PAPER

Paper Format:

**Sheets** - standard full sheet size is (22”x30”)

**Ten-yard rolls** - the paper can be cut to any desired size. It is a little difficult to handle because of the paper memory of the curl.

Paper Finish:

**Hot press** - smooth, hard, not very absorbent - better for dry-brush techniques. run through heated rollers that result in a smooth surface. intended for fine details.

**Cold press** - semi-smooth, absorbent. easily workable, and most common surface used in watercolor. run through cold rollers that press out a bit of the texture during the drying process.

**Rough** - very rough, absorbent. creates a lot of texture. not useful for fine details. comes right off the bed and is allowed to dry as is.

Paper Weight

This refers to the thickness of paper mostly. Standard paper is 140lb.

90lb (190gsm) / 140lb (300gsm) - buckle more and accept less water and handling.
260lb (550gsm)
300lb (640gsm) - accept more water, lifting, reworking, and general handling.
400lb (840gsm)

Paper Material (fiber):

Cotton - highest grade and most archival. naturally acid free. longest and strongest fibers making it extremely durable.
Cellulose - low to mid quality. typically student grade paper with the shortest fibers. (Newsprint and construction paper are both made from cellulose) these papers are more acidic and not archival and will break down over time.
Combination - mixture of wood and cotton fibers. generally used as a multipurpose paper.

Paper Terms:

Tooth - surface texture
Ream - 500 sheets of paper
gsm - grams per square meter
Sizing- starchy glue that binds and strengthens paper. helps paper be more resistant to moisture absorption. paper with both internal and external sizing is best and allows for richer color saturation. It is also more durable for reworking, lifting and scrubbing. less permeable paper.
deckled edge - the raw edge from pressing the paper in a mold. Usually this is cut off or you can create the look by tearing the edge of your watercolor paper.
watermark - the imprint of the paper brand in the corner of sheets of watercolor paper. You wont find this on block paper.

STRETCHING WATERCOLOR PAPER

If you enjoy working on larger sheets of paper, or more lightweight varieties, stretching paper is a good skill to learn.

Stretching steps:

Soak watercolor paper in clean tub of water for 10 min.
Holding two corners of the same side of the paper, let as much water as possible drain off.
Lay the watercolor paper on a support board. (see below)
Once the paper is flat, use a staple gun and place a staple in an upper corner to start. gently pull the opposite corner tight but do not overstretch. Staple that corner down. Do the same for the other two corners.
Next add a staple in the middle of the two corner staples toward the edge of the watercolor paper. It is important to put the corner staples in first before the middle ones.
put staples every 2" on top of the brown paper and let it dry flat.

Board materials used for stretching paper:

Plywood - Heavy surface and might need to be sanded and varnished before being used as it may have wood splinters.

Masonite - This surface is best for taping and clipping, but not stretching since the staples will resist the hard surface. lighter option than plywood and more compact since it is thin.

Gatorboard - Durable and useful for clipping, taping or stapling your watercolor paper to the surface. Gatorboard is a good option for painting outdoors since it is lightweight and easy to travel with. Be careful with the edges because they can be sharp and can cause a serious paper cut. It can help to tape the edges before using for safety.