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watercolors
the world's finest guide to watercolor painting over 2,500 unique users perday
Welcome to the best and most comprehensive resource for watercolor painters on the Internet.
You'll find here information on all aspects of watercolor painting: papers, brushes, paints, "color theory," painting techniques, art instructional books, and more.
I've created these materials for painters who are weary of art marketing hype, inaccurate art theory, and the numbing workshop mentality that invites you to learn somebody else's "winning" painting style in ten easy minutes.
The depth of information will not be to everyone's taste. To those who do spend time here, I hope you find something to stimulate and guide your personal watercolor journey.
Explore, read what interests you ... and go paint!
The site map will give you a sense for what's available and how the site is organized. The map is a clickable index linked from every
subdirectory page on the site ... and from the site map you can navigate directly to any specific section. Topics are organized into sections within each page, and crosslinked to other relevant material.
Nearly all the information on this site is based on my independent research and personal painting experience. I make a special effort to describe my procedures completely, so that you can apply them for yourself.
Several art materials companies and individuals provided me with invaluable guidance and encouragement. My sincere thanks to David Albrecht (GretagMacbeth), David Aldera (NY Central Art Supply), Claire Conway (New York Metropolitan Museum of Art), Dr. Stuart Croll
(Department of Polymers and Coatings, North Dakota State University), Dr. W. Daniel Edwards (Department of Chemistry, University of Idaho),
Dr. Mark Fairchild (Munsell Color Institute), Alun Foster (Winsor & Newton), Art & Diana Graham (M. Graham & Co.), Ron Harmon (Daniel Smith), Jon Lloyd (Daler-Rowney), Mark Gottsegen (University of North Carolina), Sue Petherbridge (Society of Dyers and Colorists, UK), David Pyle (ColArt Americas), Dr. Andrew Young (San Diego State University), and to the many teachers, curators, scholars, retailers and practicing artists who have written to express their appreciation, offer suggestions, point out
corrections, ask questions, clarify misconceptions, or share their experience. You are helping to make this a community resource for watercolor artists around the world.
product samples; all costs of materials used in testing have been paid by me personally. Art reproductions appear here under the fair use
provisions of copyright law. Whenever possible, artists have been notified of and asked to approve the use of their works.
Errors and omissions are my responsibility, but I am grateful to the many readers who have contributed by email. Corrections, comments or
questions are welcomed. Email me by clicking on the link comments : requests anywhere it appears on the site.
I want to say some personal things first, to put your approach to this site in perspective.
I think the intellectual or "rational" approach to life is useful in well defined ways. It does not necessarily determine what is right or best for individuals to do; and intellectual expertise in itself is not genuine artistic progress nor rewarding recreation. The intellectual approach in art only matters if it can help you make better paintings.
On the other hand, evidence, experimentation and explanation can provide answers or solutions when your painting progress has gotten stuck in some kind of problem, and it can help dispel the false ideas that arose in earlier times among misinformed people. In the end, common sense should indicate when and how a factual approach can be useful.
There are too many words on this site. I am sorry about that. The verbal overgrowth is part of my struggle with myself, and with painting technique. In that sense the site is only one enormous diary, or web log. Read
critically.
Explanations are not as interesting as art, so I ask you to redeem the time you spend here by reaffirming your commitment to painting, and painting often. Good luck!
Why have I taken on such a huge effort, without pay, without institutional
support? Because my character insists on an accurate understanding of my artistic materials. Having done the research necessary to answer my many questions, I chose to publish it where others might use it in their own artistic exploration.
And this too: I believe watercolor is still the painting medium with the greatest potential for new discoveries. For this to happen, things must
change. Watercolor artists must set their aspirations higher than the county fair and bistro art display, and aim for the international art market. Until art
schools wake up and serve these aspirations, watercolor artists must learn about their materials and techniques through intensive independent study and collaborative discussion. They must emphasize permanent paints in order to bury the fugitive reputation that sticks to the medium from past negligence. They must replace misinformation and myth with fact.
My guiding idea has been that you, the painter, can teach yourself to see — and by seeing more clearly, improve your painting skills through consistent, attentive, observant practice.
Seeing means a more alert, questioning approach to the natural world and
to the works of other artists; it means challenging your own painting stereotypes and aspirations; and it means opening yourself to your
inexplicable, imaginative gift images. It also means a greater awareness of your art materials, your working habits, and the consequences of your design decisions and physical painting movements. All these apparently different types of seeing are really aspects of the same fundamental ability, and it is this ability that determines the quality of your work.
In that spirit, the site is really a record of my steps toward teaching myself
to see through watercolors — a comprehensive art notebook, told from
many points of view, in many different voices.
We live in an age of precanned media sensations, voyeuristic spectator recreations, nonsense political obsessions, cunning corporate deceptions and tacky psychobabble self explanations. By our outer directed passive
involvement, we become spiritual slaves in a world of unimaginable
freedom.
Watercolors are so simple, inconsequential, low tech, that they slide like children's games through our oversophisicated world. Their poetry and sensual complexity make us realize that we have somehow lost our childlike ability to see — with the creative eye that reveals a world of strange and unexpected beauty.
There is much technical information on this site, but technical knowledge is not the point. As the English mathematician Christopher Zeeman said,
"Technical skill is mastery of complexity while creativity is mastery of simplicity." Always seek your own simplicity and beauty.
The best artists are willing to learn by personal discipline and personal exploration. They do not accept what they are told; they see for themselves. But in watercolor there is an especially long, rich and varied tradition, from the early topographers to J.M.W. Turner, Winslow
Homer, John Marin, Georgia O'Keeffe, Edward Hopper, Eliot O'Hara,
Fairfield Porter, Gerhard Richter and Eric Fischl, of artists who by trial and error taught themselves how to paint in watercolor ... because they were intrigued, fascinated, inspired by the medium.
Georgia O'Keeffe began to paint in transparent watercolors in 1916, and though she had used gouache in her work as a commercial illustrator, she described her first experiences this way:
After about ten attempts — I certainly had to laugh at myself — It's like feeling around in the dark — thought I knew what I was going to try to do but find I don't — guess I'll only find out by slaving away at it.
"Slaving away" is a grim way to put it, but a surprising number of watercolorists teach themselves in much the same spirit.
Amateurs can go astray without guidance from others. Books provided me some guidance, but I discovered they were often mixed with
misinformation or simplistic half truths. From the quixotic J.W. von Goethe down to today's clumsily edited, knock off instructional books —
Winning Watercolors In Ten Easy Minutes! — artists are too often provided
with misleading or inaccurate information.
I found the surest method was to watch myself paint, experiment with different methods, and bring my conclusions back into my painting practice.
However, the key is this: we learn how to paint only by doing many paintings. We watch what happens as we paint them, and look at what happened after they are done. No one else is going to hold your brush and do your paintings for you, or convince you your skill is complete when you know in your gut you can do more. There is simply no other way to grow.
