Arches Watercolor Block, Cold Press 9X12

BEST watercolor paper on the market, hands down.

Great stuff. Best paper. Doesnt absorb water too fast so you can move colors around for excellent blending. Real good stuff.

This block is an excellent price being sold here on Amazon. In stores they are almost doubled in price. Cutting out the middle man is in dead worth it. I love blocks for a couple of reasons. First is that the stretching of paper or taping is eliminated. Just flip back the cover and youre ready to go. But the other thing I like is that there is a protective page inside the cover that protects the first piece of paper and this way you wont have to worry about fingerprints and oils from hands ruining that piece by causing a resist of watercolor. I cant tell you how many times I purchased a pad of paper in a store and people handle the pages ruining it for me. I have stopped buying books in stores because of this. But if you must, then choose from underneath the stack! You may have better luck that way. The tooth on this paper is perfect. Not too rough but just right allowing fabulous results with dry brushing. I ordinarily use these blocks for paintings, not for exercises. I use my Strathmore 400 series for that. When I can afford to order nothing but arches I will. Beginning with buying full sheets to cut down. Absorbency on arches is great. Colors that sit on top stay on top and others that absorb and spread, do it well. In watercolor painting, Arches paper is considered one of the most popular papers used among watercolor artists. There are also other brands out there that are excellent but I havent tried them yet. I may in the future. Arches is the only favorite I know. But if you cant afford it make sure you always buy 140lb 300gsm or higher paper. Cold press is the norm for watercolor. Hot press is used in certain circumstances but if youre starting out, you need to read labels and do not buy 90lb paper for watercolor. You will hate this style of painting and wonder how anyone does it. Artists dont use 90 lb in watercolor. If you have never used a block, it is very easy. It has the gummy stuff you see on tablets of paper all the way around it except for a little over an inch. You can take a sharp non serrated knife or exacto and cut carefully around to remove that page after it has completely dried. Be careful when cutting. I always am my blade slightly downward into the stack to prevent cutting the edge of my painting.

This is simply the best watercolor paper I have ever used. It has weight, and texture. It is cold press. It holds a lot of watercolor. It is medium-sized, and the price on Amazon was right! Why go to the art store?

Way overpriced

Its a little spendy for beginning and play around. But I like it a lot.

the best water color paper, I am doing tattoo flash, perfect for spit shading,

I have been using this paper for years and I love it. When doing watercolor it’s forgiving, meaning if you make a mistake it’s easier to fix. I would recommend it even for beginners because you won’t be as frustrated as with other papers.

This is the best watercolor paper out there. It is worth every penny. Its not difficult to remove pages from the block, as long as you have a nice metal pallette knife with a sharp enough edge. This paper can withstand a LOT of water and scrubbing. This was my first experience using a block and I love it, but I have also since purchased a different, still very high end paper, and the paper peeled off the block after a few washes. This is THE BEST. I will never purchase any other brand of watercolor paper ever again. This is THE brand. Check around for pricing though. Ive found better deals through some of the larger online art supply stores. Depending on the day. I wouldnt recommend it for beginners, because of the cost and the fact that this paper is meant for a piece that you plan to frame upon completion. And youll appreciate it that much more when youre ready for it...

Arches is the bomb! I have used nothing else with as much success for the last 30 years. It holds up well, it is responsive and durable, and it shows off the pigment without deadening it. As a watercolor artist, I have used both the large sheets and the smaller sizes, and each time the paint dries without buckling the paper. You cant go wrong with it. And you will be very happy that you are painting on it.