Best watercolour paper

In this guide, we help you find the right watercolour pad, based on your preferences. Looking for premium paper? Cotton-based? Or a budget option for simpler sketches? We meet your needs and highlight the best from our range.

Best watercolour paper for beginners

A common mistake among beginners is to buy cheap, low-quality paper. The pigment then doesn't settle properly, making it hard to understand how the paint really behaves. Fortunately, there are affordable papers that meet the necessary standards without compromising on important qualities. Here are a few examples.

1. Crevide Watercolour Pad Cotton
2. Hahnemühle Watercolour Paper Harmony
3. St Cuthberts Mill Bockingford Watercolour Pad
4. Winsor & Newton Watercolour Pad
   
   

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Best watercolour paper for sketches

The perfect paper for all your colour charts, test subjects and practice runs. That go-to sheet that’s always lying around, ready to be used (and used up). These pads contain lots of sheets at a really great price.

1. Canson XL Aquarelle
2. Clairefontaine Watercolour Pad
3. Crevide Watercolour Pad 180g
4. Creativ Company Watercolour Pad
5. Aquafine Watercolour Pad

Best premium-quality watercolour paper

For those who won’t settle for second best, you want what the professionals use. A premium paper lets you work in layers, rewet the surface multiple times, and create rich wet-on-wet effects. This is true watercolour painting.

1. Arches Watercolour Pad
2. St Cuthberts Mill Saunders Waterford & Millford Watercolour Pads
3. Magnani Watercolour Pad
4. Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolour Pad
   
   

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Best cotton watercolour paper

Cotton paper has several qualities that make a big difference when painting. It can handle rewashing, scraping and lifting colour without breaking down. Water is absorbed slowly and evenly, reducing the risk of blotches. And thanks to the strong fibres, the paper retains its shape even when heavily saturated. Below you’ll find both budget-friendly and premium options.

1. Magnani Watercolour Pad
2. Arches Watercolour Pad
3. Crevide Watercolour Pad Cotton
4. St Cuthberts Mill Saunders Waterford & Millford Watercolour Pads
5. Hahnemühle Watercolour Paper Harmony
   
   

Best sketchbook with watercolour paper

A creative companion on the go, for spontaneous creations at home or while travelling. Many artists build their entire style around so-called sketchbook art, where each page is an experiment, a thought, a feeling. The sketchbooks below feature durable paper and a quality feel.

1. Hahnemühle Watercolour Book
2. Moleskine Watercolor ART Collection Album
3. Viviva Colors Sketchbook
   
   

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Best tape for watercolour paper

Taping down your watercolour paper to prevent warping is a common technique. But not just any tape will do the job. Here you'll find tapes with just the right amount of adhesion, that hold up to water and won't tear the paper when removed.

1. Hahnemühle Masking Tape
2. 3M Professional Masking Tape 2072
   
   

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