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

Great quality, paper will warp some with a lot of wet into wet related to it not being a block but I used tape which did help some. Colors show up accurate and the texture is uniform. Good size and can easily be cut if needed. Easy to use and is a great quality 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.

I'm in love! What a difference quality 100% cotton paper makes!!!

I found watercolor so frustrating before trying arches. Truly the quality of the paper is the most important thing in watercolor (makes a bigger difference than paints or brushes) and I recommend this to everyone, especially beginners. You can cut sheets in half while learning or paint on both sides- this paper will accept many many layers just beautifully and you will like water color painting so much more. I tried so many cheaper papers hoping to find a cheaper alternative and there just is none. This is one of the best prices and easy free shipping. Sometimes you can get it for maybe 2-3 dollars cheaper if you have a good coupon elsewhere but this is the best consistent price. I didn’t have an issue with damage upon shipment (would have returned if did).

So far this is my favorite watercolor paper. It has some grit to it so you can do dry painting easily. I cut it up in 5 x 3.75 inch pieces and use it to paint cards, then I mat and attach them. I made about 40 for Christmas this year. Have at it and enjoy your craft.

Great for painting with water colors

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.

So I'm a beginner and started out with way cheap brands and to me, I'd rather start out with good products. This paper is very nice, I can do wet on wet with no problem of the paper dissolving and leaving small balls of chewed up paper behind. I know that I can do much more and learn more with a paper that is of quality. Great stuff and really not that expensive.