Importance of Watercolor Paper Color
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- Опубліковано 15 січ 2023
- Watercolor paper comes in many different shades of white & cream colors. Do they really make a difference in how our paintings end up looking like? If so, when should we worry about and when can we ignore it? We test it all in this video!
** Papers tested in this video **
+ Saunders Waterford High White CP 300gsm bit.ly/3Qd2YyV
+ Saunders Waterford White (marked ’natural’ in the video) CP 300gsm bit.ly/3Qd2YyV
+ Fabriano Artistico High White CP 300gsm bit.ly/3SESQRm
+ Arches Aquarelle CP 300gsm bit.ly/3vVO9J3
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haven't seen you for a while, hope everything is ok. no need to rush back, just wanna.make sure you are well, we miss you!
Hope your are well and there are no problems. Missing you and your wonderful videos, but don’t want you rushing back before you are happy to do so.
Just watching old videos of yours again and missing you. I have followed you for years, so I understand your absence, but I just wanted you to know that I'm thinking of you and hoping that you are taking care of yourself. I hope you don't read this as pressure to rush back (I don't think any of your followers would ever want to put that on you), just sending warmest regards and letting you know we'll be here when you return!
Hope you are doing well.. hope to see you back soon!
I hope you are well. Miss your videos, personality and knowledge...
We miss you Oto, hope you are good!
Hope you are well
There are so many videos from you to watch. We will cover the time since you are back and wish you all the best. The bell is clicked, so we don't miss your comeback ❤❤❤
Would give a ton of gold to know how you are….. thinking of you! Hope you feel good🙏♥️
You always did a lot of work. Be sure…, we are not expecting that. It was great! You were and are my most loved and expected teacher…, I learnt so much. Nevertheless I don’t expect all you did as preparation. It must have been a very high mountain of work and even more work…. And I think you followers think similar. We are only missing you. Please please feel well🙏 thousand greetings from Europe ♥️♥️♥️♥️
I was surprised to see how brighter the high-white paper is! I wasn't expecting that big of a difference.
Playing with pigments and thinking of you. I hope you’re well!
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family... your video popped up and I looked to see that it has been awhile. With love, from a California Gramma ❤️
Surprisingly, I think I like the natural papers. I have always gravitated to bright white in my graphic design profession, but I just love that muted, softly vintage look of the colors against a natural paper. Thinking about it more, I always use a lot of Titanium Buff paint so perhaps I have just been making my own choices in other ways. Sadly hilarious!
My art journey had the same course! I was always looking for the most bright white paper,but now,I always go for Ivory or warm white,for the vintage look that I love! From Red Chalk (Sanguine) or Sepia sketches,to watercolor illustrations,I choose natural white Artistico,old Moleskin ivory tone sketchbook etc.
Hope you're well. ❤ miss the amazing content you made and the wonderful insights.
Thinking about you today. Looks like lots of people are missing you and hoping you are okay.
Does anyone know where Oto Kano went? Doing okay?
Thank you for this paper comparison. I haven’t ever been happy with any Arches papers-my art always feels murky/dark on it. Fabriano for practice (I have tons of it, thanks to various sales), and Saunders Waterford natural is my favourite for portraits, and high white for anything else on the notion that it’ll reflect more light back up through the layers of paint, maybe feel more Maxfield-Parrish-sky-ish.
@@MrsBarnabas Not necessarily bleach is added. It could be a white pigment.
Just here to say you're not alone in disliking Arches.
5:32 Wow! Seeing all these watercolor sheets together, I like the very white ones best. Will choose this from now on. 🎉🎉
Once again your methodical approach has been super helpful. I was surprised that there is such a difference in how vibrant the colors look on white paper. I like how crisp the contrast is on the white paper, but if one likes a muted or vintage look, then natural is the obvious choice. Thanks for sharing your hard work.😘
I switched from Arches to Fabriano and notice a big difference. Still use them both for different reasons. TFS. ❤❤❤
Looks like I’ll be using all my Arches paper for practices and such, but my bright white Saunders and Fabriano for my real artwork. TYSM for sharing such a valuable thing.