John Marin wrote to an admirer requesting advice:
You are to heed what I say and go on a — watercolor — debauch — it's quantity — not quality — you are after — not to take this too literally — but what I mean is to get in front of any old landscape and spend reams of paper and paint on it — painting 3 or 4 a day — and then at the end of the season — you'll — if you are naturally gifted — have learned something about watercolor — then naturally you'll come to quality.
The journal describes my watercolor progress, and includes links to the paintings I made as I learned. You may see parts of your own journey in it. I've also added a page of recent works to report my current activities. The other parts of the site ... the guide to watercolor pigments, the
my practical experience and independent research. Based on that knowledge, my book reviews praise some of the best and critique
(sometimes in depth) a few of the worst among the many painting tutorials available.
Recording my progress on this web site has sometimes been the only reason I made progress at all. Maybe reading it — or simply knowing that someone was crazy enough to put it here — can help you, too. Keep on painting!
The contemporary German painter Gerhard Richter was asked why he painted so few watercolors early in his career. His reply:
At the academy, drawing and oil painting were taught, not watercoloring. It didn't belong to the classic course of study. One drew with charcoal and pencil, afterwards one painted in oil: smaller oil sketches, larger oil studies, finally the oil paintings themselves. In the museums, too, there were only oil paintings or at best drawings to be seen, but no watercolors.
What was true in the 1960's is still true today: the exhibition catalog to the New York MOMA's 2002 retrospective of Richter's career reproduces
(postage stamp size) a single watercolor painting — a monochrome self portrait from 1949.
Artists often teach themselves how to watercolor because academies spurn the medium: not serious, not high art enough, certainly not "investment quality" enough!
The workshop mafia owns it by default. These artists publish dozens of art instructional books each year, all designed with a superficial approach and a cheery style. They appeal to your delusion that you can learn by
purchasing things, or copying what someone else tells you is right; they're designed to become obsolete in 18 months, so that you'll crave newer books when they appear.
Watercolor was once considered an important medium. And it is gradually reclaiming its place as a vehicle for the most beautiful and unexpected artistic expression. Not because artists read books (or web sites), but because they will not relent in their personal commitment to master the medium and make it speak their vision.
J.M.W. Turner, J.S. Sargent, John Marin, Edward Hopper, Charles
Burchfield, and many others have done amazing things with watercolor, each in their way, often working entirely on their own.
watercolor artists. Despite the academies and the museums, watercolors are a rich and vibrant tradition. And there are many beautiful things still to be done.
I built this site because watercolor lifted me out of my life in a way that placed me back in my self. It made the world I saw incredibly more vivid and unexpected: it taught me to see, it taught me to teach myself to see. Watercolors are no longer pale and understated and miniaturist. They can be vibrant and daring and large.
Watercolor is a swim in the metaphysics of life, a mirror of one's personal relationship with the world.
The vitality in watercolor is the life of art itself — alert, spontaneous, surprising, improvisatory, relentless, risky, and leaning a little on luck. Let it be unpredictable ... colorful ... wet.
This is an "index of links" to every page, subsection and full page graphic within the Handprint Watercolors web site; skim this page to survey the available topics.
Then check the FAQ page for answers to the most common
questions, including instructions on copyright and reprinting
materials for personal or educational use.
The content of all pages on this site is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-No
Derivative Works 3.0 Unported. home page
intro
site search (provided by Google) FAQ (frequently asked questions) updates recent works links mail journal watercolor papers
guide to watercolor papers – Alcantara
– Amatruda
– Arches (Arjo Wiggins) – Canson
– Fabriano – Hahnemühle – Hayle Mill – Jack Richeson – Kilimanjaro – Lanaquarelle – Moulin de Larroque – Pasquale de Ponte – Ruscombe Mill – St. Armand – Saunders Waterford – Strathmore – Twinrocker – Van Gelder – Velké Losiny – Whatman
– Winsor & Newton – Zerkall
how watercolor papers are made – the paper furnish
– how paper is made – paper finishes – paper formats – weights of paper – how paper is sold
how to test watercolor papers storing, mounting & framing
– paper hazards – handling papers – storing papers
– mounting and framing
watercolor brushes
guide to watercolor brushes – Cheap Joe's – Daniel Smith – daVinci – Escoda – Grumbacher – Isabey – Kalish – Loew-Cornell – Raphaël – Rekab – Robert Simmons
– Rosemary & Co – Utrecht
– Winsor & Newton – Yarka
how watercolor brushes are made – types of brushes
– brush manufacture – brush hair & bristle
how to test watercolor brushes – the good brush
– a basic brush set – buying brushes brush care & storage
– using brushes – cleaning brushes – brush remedies – storing brushes
watercolor paints
how to choose watercolor paints how watercolor paints are made
– paint ingredients
the backbone composition pigment brightener binder plasticizer humectant filler other additives water handmade watercolors – pigment types natural inorganic synthetic inorganic natural organic synthetic organic – pigment manufacture – paint manufacture
the material attributes of paints – pigment & paint attributes color appearance
particle size lightfastness tinting strength refractive index
specific gravity – basic paint tests draw down sample tinting test
dissolving test sedimentation test drying and rewetting test black field test
microscopic examination – test paintings
– making paint swatches
doing your own lightfastness tests labeling, lightfastness & toxicity
– pigments, paints & "colors" – the marketing romance – paint ingredient information – lightfastness tests
– lightfastness with a grain of salt – artistic responsibility
– health & environmental issues watercolor brands – Art Spectrum – Blockx – Daler–Rowney – Daniel Smith – DaVinci – Holbein – Lukas – Maimeri
– M. Graham & Co. – Old Holland – Rembrandt – Robert Doak – Schmincke – Sennelier – Utrecht
– Winsor & Newton – Yarka
guide to watercolor pigments – magenta
– red – orange
– earth (brown, gold or ochre) – yellow
– green – blue
– purple
– black, gray & white what the ratings mean watercolor drying shifts
hue purity of watercolor paints earth pigments tour
earth pigments map
daniel smith primatek™ paints cadmium color key
2004 lightfastness tests
tube, pan & liquid watercolors – a brief history of watercolors – tube vs. pan
– when to use – paint tube tricks – dry pan tricks – liquid watercolors gouache & bodycolor interference paints
palettes
a basic palette
– related paint resources – the keystone paints
– exploring the mixing strategy – expanding the palette
– common palette issues the complete palette
key to the palette scheme palette types – brand matters – transparent – opaque – nonstaining – staining – saturated – earth – textured
– combining paints in a palette palette paintings
– intro
– 1. value design palette – 2. velázquez palette – classical palette
– 3. "primary" triad palette – chuck long
– marlies najaka
– 4. split "primary" palette – nita engle
– michael rocco – lucy willis – mel stabin
– 5. artist's "primaries" palette – charles leclair – jeanne dobie – trevor chamberlain – dale laitinen – liz donovan – 6. secondary palette – carol carter – jim kosvanec
– 7. modernized paul signac
technique
spirit of watercolor the work place
watching yourself paint plateaus and pits
saving your work the sketchbook drawing techniques
– the essence of drawing – drawing materials – drawing papers – drawing technique – drawing styles aids to drawing
– not a new idea – copying the image – tracing the image
– documenting with photographs – creative editing with photographs – representing the world
modeling form with light & shadow elements of perspective
– page 1: perspective in the world – page 2: central perspective – page 3: two point perspective – page 4: three point perspective
– page 5: advanced perspective techniques –
page 6: shadows, reflections & atmosphere composition and design
– principles of design – elements of design – a pattern vocabulary – notan
– rules of "good shape" – design & context format proportions
– the key format proportions
– constructing the format proportions – composing with the format proportions – other format proportion schemes
– format proportions in western paintings – are the proportions "real"?
