How I use CELLULOSE watercolor paper (cheap but good!)

I really liked this tutorial. I have a “ton” of paper that I didn’t know how to use until you showed me this. I threw them in the storage because they were so frustrating. I can’t afford to buy the really good 100% cotton anymore. Now that I understand why I was so frustrated, I will give that paper another chance. The watercolor teachers I have taken lessons from in the past wouldn’t even discuss papers like this and how to use them. Not a ding, just that they have a particular style that requires the 100% cotton paper! I am too soon old and too late smart. I didn’t get to go to art school just took a class here and there so I have gaping holes in my art knowledge. And a few pinnacles of achievement 😘 Thank you again, Sarah!

I use my "cheap" cellulose paper to bind my own sketchbooks. Even though I don't like the paper on its own, that's a way to trick myself into enjoying it more. All the time and effort I put into making a sketchbook makes me appreciate it more. I feel so proud of myself that I automatically want to use it! It feels special every time I paint in it, because I made it! My favorite paper for practice or swatching is Canson Aquarelle 60% cotton. It performs almost as well as 100% cotton, but it's cheaper.

Using these papers with gouache paints is another good use of these less expensive papers too.

There is not one painting that I haven't loved of yours. Thank you kindly for all of your wonderful inspiration!

I took a course in painting semi abstract water colour landscapes. It took me a while to realize that the teacher used cellulose paper, not cotton. It made a huge difference for me to dig out some cellulose paper from my stash. I did use the same paint and colours as the teacher, and could not for the life of me lift it off the paper like she did (I have never used lifting as anything but a way to remove accidental splatter and things like that before). Cellulose.... no problem at all. So yea, it is good for something. XD

What a brilliant video! I’ve never seen a professional artist show us how to use cellulose paper, focus on the pros rather than just the cons. May I ask, how long did this landscape take you to paint? It’s exquisite. I am blown away, especially because it seemed to be so effortless and quick. I am too perfectionistic still with watercolours so that would have taken me days to do. :/

I like the Pentalic Aqua journals. No cotton but a really nice sketchbook! I use almost 100% cellulose journals for gouache, since the medium uses less water they are perfect.

I absolutely adore the cellulose paper from Hahnemühle, their watercolor book is inexpensive and it's probably my favorite. Very, very nice quality, I can absolutely recommend it to everyone. Another two papers are like - although they are for sketching, but watercolour experiments are nice on them as well, are Hahnemühle Nostalgie and Stilman&Birn Alpha paper. Really good stuff.

As you were painting the green hillside and saying, "the paint sits on top of the paper", I was thinking "yeah, and look at those fabulous graphic marks!!". It all comes back to what you are trying to achieve. Sometimes working with a material that "fights" you forces you to come up with your own solutions which helps you to develop a language of your own. I'm currently experimenting with acrylic inks. The brand I have does some really interesting things with separation of colour mixes when you use a ton of water. It's a property of the medium that I don't see many people exploiting but that has fabulous potential. I'm currently trying all sorts of paper in exploring just how acrylic ink moves and behaves. I think black and white thinking about "what is best" can block opportunities for discovery.

Thank you so much for this! I've used a little 5x5 cellulose sketchbook I bought at Temu for cheap and I really like it. Small, convenient, inexpensive. I've also learned how to make my own single signiture sketchbook with 16 pages out of the Strathmore Travel Pad paper. I'm pretty stoked about that too.

Your video is great, because it finally made me realize why I didn't get all the hype around cotton paper before. I was painting on cellulose just fine, even often using non-watercolor papers for that purpose, but it always struck me as odd that many watercolor artists talked about cellulose paper as if it's unusable. I paint on pretty small formats, I don't like using a lot of water in my watercolor art, also I layer watercolors the same way I do with markers, so the fast drying is a big pro for me. It's definitely a more graphic and illustrative approach, as you mentioned. But i for sure want to try cotton more someday, bc experimenting with technique is always fun.

