Hot pressed? Cold pressed? Rough? Choosing the right type of paper for your watercolor project might be confusing as a beginner. Check out this quick guide to understand the different types and which one suits better for you.
There are two popular terms for types of paper for watercolor. Cold pressed and hot pressed.
In a nutshell, the terms “hot press” and “cold press” refer to the paper’s surface finish or texture.
- Cold Pressed
- Has a slightly bumpy, textured surface.
- It is easy to use and adapts to almost any style of watercolor painting.
- It is more absorbent (meaning you have slightly less time to move the paint around the surface before it dries)
- Colors are less rich and slightly paler
You will also hear artists talking about the tooth of the paper. For example, hot press paper has almost no tooth, but cold press paper has a more pronounced tooth.
- Hot Pressed
- Has a smooth surface finish
- It’s good for precise brush detail
- Colors are brighter
- Best for combining pen and ink with watercolor
- Lifting off paint is easy even when dry
There is another category of watercolor paper called rough. This paper has a highly textured surface and a very pronounced tooth. This type of paper tends to be less popular because brush strokes are more difficult to control and the texture is accentuated when the paint dries.
The best way to find out which type of paper suits you best,is to experiment! Enjoy your journey of discovering!
– The ATSSI team