– use what works preliminary studies
– layout and proportion – the value sketch – color studies
color harmony & color design – basic issues in color design – traditional hue harmonies
– eight approaches to color harmony – concepts in natural color harmony – principles of natural color harmony – design guidance
– ruskin's last word
– the osa uniform color scales working with paints
– major palette types – life without a palette – rinse water & pure water – work routine & storage – mixing tube paints
– mixing pan paints – brush mixing tricks basic mixing method
learning color through paints – three guiding principles – 25 color study topics paint wheels
– why make a paint wheel? – how to make a paint wheel – three paint wheels
– lessons from a paint wheel the secret of glowing color
– the luminosity myth
– techniques for glowing color – "not black, not light"
– learning how dilution feels – learning how dilution looks – how dilution affects lightness – how dilution affects chroma – technical data
the six levels of paint dilution painting in neutrals
– neutrals in context
– near neutrals and color design – seeing color value
– seeing hue bias
– mixing complementary paints – the material qualities of paint watercolor mixing complements the brush and brushstrokes
– brushstroke attributes – the swiss army brush – how a brush works
– brush wetness & capacity – brushstroke evolution – brush technique
– the confident brush
the six degrees of brush wetness other application techniques
– splattering brushes – sponges
– sticks
– palette knives – razor blades – resist and tape – water and air steps in a painting
preparing papers for painting – evolution of the paper surface – to cockle or not
– how to not stretch papers – how to stretch papers – my fastening method – how to cut or tear paper the nature of water
the six stages of paper wetness wet in wet (1)
– the balancing act
– flow, backrun & diffusion – how wet is the paper? – surface vs. inner wetness
– balancing wetness in paper, brush & paint – four edge shaping techniques
wet in wet (2)
– an inventory of marks
– charging, blotting & shaping – controlling backruns
– working with wet paper – brushes & brush wetness – paint & pigment attributes – strategies for learning – seven popular effects monotype
laying a wash
– the setup, brushes & papers – pigment types
– paint behavior – tilting the wash – wash brushstrokes – to wet or not to wet – wash strategies – hints and guidelines using glazes
resists and edge control watercolor drybrush texturing methods lifting and fixing
signing, documenting and copyright mixed media
painting outdoors plein air paint kit mixing green
– the green mixing system – green mixing recipes – pigment choices
– green mixing problems painting portraits
painting the figure
color theory
modern color theory (concepts) – talking about color
– misconceptions in traditional color theory – additive & subtractive color mixture – visual color relationships
CIECAM aCbC plane
PDF version of CIECAM aCbC plane
CIELAB a*b* plane
PDF version of CIELAB a*b* plane comparison of hue circles
modern color theory (applications) – material color relationships – talking about paints
– many painter's palettes – principles of color contrast – color symbolism
– color theory summary
additive & subtractive color mixing – additive color mixing
– subtractive color mixing – substance uncertainty – "theory" vs. experience
tonal value
– the dominance of value – the value scale
– hue, lightness & saturation – the artist's value wheel – shades, tones and tints
– grayscales & gamut mapping – shadows, saturation and value – painting values
the artist's value wheel
PDF version of the artist's value wheel color temperature
– warm vs. cool colors
– what causes warm color effects? – the origin of warm/cool
– the warm/cool contrast in paints – unsaturated color zones
– painting warm or cool learning color through paints
– three guiding principles – 27 color study topics color wheels
– creating a color wheel – "primary" color wheel "primary" colors and paints why use "primary" colors? mixing step scales
true "primary" color relationships – secondary color wheel
secondary colors and paints complementary colors
a complementary grain of salt – tertiary color wheel
tertiary colors and paints
the old & modern tertiary colors
– more is less? a gamut comparison artists mix paints, not "colors"
– color names
mixing with a color wheel
– complementary color contrasts – saturation costs
– the color wheel fallacy – basic mixing method – split "primary" palette – unequal color spacing
an artist's color wheel
– visual vs. mixing complements – the artist's color wheel
– tour of the color wheel – why the difference?
– making your own color wheel
the artist's color wheel (CIECAM version) PDF version of the artist's color wheel (CIECAM version)
contemporary color harmony – basic issues in color design – traditional hue harmonies
– three theories of color harmony – introduction to full color harmonies – dynamics of full color harmonies – a natural color harmony
– ruskin's last word color in the world
– the causes of color – surfaces & lights
– surface & shadow color – special material colors – physical color changes
books
buyer beware learning the basics
The Watercolor Book – David Dewey Watercolor School: A Practical Guide to Painting in Watercolor – Hazel Harrison
Watercolor For the Serious Beginner – Mary Whyte
Complete Guide to Watercolor Painting – Edgar A. Whitney
Basic Watercolor Answer Book – Catherine Anderson
Watercolor: A New Beginning – Ann Lindsay Step–by–Step Guide to Painting Realistic Watercolors – Dawn McLeod Heim
The Palette Magazine – William Lawrence & Christopher Schink
The New Drawing on the Right Side of Your Brain – Betty Edwards
Keys to Drawing – Bert Dodson
The Artist's Complete Guide to Figure Drawing – Anthony Ryder
The Drawing Book – Richard McDaniel
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Watercolor – Marian Appellof
pigments, paints & papers
Bright Earth: Art and the Invention of Color – Philip Ball
Hilary Page's Guide to Watercolor Paints – Hilary Page
The Wilcox Guide to the Best Watercolor Paints – Michael Wilcox
The Artist's Guide to Selecting Colors – Michael Wilcox
The Book of Fine Paper – Sylvie Turner
The Watercolor Artist's Paper Directory – Ian Sidaway
color science & "color theory" Color and Culture – John Gage
The Science of Art: Optical Themes in Western Art from Brunelleschi to Seurat – Martin Kemp Color Categories in Thought and Language – C.L. Hardin & Luisa Maffi
The New Munsell Student Color Set – Joy Turner Luke
Interaction of Color – Joseph Albers
Theory of Colours – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe The Principles of Harmony and Contrast of Colors – Michel–Eugène Chevreul
Modern Chromatics – Ogden Rood Exploring Color – Nita Leland
Color Right From the Start – Hilary Page Color Choices – Stephen Quiller
Painter's Guide to Color – Stephen Quiller Transparent Watercolor Wheel – Jim Kosvanec Blue and Yellow Don't Make Green – Michael Wilcox
