Mould Made paper<\/strong> \u2013 Mould made paper is made by a machine which consists of a stainless steel vat and a cylinder mould, which is usually up to around 260cm in circumference and 130cm in width. The cylinder is placed in the vat, and a very dilute mixture of pulp and water is pumped into the vat. This mixture forms a fibrous web on the cylinder mould. This fibrous web is then pressed to varying degrees to form the varying surfaces available. Some cylinders have deckle frames on them which enable them to replicate the deckled edges of handmade papers. Mould made paper manufacture can also produce rolls of watercolour paper. Many artists favour mould made watercolour papers as they are more consistent in their durability than handmade papers but match their beautiful surface textures.<\/p>\n Machine made (fourdrinier) papers<\/strong> – Are made using a flat machine that consists of a forming section (where a slurry of fibres is filtered out on a continuous loop to form thin \u2018sheets\u2019 of the wet mixture), the press section (there is sheets are then pressed to remove as much of the water content as possible), the drying section (where the sheets are then snaked through a number of heated cylinders in order to remove more of the moisture so that the sheets contain around 6% of moisture) and the calendar section (where the paper is smoothed into flat sheets). This process of making paper is least sensitive to the characteristics of the materials used, and tends to be less favoured by artists. However, they do produce paper consistently.<\/p>\n The Weight of Paper<\/strong> Watercolour Paper Textures<\/strong> What is Hot Pressed Paper?<\/strong> What Does \u2018Not\u2019 mean?<\/strong> Rough surface paper<\/strong> Watercolour paper sizing<\/strong> How to stretch watercolour paper using Gummed Brown Paper Tape<\/strong> How to use a Paper Stretcher<\/strong> What is the difference between Cotton Paper, Woodfree paper and Bamboo paper?<\/strong> Bamboo paper has been used in Chinese arts for hundreds of years, and Hahnem\u00fchle<\/a> have reintroduced it as a low cost alternative to cotton papers. Bamboo is a highly sustainable material and so its use in paper making is considered incredibly environmentally friendly. Bamboo fibres again are relatively long which contributes to the strength and durability of the paper. It is naturally warm white and so it does not require any bleaching processes, which is also environmentally friendly and contributes to the longevity of the paper. The Hahnemuhle Bamboo paper is made of 90% bamboo fibre and 10% cotton, with a lovely unique surface.<\/p>\n Did you know that \u2018Woodfree\u2019 paper usually contains wood?<\/strong> A note about extra white\/high white papers<\/strong> Watercolour Glued Pads<\/a><\/strong> Watercolour Paper \u2013 Loose Sheets and Rolls<\/a><\/strong> Watercolour Boards<\/a><\/strong> that do not need stretching!![\"watercolour](\"http:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/PKS1W.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPaper Weight and Surface Textures<\/h2>\n
\nPaper weight is either measured in grammes per square metre or by lbs per ream. Jackson\u2019s Art Supplies sells paper of a variety of weights, from 90 lb \u2013 560lb. We recommend stretching paper that is lighter than 250 lb in weight as it is more likely to warp when watercolour is applied to its surface if not stretched. The very heaviest weights tend to be handmade papers that have texture.<\/p>\n
\nWatercolour paper is available in 3 textures, although there are some pads and blocks that are not available in all 3 textures, so it is worth having a look through what is available in each range.<\/p>\n
\nHot Pressed paper tends to be favoured by artists that like to work delicately and with a lot of subtle detail, for example botanical artists. It is the least textured surface, and is completely smooth as it is pressed between 2 hot metal rollers. It is also favoured by artists who will want to reproduce their watercolour on smooth paper.<\/p>\n
\nNot and Cold Pressed paper amount to the same textured surface \u2013 this is the name given to paper with has a slight tooth to it. It is the most popular surface for watercolour painters as it allows for a little texture in your work, as the paint will sink a little into the dimples on the surface of the paper, but it will also be sympathetic to some detailed work. It is made by pressing through the cold metal rollers. It is thought to be the easiest watercolour paper surface to work on.<\/p>\n
\nAs one might expect, rough surface paper is the roughest texture paper available. It is pressed between sheets of textured felt during the drying process, which is why it has a felt like texture. The heavier ingrain of texture means that granulating (irregular colour application) effects are enhanced. This paper surface is not recommended for those interested in detailed work and is more suited to bolder, more expressive painting techniques.<\/p>\nPaper Sizing and Stretching<\/h2>\n
\nWatercolour paper is traditionally sized with gelatin so that the watercolour paint does not sink straight into the paper. The gelatin provides a little resistance and forces the paint to sit on the surface and only partially sink into the paper. Paper can be sized with gelatin internally or externally. Internal sizing is when the gelatin is added to the water and pulp mixture before the paper has been made, and external sizing is when the sheets of paper once made are soaked in a gelatin bath. Internal sizing ensures that the paper does not become more absorbent even after scratching or scrubbing the surface of it. Many high quality papers are both externally and internally sized. If the sizing on a paper has been too heavily applied then it can easily be removed by soaking the paper in a bath, then removing and sponging the excess water off before leaving it to dry. This process is usually done anyway if the paper is being stretched by the artist. You will know if a paper has excessive sizing if the paper is resisting the paint more than it should, i.e., it forms as \u2018bubbles\u2019 of colour that gather on the surface of the paper.<\/p>\n