I’m so glad you did this testing! I’ve been curious about this for a long time but have never tried a controlled experiment of my own. I would also love to know how the texture (hot, cold, rough) impacts the perception of colors & brightness because I think it does. 😊
You are such a good scientist! repeating your test with more dilute paint, an excellent idea; and tells the story of watercolor! how many times have we been told "the beauty of watercolor is letting the white of the paper shine through the transparent paint"
Hey Oto, I just found your channel very recently and would be really happy to see more of your content! Hope you are well and thriving!
Hai, hope you are doing well... ❤
Last week, I got a Painter's Color Diary and have been happily re-swatching my paints in a neater format with more information (Thank you for your encyclopedia!!) and a better range of values. I didn't realize until yesterday that I was also comparing papers. Just last night, as I was doing my blues, I thought they looked so much prettier in the journal than on the swatch pages I had made for myself. I see now that, when placed side by side, the tone of the two papers is markedly different and it really impacts the colors. So something else to think about when planning a painting!
Wow! I love that Saunders Waterford natural, that is so incredibly beautiful. It looks like a dream.
I think you’re the first person to test the outcome of colours on a variety of cotton paper.
I’ll have to say, I have thought about it at times but now I have the answers. 🙂
THANKYOU SO MUCH!! 🎨💙
Such a great comparison!! And very helpful. Thanks!😊
Elizabeth Keefner here.... I have to admit I hadn't really thought of this before. Thank you for the video and the comparison. It will be useful. I typically use Arches because it is the easiest to get but I have recently bought several different brands to try out.
Thank you! I mostly use Arches and I go for a more vintage muted look, but if I ever decide to paint something light and bright, I’ll look towards whiter papers.
@@MrsBarnabas you art very right in that, but art papers are a tiny fraction of all the uses for bleach. It is problematic, of course, but this pollution is not irreversible. I would rather be worried about the longevity of cotton fibers in the paper itself after such treatment.
From Cheap Joe's - "Arches Bright White Watercolor Paper is mould-made without brighteners or bleaches."
@@MrsBarnabas well, art in general is not strictly necessary, it is something that we want.
Been waiting for years for a test like this! Thank you so much!
Happy Gallo restock day! By ten minutes in, one of the colors I wanted was sold out! Can't wait to get the other ones!
Brilliant tests. Thank you.
An(other) important video from you to me. I'd begun wondering about trying a whiter paper and thinking about budget for same. This info you've offered here lets me make some easy and affordable decisions. Many thanks!
This was great to see - thank you for doing this test!
@@MrsBarnabas checking it out now...
Paper is so critical. Love this video :) - Great points.
I have wondered this. Thank you Oto! From the results I feel good about using either one. I’m so glad you tested the good paper that I would use!
I love your analytical approach to things! ❤ I learn so much from watching your videos 😊 It’s so funny to me that I found this video today, because yesterday I visited an art store in search for some watercolor paper. I didn’t know I had any art store nearby, and discovered that just 20 minutes drive from me, there was one. I’m fairly new with watercolor, and have only tried cold pressed paper, and mostly Arches for the “proper paper”, and this time I wanted to try hot pressed. In the store I could choose Arches or Fabriano Artístico, and the Fabriano came in both color options. I opted for the white, since my Arches is natural colored, and thought it would be interesting to try white, but had no other reason to choose white. No I am sooooo happy I did, because I will get sooo much more experience out of my purchase! And I wouldn’t even know that if you hadn’t made this video! So, thank you!❤
Thanks for this. I hadn’t realized that the color of the paper could have such an effect, and yet it does seem so obvious … now! I’ll be a high-white paper user as soon as I finish using my current stockpile, lol. Also on a no-buy for 2023, so I’m adding it to my Jan 2024 restock list.