Color Theory Made Easy – Jim Ames Zoltan Szabo's Color-by-Color Guide to Watercolor – Zoltan Szabo
Color in Contemporary Painting – Charles LeClair
Colors – Betty Edwards advanced instruction
Making Color Sing – Jeanne Dobie
Painting Light and Shadow in Watercolor – Skip Lawrence
The Natural Way to Paint – Charles Reid Painting Flowers in Watercolor
Painting What You Want to See
Taking Risks with Watercolour – Shirley Trevena
Painting Spectacular Light Effects in Watercolor – Paul Jackson
Capturing Light in Watercolor – Marilyn Simandle & Lewis Lehrman
Watercolor from the Heart – Barbara Nechis The Art of Watercolor Painting – Charles LeClair Leonardo on Painting – edited by Martin Kemp The Elements of Drawing – John Ruskin The Art Spirit – Robert Henri
Art and Visual Perception – Rudolph Arnheim Art & Illusion – Ernst Gombrich
Art & Fear – David Bayles & Ted Orland how to by subject
Painting Watercolor Florals That Glow – Jan Kunz
Botanical Illustration in Watercolor – Eleanor Wunderlich
Painting Crystal and Flowers in Watercolor – Susanna Spann
Building Brilliant Watercolors – Judy Treman The Sierra Club Guide to Painting in Nature – Cathy Johnson
Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting – John F. Carlson
Trevor Chamberlain: Light and Atmosphere in Watercolour – Trevor Chamberlain & Angela Gair Painting Watercolor Portraits – Al Stine
Basic Techniques for Painting Textures in Watercolor – Rachel Rubin Wolf
Painting Realistic Watercolor Textures – Michael Rocco
How to Make a Watercolor Paint Itself – Nita Engle
The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques – Ralph Mayer
Painting Materials: A short encyclopedia – Rutherford Gettens & George Stout
The Painter's Handbook – Mark David Gottsegen
artists
introduction
botanical illustration
the topographical tradition the poetic landscape
francis towne thomas girtin
joseph mallord william turner william blake
john constable
late georgian watercolors thomas rowlandson
john sell cotman peter de wint david cox
william henry hunt
richard parkes bonington victorian watercolors samuel palmer
john ruskin
alfred william hunt the pre–raphaelites
hercules brabazon brabazon james mcneill whistler
19th century european watercolors 19th century american watercolors winslow homer
paul cezanne auguste rodin thomas eakins
maurice prendergast frederick childe hassam paul signac
john singer sargent wassily kandinsky emil nolde
john marin raoul dufy
william russell flint paul klee edward hopper arthur dove charles demuth marguerite zorach georgia o'keeffe
the ohio watercolorists charles burchfield george grosz egon schiele fairfield porter
california scene painters andrew wyeth philip pearlstein gerhard richter joseph raffael trevor chamberlain carolyn brady francesco clemente carol carter retailers – Amsterdam Art
– Art Supply Warehouse – Cheap Joe's
– Daniel Smith Artist Materials – Dick Blick Artist Materials – Jerry's Artarama
– Ken Bromley Art Supplies – Montmartre Art Supplies – New York Central Art Supply – Pearl Paint
Papers are the foundation, the source of light, the support of your art. Yet watercolor artists often do not understand how papers are made or how they differ from
one manufacturer to another. Here is all the information you need to choose papers intelligently.
guide to watercolor papers
Descriptions and test evaluations for mouldmade and handmade watercolor papers from fourteen manufacturers.
how watercolor papers are made
How papers are made, with a guide to watercolor paper sizes, weights and commercial packaging.
how to test watercolor papers
Details of the watercolor tests and the paper attributes they were designed to measure.
other painting supports
Yupo printable plastic, watermedia board, clayboard, other.
storing, mounting & framing
Safeguarding and handling your painting supports before and after painting.
guide to watercolor papers
Paper is the support and source of light for a painting. Yet, with the exception of a single book, there are no test based comparisons of watercolor papers of the same kind that are made for watercolor paints. So I adapted or developed my own paper tests to evaluate how the papers would respond to typical watercolor use. (The page on how to test watercolor papers describes the tests mentioned in the paper reviews.) This sampling of twenty brands includes most of the better known mouldmade papers and several notable handmades or historical papers. Retail availability permitting, I evaluated the complete range of finishes — commonly rough (R), cold pressed (CP) and hot pressed (HP) — from each manufacturer, using a full sheet (22" x 30") in the 300 GSM basis weight or the nearest equivalent (for example, 280 GSM for Velké Losiny Moldau
paper). Color and lightness comparisons between brands were made with the CP sheets.
Prices listed (current as of June, 2002) are the lowest U.S. retail price for a single R or CP full sheet ... some manufacturers
charge more for the HP finish. Alcantara Amatruda Arches Fabriano Hahnemühle Hayle Mill Jack Richeson Kilimanjaro Lanaquarelle Moulin de Larroque Pasquale de Ponte Ruscombe Mill St. Armand Saunders Waterford Strathmore Twinrocker Van Gelder
papers
Velké Losiny Whatman Winsor & Newton
Zerkall
A paper's surface finish varies by weight: heavier sheets by the same manufacturer typically have a coarser texture in the same nominal finish. (See for example the comparative images of cold pressed finishes in 300 GSM and 640 GSM Arches Bright White.) Heavier sheets also show a greater difference in finish between the felt and wire sides. Finally, in most papers the R finish has a slightly darker tone than the CP finish, and the HP is lighter than either, regardless of the basis weight.
Retail availability permitting, I evaluated the complete range of finishes (usually R, CP and HP) from each manufacturer in the 300 GSM basis weight or the nearest equivalent (for example, 280 GSM for Velké Losiny Moldau paper). Color and lightness comparisons between brands were made with the CP sheets. No Japanese, Indian or other non-European papers are reviewed here because it would have been an overwhelming task to
sample them fairly. I hope to try them someday.
Where can you buy all these papers? The most popular brands are available from any of the recommended online retailers; be sure you comparison shop, as prices can vary widely. The most comprehensive inventory of art papers I am aware of is available from New York Central Art Supply ... call and ask for their paper department, and be sure they send you the latest copy of their paper catalog. You can find paper manufacturer addresses and phone numbers in the books by Sylvie Turner and Ian Sideway.
For additional information about papers, I urge you to visit the
Hand Papermaking web site, which includes a complete index to the current and past issues of their handsome magazine, published quarterly since 1986. The Twinrocker Mill site is also a great resource for paper information, links to related
papermaking sites, and images of papermaking processes and equipment.
