Arches Watercolor Paper Pad, 140 pound, Cold Press, 9"x12"

Gift for my brother and says it’s good quality. He uses it for sketching mostly but says it’s versatile and just the right size

This paper have a nice smooth surface. I didn't think it will be so smooth so for my purpose I didn't work. Will finish the first drawing and see how it goes.

Premier 100% cotton watercolor paper. Hard to beat. Paint puddle easy to pick up because paper retains moisture longer. Strokes on paper actually look better than they do on cheap, cellulose paper. Big difference in learning curve. This paper makes learning easier.

Very good paper. Top of the line.

If you do watercolor art, you likely know Arches. It is such good paper and is always consistent. The quality is top notch. This size is portable and I always enjoy their paper.

This is the best price that I’ve seen on Arches paper so far. I thought I would try this paper because I’ve heard people say it’s the best. I’ve also heard it’s very expensive but it’s the most important thing in watercolors. They say if you’re just starting out with watercolor and want to invest in one good quality item, the best quality paper you can afford is the first thing you should buy. Then they say Arches is the brand of that high quality paper, always followed by, “it’s expensive but worth it”. I find that If you buy it from an art store at full price it is much more expensive. I have been able to find it on Amazon for a much better value. The paper is great and I do get better results when I paint on it. I feel like the paint behaves differently than on cheaper, cellulose paper. I buy this 9x12 paper pad then I cut the sheets down in halves or quarters. This stretches the value a bit further. I find that if I paint on an entire sheet of 9x12 I end up with a lot of empty space around the outside edges of the page anyway. I’m new to watercolor and have been working on composition but a lot of my practice focuses on single subjects. I do a lot of practice on cheaper paper and then bring out this Arches paper for the “higher quality” practice. The “practice” pieces that I don’t mind showing to other people. The cheaper, cellulose paper is a place for me to determine which colors work well for the subject I’m painting, to practice how to hold the brush or even the correct size of brush for the subject I want to paint. Like I said, I’m new to watercolor so I have to start from square one. Once I’ve figured that out I am able to bring out the cotton paper to practice my blending techniques, how much water to use, the different behaviors of all the colors on my palette, etc…. Arches paper is very forgiving for beginners like me because I find that the paper can stand up to the scrubbing and lifting of mistakes. If I accidentally use too much water the paper dries nicely (eventually) enough that the whole piece isn’t ruined. In the event that the piece doesn’t turn out well on the front of the paper I can still use the less textured back side of the paper so that it doesn’t go to waste. The paper is very durable since it’s so thick and made of cotton and it can handle being painted on the front and the back.

Arches is a high quality watercolor paper. I'm never disappointed by how well it is made. I do wish it would specify whether the paper is brilliant White or cream natural. I'm trying to locate the white. While this paper is spectacular, it is quite expensive. I wish that's ALL art supplies would be affordable to everyone. One more downfall there was a delay in shipping. It also arrived in a plastic mailer. I was lucky the paper was in perfect condition because it should have been packaged in a box.

Arches continues to produce the highest quality cold pressed paper in 100% cotton. Excellent tooth and absorbency. The hobby artist can easily divide a sheet to create small works of art, thereby “stretching” the $ investment. Every watercolorist should try this product at least once!