Hi Oto, i just went to compare various studies i had made on fabiano & stonehenge greyish i saw the difference immediately '! So i took out the unpainted papers and noticed how much of a difference there actually is. My arches came somewhere in the middle on a yellowish side. Since i buy my stonehenge as a 36/22 in. It didn't seem that different, not seeing them side by side. I'm thinking it might be fun to do some swatches on different papers ( similar to what you did butnot as extensive ) just to see when im planning a painting, it will influence my choice of paper ! Thank you for this video,it made me more aware. Have a good day
Interesting, useful comparison. Thank you.
Wow this was a great video. I really appreciate your sharing this with us. I really haven’t given much thought about how the different colors of papers would affect my paintings, since I have been painting for a few years. I think I will be keeping this in mind for the future though. Right now my favorite papers are Strathmore 400 Series. 500 Series, & their Toned Multi Media (gray, blue, & tan) Papers, along with Hahnemuhle Cold Press Paper. Thanks for sharing this wonderful informational video with us.
Super helpful as always! Thank you!
Amazing comparison! Thank you! 🙏
I’ve always loved Arches papers, mainly due to the texture. I’m a texture nut, I Need a good textured paper, that’s really the main thing I ever look at. Then of course how it plays with the paint & water. I guess now I’m going to have to add another step to my process, but texture will always come first for me. I’m still looking for my favorite, so far I do like “Kilimanjaro paper” from Cheep Joe’s. That was a real surprise for sure, but they have really nice sample paper packs with a great selection for reasonable prices.(About $20 when I bought mine) I have a Cheap Joe’s in my city and I really enjoy supporting them.
Thank you. Very helpful as I was recently gifted a stack of natural color paper.
Arches also has a Bright White version of the Natural White you tested, as Fabriano Artistico has a Traditional White version of the Extra White you tested. The Fabriano Trad White is a bit lighter than Arches Natural White. Although i use Artistico more than Arches because prices in the US are better for Fabriano, I do prefer Arches for final painting. I haven't tried Saunders because of cost, but I know it's popular with many artists. Thanks for sharing your tests with us!
Thank you, learned more today 😊
Thank you for your thoughts, this was interesting to watch
Thank you! I haven't seen a comparison of paper color on youtube, before.
I've found it helpful to also use a sheet of plain white printer paper next to the papers I am considering.....it seems to really help bring out the grey, yellow, brown, or even blue of the "white/natural" papers.
Hope you are well.
I always thought my colors looked brighter on SW high white then their natural but never did this exhaustive of a test. Thanks so much Oto for doing this so methodically. I am especially relieved as I just purchased over $200 in paper from the SAA in the UK in paper last week. Phew!!! ❤🎉
This is great thank you!! What is done to the paper to make it high white?
Hi did you ever do a Charvin watercolor review? I was curious about it and I love your watercolor reviews :).
What brand and colour name is that granulating purple? It's stunning ❤️
Very useful video, thanks!
@@MrsBarnabas Hi MrsB 👋🏼. Thanks so much for your comment. Much food for thought!
The pastel colors are gorgeous, almost as if they came that way. Did you mix them with white - what a difference! 😳🤩🤗💖🌹
Oh- I just subscribed! 😄🧑🎨💚🌹
Thank you for sharing it, Oto. I'm using Arches most of the time and especially when I will frame it.
I will eventually try Saunders Waterford one day too. I would be better to use the white paper for bright paintings that is painted with 3-4 layers. It's also easier to see the lightest value of paint. I don't mind off-white paper but it's still very interesting to see the difference. I think I'm a "go with the flow" type of person and will use the same techniques on every paper that I buy. I'm also looking for alternatives to Arches Cold-Press.
@@MrsBarnabas I kind of knew it would be bleach or whatever the company is using to make it bright white but it is the kind of paper that I would use less.
The last sketchbook that I bought was a Viviva Colors 100% cotton sketchbook and it's also off-white like Arches and Saunders Waterford Natural. But I have to mention that it will have some imperfections. They don't bother me as long as I can paint on the paper and it doesn't has sizing issues.