Arches
Papermaking was established at Arches et Archettes around 1620. Located on the Moselle River in the Vosges region of France (northeast of Dijon), the Arches paper manufactory grew rapidly during the 18th century to provide most of the paper used in France (including the document paper and currency for the French Revolution). In the early 1950s, the Arches factories were consolidated with papermakers in Grenoble and Paris to become Arjomari Prioux. This company was in turn recently acquired by the
manufacturing conglomerate Arjo Wiggins. (Arches is usually pronounced "ARSH" in the USA and always in France.)
ARCHES Aquarelle papers are among the most popular watercolor supports in the world. Papers are mouldmade, 100% cotton, acid free, surface sized with gelatin (the HP sheets are also internally sized) and air dried (the largest sheets show dime sized crush marks in the corners, created by the wooden clips used to hang the sheets for loft drying). There are two natural deckles, and sheets are marked both with the "Arches France" (with infinity symbol) watermark and a curved "Arches Aquarelle" embossed chop; the watermark and chop read from the wire side. The rattle is loud and bright (almost metallic) indicating excellent pulp maceration; the paper burns to a fibrous, silvery gray ash. — Available in white sheets, in five weights from 185 to 850 GSM, and in rolls or the popular watercolor blocks in weights of 185 and 300 GSM. Price of a single 300 GSM full sheet is about US$3.20.
The Rough finish (grain torchon in French) is a
relatively mild texture for a rough sheet (and is slightly rougher on the wire side). Color is ivory, one of the warmest sheets tested, which made the ultramarine wash appear slightly dull. The sizing is relatively light, causing some blossoming in the magenta strokes; washes went on smoothly with no banding in the cobalt pigment, but the brush was exhausted fairly quickly and pigment texture was suppressed. Scrubbing left noticeable streaking; resists came off cleanly, but color lifted only with difficulty by scrubbing, and seriously damaged the paper surface (causing extensive wicking at the edge of repainted areas). — The Cold Pressed
ARCHES AQUARELLE (300gsm R, CP, HP)
finish (grain fin) has a very subdued texture excellent for detailed work, though there are somewhat deeper depressions streaked throughout the sheet, parallel to the grain (again, the tooth is noticeably rougher on the wire side). Color is warm, a pale ivory, as dark as the R sheet. The sizing is relatively light; the sheet takes washes very evenly but exhausts the brush slightly more than usual. Gently displays pigment textures (although the cobalt violet caused some banding), and there was slight blossoming in the magenta stripes. Scrubbing left very noticeable streak marks; the green lifted completely with no damage to the paper surface or visible in the repainted area. Resists lifted cleanly and left a crisp edge. — The Hot Pressed finish (grain satiné) is extremely smooth, with no perceptible
texture on the felt side (the wire has a slight eggshell texture), although the finish in the heavier weight (640 GSM) is coarser. Miniscule tufts of fiber jut out across the surface, giving the paper a slightly gritty roughness to touch; these fibers trap grainy pigments such as ultramarine blue or the cobalt blues, creating a
speckled effect in washes. Color is a dull ivory white, slightly warmer than other HP sheets. The sizing is moderately heavy so a charge of paint covered a large area; washes showed noticeable banding and
blossoming of color edges, but only moderate blossoming in the magenta; the fiber tufts caught pigment to create a slight stippling effect. Resists lifted cleanly; scrubbing left slight streaks that enhanced pigment texture; the green lifted completely but with a roughening of the surface that caused a slight wicking in repainted edges.
The surface sizing is relatively hard in the Arches sheets, making the surface somewhat abrasive to graphite or charcoal pencils, which can also be difficult to erase. To minimize these problems, I use a
kneadable eraser and a relatively soft lead pencil with light pressure. Pencil marks largely dissolve under painting, and charcoal will smear under water unless sprayed with a workable fixative before painting. The paper surface is sensitive to scraping or embossing, which seem to fracture the internal sizing and cause a bruiselike discoloration under wash coats. Large sheets are slightly scarred at the corners by the clips used to hang them during loft drying, but these marks are not ususally intrusive; however the chop is obvious under a finished painting. The sheets emit a subtle yeasty,
slightly bitter smell when thoroughly wet, and this is especially noticeable in the larger sheets. I've found the sheets tend to cockle excessively after repeated wash applications, and will curl widthwide (with the cylinder mould) to the point where I've had to clip the margins of 640 GSM full sheets to a painting board in order to keep them workably flat.
The Arches papers are also available in the USA as six sizes of watercolor blocks, ranging from 7" x 10" to 18" x 24", in all three finishes in the 300 GSM weight. (Arches also makes blocks in a 185 GSM weight but these are hard to find in the USA, although they are usually available in Europe.) The blocks now have an excellent contrast across the three surface finishes; the CP sheets have been softened to an almost linen
texture, and both the finish and the surface sizing seems less heavy than the R sheets. The surfaces are highly reliable and I have never encountered the wash blotching that can happen with uneven sizing
applications in other brands. One drawback: the Arches blocks are bound with a black, tarry adhesive around all four sides, and this adhesive tends to crack if exposed to large or repeated changes in humidity or
temperature, especially at the bond between the papers and the backing board or between two groups of
papers. In extreme cases the papers separate
completely from the backing board. Despite this, Arches is my preferred surface for plein air painting, moreso as they are available almost everywhere.
Arches watercolor papers are one of the most durable and reliable supports, especially for large painting projects. In my tests they did not tolerate extensive reworking, though they produced beautiful textured effects when several layers of paint are modified by gentle rubbing and lifting. I have also received
comments from longtime Arches users, who write that the quality of the sheets has declined over the past 10 to 20 years, in particular as regards the durability of the sheets and the assertiveness of the R finish. For all that, these are beautiful supports, physically strong with a beautiful texture in all finishes. They are also one of the few commercial papers (along with
Saunders Waterford) available in the spectacular
emperor format (40" x 60").
following a growing industry trend toward whiter supports. (Sheets marketed as "bright white" should only be used after you consider Sylvie Turner's
warning that they usually contain more chemical additives, and are more likely to change color or deteriorate over time.) Papers are mouldmade, 100% cotton, acid free, surface sized with gelatin (the HP sheets are also internally sized), air dried, with two natural deckles, carrying both the "Arches France" with infinity symbol watermark and a curved "Arches
Aquarelle" embossed chop. — Now available from many direct order retailers (including Daniel Smith, New York Central Art Supply, and Cheap Joe's) as single sheets or packs in 300 or 640 GSM weights. Price of a single 300 GSM full sheet is about US$3.20.
The Cold Pressed finish is slightly less textured than the CP finish in the regular color, with a subtle wove texture (and more pronounced tooth on the wire side). The photo shows the difference in surface texture between the 300 and 640 GSM weights —
characteristically, a heavier sheet by the same manufacturer will have a deeper, more pronounced texture. The sheets are not at all "bright" white in comparison to Kilimanjaro, Winsor & Newton or Larroque: they are approximately the same tone as Lanaquarelle. The sizing is moderately heavy; both sheets take very even washes and display pigment texture well, but exhasted the brush more quickly than usual; there was no blossoming in the magenta. Resists lifted cleanly; scrubbing left sluffing and visible streaks in the 640 sheet but not the 300; color lifted
completely in both weights, but left visible damage (wicking at the edge of repainted areas) in the 640 GSM weight.
