Watercolour Surfaces

The paper you choose for water colour and gouache will have a significant influence on your final painting. The paper's characteristic behaviour, determined by its manufacture, and the colour, weight and surface texture of the paper will have a profound effect on the character of your work. It is therefore essential to understand the nature of each paper you use and to choose carefully.

Different surfaces for Water Colour and Gouache

You can, of course, paint on any paper that suits your purposes, but there are papers made specifically for painting with water colour and gouache. Both mediums use the same surfaces as they are both based upon Gum Arabic and are used in exactly the same way.

For fine art work, water colour papers are recommended if the artist wants to be able to exploit the widest variety of techniques and ensure long term stability.

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