@@MrsBarnabas I guess using something that has been bleached is a problem for the climate but it's something everyone has to make their own decisions and the climate will change constantly even without humans living on earth. Acrylics are invented because oil paints can have bad fumes and only artists and graphic designers are using them. The food industry is way worse than using cotton or bamboo paper. It's not the few artists and designers or hobbyists that are using these supplies.
Me too…..
Very educational! 😃
Missing you and your videos! Hope you are doing okay. ❤
Does anyone know or have they heard from her, and how shes doing?
I wonder if the bright white papers use some type of optical whitener treatment in their sizing or just in the paper in general. It would be interesting to see these papers under a UV light to see how they compare under that lighting as well. thank you for this video it was super helpful and useful to see these differences!
Too will you do a review of all the Daniel Smith watercolours and break them down into colour sets?
Thanks Oto for the comparison !! I have tried Arches, Fabriano, Brustro and Lanaquarelle papers, I am yet to try SW. I love Arches for my landscape paintings because I love the natural colour of paper, the vintage look. But again, I prefer muted colours over bright colours for my landscapes. I love Fabriano for florals and botanicals as, I like bright colours for my floral paintings. I have also noticed difference in the way colour spreads wet-on-wet on different papers. I find Arches is much better choice for wet-on-wet. I wonder if anyone else has seen such a difference.
Thank You 🤩😍💖
I wish Arches would put their Bright White in the pads. It's only on the 300 lbs. Paper .
Hi! Oto, Have you ever tried Lanaquarelle Papers. I find them whiter and the colors more to my liking
Wow hi white for me from now on
Missing you Oto. I hope you are okay and doing well. ❤
What’s the green/turquoise colour third from the top?
Hi...what is your recommendation for best paper for granulating and good color?
I’ve just tried three papers and two of them have a patterned grain, so when you have granulating paints, you get patterned granulation, which doesn’t occur with Arches so far, which I like. Do the other three you’ve used have a pattern to the grain and is it something that you take into consideration with your paintings?
I do prefer the more muted natural papers the results look more unified and subtle. I have always been a bit put of and even intimidated by high white papers, I do not like the rawness when I paint on them. I do not really like Arches to work on anyway, I know people rave about how good it is, but I am not keen. Thanks for your efforts to help understand what the differences are. I do love Fabriano paper but I guess that the SW natural is a good match for me, especially as I don’t typically leave much white in my paintings. I think the four papers you have chosen do give a kind of standard or benchmark to which other papers can be compared, which is useful to know.
Is there a way I could be scent some paint
I guess what you are calling Waterford Natural is their “white”, as opposed to “high white”. They don’t list a Waterford “natural” on their website, only white and high white. My favourite paper, as I find it brighter than Arches. Now I must try the high white!
Has anybody tried the Talens 110 or 100 series Kolinsky brushes? They are made in Germany but cost way to little for Kolinsky. Would it be a better option to a no 8 Casaneo?
I do think I might lean to the off-white paper. So that I could use white watercolor on it.
I see Extra White, not High White, are these one and the same?
Ugh I knew it. I've always disliked the dull papers.
Can you please tell me the difference between semi transparent and semi opaque.....I can't figure it out.. LOL. thank you.
It's a scale. From: transparent, semi-transparent, semi-opaque, opaque
First!
I like the lighter paper, I feel the colors are truer…
Requesting a video regarding toxic paints and:
A) what happens in waterways and local ground water when you just dump it in the yard or down the drain
B) non-toxic alternatives, and
C) responsible disposal methods if you choose to use them.
Most videos just talk about "the best and most lightfast pigments," which are so often the ones with carcinogenic metals. They never talk about wearing gloves or how to dispose of the water responsibly.
There have been millions of people introduced to art via UA-cam art channels and other online media in the past few years alone, and I might have seen ONE video by Denise Soden regarding this topic. It's time UA-cam art channels start showing their subscribers that there's a very real environmental impact to art supplies and what they can do about it.
Thank you. Great videos. 😊🖌