Fabriano
Founded in 1282, the paper mill at
Fabriano (on the Esino River inland from Ancona, Italy) is the oldest continuously operating paper mill in
Europe. The Cartiere Miliani Fabriano claims to have innovated three techniques which are still a part of papermaking today: the identification of papers using watermarks, the hydraulic hammer pile for pulverizing the rags, and gelatin sizing to strengthen paper and render it more receptive to ink and paint. Mechanization came in the late eighteenth century, largely through the efforts of Pietro Miliani. The Fabriano firm was acquired by the Miliani family in the 1950's and has remained at the center of its business operations to this day. — The Fabriano firm supports an enormous span of
papermaking activities, from paper for the first issue of EU currency to art papers skillfully handmade with the traditional pulp furnish and cold water techniques. Some of their handmade papers include earth pigments from Sienna and Umbria regions, which gives them a
luxurious, weighty quality combined with a remarkable softness of texture.
Three lines of Fabriano paper are important for the watercolorist:
Fabriano Artistico papers are a well-known, widely used and fairly inexpensive watercolor support. Papers are mouldmade, 100% cotton, acid free, surface sized, with two natural deckle edges, and the watermark "C.M. FABRIANO - 100/100 COTTON" along both edges. The rattle is moderately bright and somewhat rounded; the paper burns to a very light gray, fragile ash. Available as white sheets or rolls, in the standard three finishes (R, CP and HP), in weights of 200, 300 and 600 GSM. Price of a single 300 GSM full sheet is about US$3.20. The Rough finish (grana grossa in Italian) offers a really unusual texture: a fairly smooth surface cratered with many differently sized, overlapping "ball peen" indentations. This produces the most pronounced
pooling of granular pigments (cobalts, ultramarine blue, cadmiums) of any moderately priced paper; the
drawback is that the cratering will intrude texture
throughout a wash, making the paint appear spotted or splotchy. Color is a creamy warm white. The sizing is
FABRIANO ARTISTICO (300gsm R, CP, HP)
moderately heavy: despite its texture the surface does not exhaust a brush, and it takes washes very evenly with very little banding and no blossoming in the magenta areas. Resists lifted cleanly with no surface damage; scrubbing left visible streaks under a wash; however the sap green lifted completely with no visible damage to the surface. — The Cold Pressed finish (grana fina) has a robust wove texture, much like a coarse linen sheet; the texture on the wire side is mixed and much less pronounced. Color is a creamy warm white. The sizing is moderately heavy; it takes washes very evenly without exhausting the brush (but with noticeable cobalt banding in the paper texture); there was no blossoming in the magenta areas. The paper curled excessively when wet, but dried flat. Resists lifted cleanly with no damage; scrubbing left visible streaking and increased pigment texture in the wash; the green lifted completely with slight surface sluffing and wicking at the edge of repainted areas. — The Hot Pressed finish (grana satinata) has one of the more refined HP surfaces available: no protruding tufts of lint, and a very tiny, subtle wove texture is just visible to the eye under oblique light. Color is a reflective ivory, one of the warmest HP sheets, but it shows all colors to good advantage. Unfortunately the sizing is poorly adjusted: both the ultramarine washes and magenta stripes blotched and blossomed uncontrollably, and the paper curled excessively as it dried. Scrubbing
roughened the surface and sluffed off little rolls of
paper, leaving obtrusive streaks that showed up under a wash; resists left no damage, and lifting the sap green color roughened the surface but did not affect the appearance of the repainted area.
Fabriano provides the Artistico grade in watercolor blocks. These have a less assertive texture; the CP finish in particular does very well with granulating pigments such as cerulean blue. The sheets very infrequently show the same blotching under washes, caused by a contaminant in the surface sizing that repels water, that frequently appears in the
Lanaquarelle sheets. The blocks are also considerably more absorbent (lightly sized), which causes more pronounced blossoming and unevenness in wash areas than occurs in the single sheets.
Fabriano Uno papers are a recent addition to the art paper offerings. Sheets are mouldmade, 100% cotton rag, acid free, internally and surface sized with Aquapel, with two natural deckle edges, with the watermark "+ Fabriano Uno" along one edge ("one the first
watermarks in recorded history, a simple cross
symbolizing the marriage of tradition and innovation," in the words of the inspired Fabriano marketeer); the
watermark "reads right" from the wire side. The rattle is bright with a slight warble; the paper burns to a talc white, fragile, powdery ash. — Available in white sheets, in four finishes (R, CP, HP and a novel finish unique to Uno called "soft-pressed" or grana dolce, SP), in weights of 200, 300 and 600 GSM, or in blocks of 300 GSM. Price of a 300 GSM full sheet is about US$3.50. The range of textures in the Uno line is much less contrasted than in the Artistico. The Rough finish is noticeably less textured than the R finish in many other brands (compare, for example, to Arches, Whatman or Winsor & Newton). The tooth is extremely even, gappy but not very deep, and slightly lighter on the wire side; deckles are small, thin and irregular. Color is a medium white. The sizing is moderate; takes washes very well without exhausting the brush, with enhanced pigment texturing and a very slight banding of the cobalt
pigment; and very gentle blossoming in the magenta areas. Resists came off cleanly without surface damage; scrubbing left no marks; the green did not lift
completely and caused slight wicking at the edges of repainted areas. — The Cold Pressed finish is again slightly less textured than the same finish in other brands. It has a subdued linen texture, similar to the wire side of the Artistico sheet, that is receptive to detail; the deckles are thin and very ragged. Color is a cool medium white. The sizing is slightly thin; the sheet took washes well without exhausting the brush,
displayed the flocculation nicely but also caused banding in the cobalt pigment. The magenta blossomed slightly in the wash area. Resists came off with no damage; scrubbing left very faint streak marks easily masked by the ultramarine texture. The green lifted with effort but the scrubbing did not damage the paper or cause
wicking when repainted. — The Soft Pressed finish appears to be the CP texture run under a slightly higher pressure calendering; the wire sides of the SP and CP sheets are almost indistinguishable. I find little to choose between the two surfaces. The color is a cool
FABRIANO UNO (300gsm R, CP, SP, HP)
grayed white. In most respects the paper behaves much like the CP finish, excepting that the magenta blossoms noticeably and the green only lifted with a lot of sluffing and visible damage to the surface, though repainted areas were discolored but did not wick at the edges. — The Hot Pressed finish has a gentle eggshell texture, clean of fiber imperfections, with an irregular, ghostly blanket running across the felt side; the deckles are very thin, ragged, and characterful. Color is a bright medium white. The sizing is very good; there was little blotching or banding in the washes (for an HP sheet); but the magenta areas blossomed strongly. Resists lifted cleanly without damage. Scrubbing left visible marks; the green did not lift completely, caused sluffing, and left a noticeable discoloration under the repainted areas (but no wicking at the edges).
