Watercolour painting is a delicate and rewarding art form, and one of the crucial elements that contribute to its success is the choice of paper. Selecting the right watercolour paper can significantly impact the outcome of your artwork. We wanted to take a closer look at one of the most renowned paper brands in the world Arches, to see what makes them a watercolour must.
Watercolour paper isn’t just a surface — it directly affects how your paint behaves. The way water moves, how pigment settles, and how much control you have all come back to texture. Choosing the right one isn’t about “better” or “worse”, it’s about how you want the paint to work.
Hot-Pressed (HOT)
Hot-pressed paper is passed through heated rollers during production, creating a smooth, almost plate-like surface. Paint sits more on top of the sheet rather than sinking in, which gives you sharper edges and greater control over detail.
It’s well suited to illustration, botanical work, ink and watercolour combinations, or anywhere precision matters. Washes will move quickly across the surface, so it rewards a more deliberate approach. You’ll also notice less visible texture in the final piece — everything reads cleaner and more defined.
Cold-Pressed (NOT)
Cold-pressed paper sits in the middle — not fully smooth, not heavily textured. It has a subtle tooth that holds water and pigment without becoming unpredictable. This is the most versatile option and often the starting point for many artists. It allows for both controlled detail and looser washes, making it reliable whether you’re building layers, working wet-on-wet, or combining techniques. If you’re unsure where to start, this is usually the safest and most adaptable choice.
Rough
Rough paper has a pronounced, uneven surface with visible peaks and valleys. This texture breaks up washes naturally, allowing pigment to settle into the paper in a way that creates movement and variation without much intervention. It’s particularly effective with granulating colours, where you want the pigment to separate and create texture on its own. Marks feel more expressive and less controlled, which suits a looser, more gestural way of working. It can be less predictable for fine detail, but that’s often part of the appeal.
Renowned for their artist's quality watercolour surfaces, the Arches paper mill in France manufactures all of its fine art papers using traditional cylinder moulds. They are revered for their quality, and dedicated to replicating the precision of hand-made papers created by master papermakers in the same mill in 1492.
100% Cotton - Its 100 % long cotton fibre composition gives the paper its beauty, a natural, lasting whiteness and an inimitable touch as well as strength.
Gelatin Sizing - Exclusive to Arches, gelatin sizing to the core preserves the lustre and transparency of the colours whilst preventing paints from penetrating into the paper. It allows superposing of washes and gives it added strength to resist erasing and scratching without tearing or linting. It also allows paints to be removed, either wet or dry, easily revealing the whiteness of the paper.
Learn the process behind the world's best in watercolour paper. Watch how Arches is manufactured, and learn how to get the most from your
watercolour painting.
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