\nThe most common and inexpensive method of stretching paper is to begin by soaking it in clean water. For large sheets of paper it may be best to fill your clean bath with 5-6\u201d of lukewarm water. Slide the paper carefully into the tub and leave it to soak for a few minutes. This will dissolve a little of the sizing of the paper. Carefully lift the wet paper from the tube and lay it on to a clean and dry board \u2013 a plywood drawing board would work fine. Sponge off the excess water gently, with a clean sponge \u2013 the outward motion you use to do this will help flatten the paper on to the board. Once you feel that the paper is adequately stretched out, wet your gumstrip and fix this to the outer edges of the paper, so that half is stuck to the board and half is stuck to the paper itself. I find that by putting the tape into the same bath water and then sponging off the excess water in the same way that you did with the watercolour paper works very well. Lay flat and allow this to dry (in the sunshine it doesn\u2019t take too long, but it may need to be left for a morning, afternoon, or overnight to be completely dry) before you start your painting. When your painting is finished leave it to dry completely before cutting the paper free form the board using a sharp craft knife.<\/p>\n
\nPaper stretchers make the use of the gum strip tape redundant. You just need to soak the paper in the same way you would with gumstrip paper stretching but then fix the paper to the frame. Our economy paper stretchers and the Keba Artmate paper stretchers<\/a> work in different ways. The economy paper stretchers consists of 4 bars and clip together \u2013 make sure that your sheet of paper is the right size for the frame you are using, immerse in water and then clip the frame around it, which will keep the paper taut. It is a lightweight paper stretcher and works better in the smaller sizes. The Keba Artmate paper stretcher has a backing board supplied and you can achieve a tighter stretch with it \u2013 if it becomes slack there is a key to tighten the frame again if necessary. There are 2 ways of stretching watercolour paper with the Keba Artmate \u2013 either you spray the back and edges of the paper to stretch, by doing this you can start to paint straight away, or you can soak the paper and stretch, allowing it to dry fully before work. The Keba can also be used for temporarily stretching pieces of silk or canvas for painting.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nPaper Making Materials<\/h2>\n
\nIn our glued pads we do 3 varieties of paper \u2013 cotton, woodfree and bamboo, and we are often asked what the differences are. 100% cotton paper is generally considered the best quality. It is made from cotton linters which may have been taken from cotton rags. In the case of Khadi papers<\/a> the linters are literally taken from old t-shirts! The length of these fibres is a lot longer than wood fibre and this makes cotton paper a lot stronger and more durable. It is also acid free which means that it will not deteriorate over time (acid can cause papers to yellow and become brittle).<\/p>\n
\nWoodfree is a shortening of the term \u2018groundwood-free\u2019 and what this actually means is that the woodpulp used in the paper manufacture has been broken down chemically as opposed to mechanically. This removes the lignin in the woodpulp, which is the substance that holds wood fibres together, and by removing the lignin the paper is strengthened, whitened and made purer. The acid content is removed which minimises discolouration over time.
\nArtists should avoid using any papers that have wood content that has been ground mechanically is it will not be stable and long lasting.<\/p>\nExtra White Papers<\/h2>\n
\nExtra white and high white papers at present can not be described as having a bright white appearance. They are whiter than their traditional countrparts, but are still creamy white. This is currently as white as can be achieved without compromising the stability of the paper. The extra whiteness is achieved by adding a little bleach to the paper, as well as a small quantity of titanium dioxide pigment. Optical brightening agents (which can be found in lesser quality papers such as Fabriano 5) are not used as their effectiveness deteriorates with exposure to light and as a result, the paper will appear to become yellow after significant exposure to UV rays.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nWatercolour paper is available in the following formats at Jackson\u2019s Art Supplies:<\/h2>\n
\nGlued pads are glued on one side only. Jackson\u2019s Art Supplies sells a number of brands of varying qualities. The highest quality brands of glued pads are by Arches Aquarelle<\/a>, Saunders Waterford<\/a> and Langton Prestige<\/a>. These pads are all 100% cotton which means they are the papers least likely to yellow, and the most durable as well. More detailed descriptions are given in order of quality in the watercolour glued pads section.<\/p>\n
\nTraditionally, watercolour paper sheets come in the imperial size which is 30\u201d x 22\u201d, and there are usually 2 or 4 deckled edges depending on the method of manufacture. The larger your sheet of paper the more susceptible it is to cockling if it is worked on with fluid applications of watercolour paint, and so generally stretching is recommended for full imperial sheets of paper. If your paper has been cut into half imperial or quarter imperial size then generally it may not be so necessary to stretch the paper if the weight of it is greater than 200lb. At Jackson\u2019s Art Supplies we sell a wide range of different watercolour papers, the majority of which are either mould made on a cylinder or handmade. A full guide to the Watercolour papers we do in sheets and rolls can be viewed the in the \u2018Watercolour paper – loose sheets and rolls\u2019 section.<\/p>\n
\nDaler Rowney Saunders Waterford Watercolour Board, Arches Aquarelle Canson Board, Daler Rowney Line and Wash Board, and Crescent board.
\nWatercolour Boards are sheets of watercolour paper that have been mounted on to a rigid, acid-free and archival card. This means that they are rigid and do not require stretching. More information on our watercolour boards can be found in our \u2018Watercolour Boards\u2019 section.<\/p>\n