Fabriano Esportatzione is a renowned and very expensive paper that Sylvie Turner calls "especially delicious." All sheets are handmade, 100% cotton and cotton rag, neutral pH, acid free, internally and tub sized with gelatin, with four natural deckle edges, the CP sheet is watermarked "Hand Made" and "CM
Fabriano Italy" in opposite corners along one deckle edge. The rattle is solid and slightly wooden; the paper burns to a very scanty light gray ash. Available as an ivory white, in CP and R finishes only, in weights of 200, 315 and 600 GSM. Price of a single 315 GSM full sheet is a stunning US$24.85 (!) or more, and only a few
suppliers (such as New York Central Art Supply and
Jerry's Artarama) carry it in the USA.
The Rough finish is an extraordinarily assertive,
declarative surface, with a very coarse and deep tooth gathered into broad striations running across the grain, punctuated with very small gouges scattered across the surface in different orientations. This is a finish that can emerge from underneath even the most exuberant acrylic or watercolor gestures. Deckles are almost nonexistent. Color is a deep ivory, the warmest of any sheet tested. The sizing is moderately heavy; the texture quickly exhausted the brush and broke up the strokes: washes must be applied juicily and
aggressively. Pigment texture is impossible to read over the jumble of tooth. The magenta went on without any blossoming. Resists came off cleanly and scrubbing left no marks whatever. The green lifted with only slight sluffing of the surface but caused noticeable wicking at
FABRIANO ESPORTATZIONE (640gsm R, CP)
the edges of repainted areas, and color sunk in the deepest cracks was impossible to dig out. In general this sheet should only be attempted with a very assertive, exuberant style; it won't support detail, delicate pigment effects, or much reworking. — The Cold Pressed finish is much smoother and, although similar in texture to many other CP sheets, has a density of grain and a firmness in the tooth that lets it draw texture from many kinds of brushstrokes. Deckles are small and very thin. Color is a very warm ivory white, one of the darkest sheets tested, which will dull most transparent colors painted on it. The surface sizing is well judged: the sheet took washes very evenly,
without exhausting the brush; there was faint banding in the cobalt pigment, a slight display of ultramarine flocculation, and absolutely no blossoming in the
magenta. The resists came off cleanly, without scarring; scrubbing left absolutely no marks. The green lifted only with effort and significant damage to the surface; the edges of the repainted area wicked extensively. The sheet holds moisture once wet, and the internal sizing does not close all the interstices in the pulp, with the result that paint may wick beyond brushstroke edges in areas where two or more juicy layers of paint have been applied.
Fabriano makes other handmade sheets, and of these the Fabriano Umbria papers are also suitable for watercoloring. This paper has no surface sizing and responds with slightly more absorbency than a surface sized paper.
Fabriano also offers the inexpensive Fabriano
Watercolor paper in sheets or blocks, a student grade made from high alpha wood cellulose.
Hahnemühle
The Hahnemühle paper mill was founded in 1584 to supply paper to the administrative offices of the Duke of Brunswick. In 1886 the original mill was named after one of its owners, Carl Hahne; his last name is also the German word for "cockerel," which became the company's watermark. The firm merged with Schleicher & Schüll early in the 20th century and continues
operation today in Dassel (Germany).
The Hahnemühle Aquarelle papers are mouldmade, 100% cotton, neutral pH and buffered with calcium carbonate, internally and tub sized, air dried, two natural deckles, with the "shield and cockerel"
watermark (the shield should be on the left). The rattle is subdued and rubbery; the paper burns to a powdery, pure white ash. Sheets and blocks are available in white, chamois or gray, in CP, R and an "Extra Rough" sheet with a unique "coarse canvas" texture, in a wide range of formats, in weights of 200, 230, 300 and 600 GSM. Price of a single 300 GSM full sheet is about
US$4.45.
The Cold Pressed finish is subtly textured compared to CP finishes in most other brands, with a gentle
irregularity to the surface that makes it responsive to detail. The hand is very silky and the surface is evenly absorbent to washes. The deckles are slightly larger and more irregular than usual, with pronounced scalloping and tearing along the edge. Color is a bright bluish white. Unfortunately the sizing is much too thin: wash strokes banded uncontrollably and adjacent areas refused to join smoothly, pigment texture was
completely suppressed, and the paper wicked up a fat stain wherever the brush was lifted from the paper. Overpainting the wash caused unsightly wicking at the edges of the repainted area. Resists came off only with great effort, and left the surface damaged; scrubbing left a slight streaking. The green was impossible to lift and caused sluffing and extensive wicking at the edges of repainted areas. An interesting paper for calligraphic and single coat painting styles, but completely
unsuitable for any techniques requiring washes, multiple glazes, corrections, or pigment lifting.
HAHNEMÜHLE AQUARELLE (300gsm CP)
The Hahnemühle Albrecht Durer Watercolor is mouldmade, 25% cotton and 75% high alpha cellulose, neutral pH, internally and surface sized, two natural deckles, with the "Albrecht Durer" watermark. The rattle is medium loud and flappy; the paper burns to a
powdery, pure white ash. Sheets are available in CP only, one size (91/2" x 121/2"), and one weight (300 GSM). Price of a single 300 GSM 91/2" x 121/2" sheet is
about US$1.50.
The Cold Pressed finish (like the Aquarelle sheet) has a smooth, almost velvety feel, although it is slightly rougher than the Aquarelle. This is an exquisite little sheet, with a delightful upward cupping of the edges on the felt side and a regular scalloping in the deckles, giving it the appearance of a shallow porcelain dish. Color is a slightly bright medium white. The sizing is perfectly judged: the sheet took washes flawlessly with no banding (not even in the cobalt pigment), and
displayed the pigment texture wonderfully. The magenta went on absolutely evenly without a hint of blossoming. Scrubbing left no marks whatever and the resists came off cleanly without damage to the surface. The green lifted completely with very slight sluffing, but no trace of wicking at the edge of the repainted area. All in all a superb sheet. If your painting style can fit in the miniature format, don't pass up the chance to give this little woodpulp paper a try.
Last revised 11.12.2007 • © 2007 Bruce MacEvoy
HAHNEMÜHLE DURER AQUARELLE (300gsm CP)
Hayle Mill
The Hayle Mill in Kent, England was purchased by John Green in 1815, and the Green family produced papers there continuously until the mill closed in 1987. Papers manufactured at Hayle were used by English and continental watercolor artists from J.M.W. Turner on. — The mill continues to sell old paper stock and
papermaking equipment, and a variety of old papers can still be obtained under the J. Green or Hayle Mill trademarks from stores that carry historical watercolor papers (such as NY Central Art Supply). For many contemporary artists, the remaindered and fragmentary stocks of Hayle Mill papers, often dog eared, torn, foxed and yellowed, remain the last genuine contact with the papermaking craft of many decades ago.
