian when it comes to hockey huhu)

@laurabean4525

7 жыл бұрын

Eve Bolt - Bolt's Vault I think he's one of the only players I know lol

@neruchan755

7 жыл бұрын

Can't help myself to precise that "Roy" is actually the old spelling (writing?) of the word "Roi" (which indeed means king) back in the Middle Age. But we pronunce it the same ^^ It's what we call "ancien français" ("old french")

It's not the materials that make the masterpiece. It is the artist.

@InLiquidColor

5 жыл бұрын

To an extent, but a cellulose paper will never behave (OR hold up through time) like cotton paper will.

@Drumaier

5 жыл бұрын

But the materials can help a great artist to achieve better results, impossible to achieve otherwise. Particularly with watercolor paper.

Hey Denise, I note that your tests on Canson Heritage are on the print side. Could you watch Sandrine’s video if you have time and see her experience of that side? She had a far better and less tearful experience on the reverse side, the difference was chalk and cheese. I wonder if, at your leisure, and out of interest, you could test the other side? kzread.info/dash/bejne/k4mhqshxgpXIk6g.html

I'm honestly so disappointed in Montval's performance, compared to Bee Paper, Arches and even Canson XL it lifts my paint far to easily as I'm working, and I'm using artist grade paint half the time. 3/10 would not recommend

@askialuna7717

4 жыл бұрын

This is extra so that it is easier to correct the picture. "Canson® Montval® watercolour paper has a great erasability. The essential key for this high quality watercolour paper is this ability to easily make corrections. This paper allows corrections even using a simple brush stoke." en.canson.com/watercolour/canson-montval

I bought Moulin du Roy recently.... biggest mistake in my life.

I've been using D'Arches watercolor paper, 140 or 300 lb. for the last 32 years. Every single time I try something else, I am always disappointed at the lack of quality. The cheaper paper is less brilliant, and a total waste of expensive watercolor pigments. If you want to use the cheaper brands, use cheaper paints. So, for me D'Arches is the standard because once I started using it, there was no turning back. Thanks for your video, however.

I really honestly love your videos but I wish you showed some quick paintings on these for me you can't know how a paper works unless you actually do a painting just a sketch. I love your swatches when you do paint reviews but show some more paintings. I hope I didn't sound mean I just wanted to let you know how I feel please don't take it the wrong way.🙇

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

Hi Clariece. Thank you for the feedback. I attempted to show a bit of that with the tiny landscapes rather than just the first row of swatches. I know it's not much, but please understand that the raw footage for this took over two hours plus another six hours were spent editing and uploading. So unfortunately until I am making a living doing these, there's no way I could allot the time to paint 24 of the same sketch on every piece here. I am doing a Part 2 which I am already on planning on doing small sketches on a few of them, but if there's not a painting attached to a video, the time constraint is why. As for my paint reviews, I am going to be doing many of them as "Part 2" segments as well, like I did my Schmincke review. Part of what makes my reviews different from other channels are the comparisons to other brands so I want to keep those, but it does make for long filming and long videos, so that's why the Part 2s are needed. Paired with the fact that I can only release a couple videos a week, it's going to take a while for me to get all the content I want on the channel up and running. The more support the channel gets through ads and more importantly Patreon, the more I can devote to releasing more videos per week. I hope this helps explains the process a bit and I will bring you the best content I am able within my constraints :)

@clariecek9872

7 жыл бұрын

Oh I had no idea how long it takes sorry I'm glad you're going to do more part 2s I can't believe it takes six hours I think I'm going to stop skiping ads LOL 😹

@clariecek9872

7 жыл бұрын

How are the da Vinci paints drying out? Are they cracking at all?

@InLiquidColor

7 жыл бұрын

No worries! I hope my reply came off okay as well. I know a lot of people don't know how long the post processing can take

Most of these mould made papers made by Fabriano, Arches, Canson, Saunders, etc. can hardly be considered papers. Those are not the papers that the watercolour medium has been defined on, nor defined for. They are good for practice only, but for serious work worth preserving or showing in galleries, only premium handmade papers can be called true watercolour papers. For example, TwinRocker handmade watercolour paper, Joshua Crystal and Thomas Girtin handmade paper by Ruscombe Mills, Losiny watercolour handmade paper, or Tasmanian watercolour handmade paper, are papers with superlative qualities that these mould-made papers cannot approach.

@igors5637

2 жыл бұрын

lol

does the arches cold press 140lb buckle at all?