Always looking out for budget cotton paper, I bought Arteza Expert Watercolor Pad on Prime day when it was CAD$4 off. If you are in search of budget cotton paper, please read this review of Arteza 100% cotton paper before you buy.
The Specs
- 100% Cotton
- 20 sheets
- 7″ diameter
- cold press
- acid free
- 140lb (300g)
By the way, not all of the Arteza Expert watercolour paper is cotton, so be careful when you purchase and make sure it says 100% cotton on the package.
Texture
Arteza 100% cotton paper has medium grain texture, but not as textured as the Winsor & Newton cotton paper. It reminds me of Etchr watercolour sketchbook paper, which I like.
Hit a Snag on the First Page!
Not gonna lie, the first page of the pad terrified me. There seemed to be some defects in the paper, on the top and bottom of the sheet, in which the paint collected. You can see the deeper green line that looked almost like it circled the flower and the chipmunk. I checked the cover packaging and there was no scratch, so it had to have happened when the cotton paper was made.
And it didn’t end there. In addition to the scratch on the paper, a light wash seemed to buckle the paper so much that it unglued itself around the edges. Not completely undone, though.
Despite the defect, I did continue with the painting and completed it. The paper worked very well with my Paul Rubens watercolour paints. I had no trouble lifting colours or blending. The dry time is comparable to other 100% cotton papers, giving me plenty of time to blend. The paint lifts easier than some of the other papers, though, even after it dries. So if you want to layer, it might lift up what’s underneath.
By the way, the defect isn’t too obvious once the painting is finished, though my eyes automatically go to the top above the chipmunk. I was afraid this scratch might run deeper than the first page, so I had to test out the next page too.
Phew!
I am happy to report that the second page, or the third, for that matter, did not have any defect or scratches. I examined the paper under bright light to check for any scratches but found none.
Moreover, I used several heavy washes on the second painting to create the dark galaxy background, but the paper did not buckle or come undone at the edges.
Overall Review of Arteza 100% Cotton Watercolour Paper
Arteza cotton paper surprised me how good it is. In fact, I preferred it to the Winsor & Newton 100% cotton paper! Arteza 100% cotton paper reminds me of Etchr 100% paper, but a bit more heavy weight and thicker. It is a very good pure cotton paper. Not sure if it’s sized (no mention of it in the descriptions) but it is cotton so it will still give you play time before the paints dry. All in all, a very pleasant discovery and so glad I bought it on Prime day for that extra discount.