The J. Green & Sons RWS Watercolor paper was for many years the official paper of the Royal Watercolor Society. From 1895 to 1962, in response to continued market pressures on the quality of watercolor papers, the mill made papers furnished only of cotton rag, gelatin, alum, rosin and soap, and watermarked as the "official paper of the Royal Watercolor Society." — Sheets are mouldmade, 100% cotton, neutral pH, internally and tub sized with gelatin, air dried, with two natural deckle edges, and marketed under a wide range of watermarks (my samples have "Hayle Mill - 41"
centered along one edge and "Hand Made" in an opposite corner). The rattle is loud but not too sharp; the paper burns to a blackish, brittle ash. The paper feels rather thin and warps easily when wet, but withstands extensive working and holds colors very well. The age of the sheets caused some foxing,
warping or discoloration in individual pieces. — Price of a single 300 GSM full sheet, rough finish, is about
US$7.00.
The Extra Rough finish is a coarsely marbled, assertive surface with a fat, rounded tooth and fairly regular
wove texure; deckles consist of a slight crimping of the edges. Color is a dull warm white. The sizing is heavy and resisted the wash mixture on the first pass; once wetted, the ultramarine went on very smoothly without the least banding; pigment tended to collect in the crevaces, however, reducing pigment texture. The magenta showed no blossoming. Scrubbing left
J. GREEN & SON RWS WATERCOLOR (300gsm XR, R)
absolutely no marks; resists came off cleanly. The green lifted quickly and completely, with no visible change to the paper or repainted area. — The Rough finish is a mixed texture of wove and blanket, providing a
stuccolike range of rounded tooth on each side; deckles are limited to a crimped curling of the edge. The color is a dull warm white. The sizing is heavy and seems to have picked up oil with age; washes skipped and beaded up on the first pass, and several strokes were required to wet and cover the surface, exhausting the brush quickly. Once wetted, washes went on smoothly with moderate flocculation in the ultramarine and slight blossoming in the magenta. Resists came off quickly with no surface damage; scrubbing left no marks
whatever. The green lifted like chalk from a blackboard, with absolutely no visible change in the surface or
repainted area.
According to Sylvie Turner, the J. Green & Sons Crisbrook "has been and possibly still is one of the papers most sought-after by artists for both watercolour and printmaking." Papers are handmade, 100% cotton, neutral pH, internally and tub sized with gelatin, air dried, with two natural deckles, and marketed under different watermarks (my samples have "Hand Made" and "ENGLAND 1970" in opposite corners along one long edge). Ironically, Crisbrook was first produced at Hayle Mill in 1927 as a cheaper version of another
paper, and production continued with several changes in the furnish, sizing and finish. The rattle is moderately loud and snappy; the paper burns to a near black, very brittle ash. The pulp texture in my samples is uneven and in some sheets becomes irregular or "curdles" within a few inches of the deckles. (These are clearly the last remaining sheets of the run.) Price of a single 300 GSM full sheet is about US$8.00, although these papers are now almost impossible to find on the retail market.
The Cold Pressed finish has a somewhat fine texture, with a stubbly, rounded tooth and an even wove pattern in all directions. The pulp is not evenly distributed in the sheets I acquired, clumping and thinning toward the long sides (caused by less than expert casting of the pulp). Color is a dull ivory white, one of the darkest sheets tested. The heavy sizing seems to have picked up oils over time; washes simply beaded up and would only take with repeated brushing; there was moderate
CRISBROOK HANDMADE (300gsm CP)
flocculation and absolutely no cobalt banding in the wash strokes. The magenta brushed on unevenly but with no blossoming. Resists came off cleanly, and scrubbing left no visible marks. The green sponged off easily with no visible change in the paper or repainted area.
Jack Richeson
The Jack Richeson company is a family owned art supplies manufacturer and distributor located in Wisconsin (USA). They provide a large selection of products, including brushes and artist's easels, under their own name, and are sole owners of other brands such as Yarka, Best Easels, Unison pastels and Shiva oil paints and oil bars. Founded in 1981 by Jack Richeson and his wife Ruth, the company has expanded largely by acquiring niche or languishing brands and rebuilding them through inflated list prices that are aggressively discounted for favored retailers. Richeson's watercolor paints are made by and sold under the Yarka brand, and they offer a reasonably wide selection of their own watercolor brushes.
The Jack Richeson Watercolor papers are a slightly warm white sheet. Sheets are mouldmade, 100% cotton, and pH neutral, internally sized with Aquapel and externally sized with animal gelatin, with two natural deckle edges, and the watermark "JACK RICHESON" in the lower left corner (the watermark reads right from the felt side). Finish is comparable on both the wire and felt sides. The rattle is slightly
muffled, indicating the cellulose fibers were not
intensively macerated and are not tightly compacted. The papers burn to a very light gray, fragile ash. — Available in CP or R finish, in weights of 300 or 640 GSM as single (30"x22") or (60"x40") sheets, or as
watercolor blocks in (15"x11"), (22"x15") formats. Price of a single 300 GSM 22" x 30" sheet is about US$4.00. The finish deliciously combines a slight linear pattern from the mould with an even, gentle tooth from the blanket, visible as a regular texture of shallow dimples. Deckles are medium sized and appear sheared or flexed along the length of the sheet, as if the paper had been pulled sideways from the mould. The color is a bright and slightly warm white. The sizing is minimal: the sheet exhausted the wash rather quickly, and the cobalt banding was hardly visible; the magenta went on
smoothly with no trace of blossoming; the ultramarine gave a soft, subdued flocculation. Resists came off cleanly and easily. Scrubbing did little to lift color and if pursued caused unsightly streak marks and bruising; any lifting causes some damage or discoloration
apparent under the repainted area.
This last point bears emphasis, because the sheets were sold to me by Robert Doak (Brooklyn, NY) as having an ample surface sizing of vegetable starch which would hold the color on the surface and make pigments easy to lift. Just the opposite is true. The sheet soaks up paint like a raw cotton swab, and once applied (whether wet in wet or wet on dry) nearly all paints are
impossible to lift cleanly. (Some paint does lift, of course, but the range of manipulation possible through rubbing or lifting is very limited.) Backruns are difficult to produce intentionally, and surface moisture quickly migrates into the core of the paper.
For sceptics, here is a simple and convincing test: draw a pencil line on the sheet with a soft lead graphite
pencil, then paint over the line with a diluted watercolor paint. Not only does the line remain intact after the paint has dried, you can actually erase the line with a kneadable eraser without lifting any of the paint, which has sunk underneath it! If a significant layer of surface sizing were present, the graphite would either dissolve away when the paint was applied or would fuse with the sizing as it dried, making it difficult to erase. The paint color is also no brighter than it is on most other sheets. In sum, these papers hardly live up to the claims made for them by Stephen Quiller, Doak and others.