Oh 😃 yay! Sarah I used Canson XL Watercolor & the Canson XL Multi Media Wirebound Sketchbook papers for 4 years now, although I did start using 100% cotton watercolor papers (Strathmore 500 Series, Hahnemuhle, & Arches) about a year ago. I started with the pulp papers as a beginner because I wasn’t sure if I would like doing watercolor, then went to the multi media papers for learning gouache a year ago. I was using graphite pencils, with ink & wash before making the leap to watercolor & gouache. Definitely each type of paper does have its benefits & challenges depending upon how I want to use it. Thanks for sharing this informational video with us! 🥰

I've only been painting a few years, but in the beginning was frustrated by the cellulose paper I was using. As I advanced, I began to understand and "make friends" with Fluid paper, creating some lovely textured pieces. While I'll still reach for cotton paper 85% of the time, I appreciate the challenges that face me with the other 15%. Excellent tutorial on the paper, Sarah, and gorgeous painting too! These types of landscapes are my nemesis! :) Fanna

I used van gogh paper in the past that didn't work for me but I still use it for swatching etc until I finish the block. I recently discovered winsor&newton aquarelle paper, also 100% cellulose ,and it works really well for me. So that is a keeper for me!

This video is so timely, it's almost spooky. I recently decided to finish all my sketchbooks regardless of how much I dislike the paper. I grabbed my least favorite and finished it (hurray). Now I'm working on another. I'm a beginner at watercolor and struggle with the cellulose paper. I finally approached it with a different attitude: learn what the paper can and cannot do. I also remind myself that artists I admire (like you) create beautiful paintings on this same paper. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Oddly enough I'm just playing around with my favourite cellulose paper -Hahnemuhle 200lb Aquarell-using granulating pigments that lift really well off it just to see what happens.Sploshing on big unruly wet in wet washes then carving out /tidying up with synthetic brushes yields some great results when my good paper just won't do this. It ends up tired and overworked but the cellulose paper works well at this. Really good fun.

It’s nice to hear another mindset about paper. I experimented a lot initially & here are some of my finds: I absolutely love Clayboard or aqua board. It is absolutely the best to work on. Very forgiving, you can layer to your heart content and great to learn on since you can basically redo. The only drawback is its cost. I retain this for the smallest works since I work only very large 30 x 40” or very small - 6” x 6”. Another option is using watercolor ground on any surface - panel, board, or watercolor paper. Yupo or drafting Mylar is a lot of fun. I did a whole series on that but have moved on. Currently I am enjoying watercolor canvas. Its drawback is it does not do well with anything more than two layers. I am experimenting with enhancing the canvas with a choice of watercolor grounds and then adding touches in other media. I have the LEAST experience in plain watercolor paper.

I’m a fairly experienced artist, originally from the UK and always painted on Bockingford Rough, which is an absolutely excellent cellulose paper, but only really readily/easily available in Europe. Fast forward in my life, and now I live in Colorado with zero humidity and the cellulose papers just dry way too quickly here, so even though Bockingford still behaves well, I’m definitely tending towards 100% cotton papers nowadays, especially with plein air painting! When I went back to the UK this past (very rainy) Spring, I took my 100% cotton paper with me and had to switch back to Bockingford because it was taking much too long to dry 🤣. There is definitely a place for both types of paper depending on where you are painting and what the weather is like! In my experience, the cellulose papers commonly available in the USA aren’t anywhere near as good as Bockingford. I have about 400-500 sheets of Bockingford still to get through though, so I’m probably set for the rest of my life 😂

I enjoy using Hahnemühle's cellulose paper for abstracts. I actually induce the dreaded cabbage, let it dry, and add layers of color and then layers of detailing. Great stress reliever.

I have been using cotton paper exclusively for quite a while, but recently took a class in which we practiced certain strokes and techniques repeatedly. I didn’t want to use cotton paper to practice so pulled out a large pad of canson watercolor paper 140 lb. I really liked the way the pigment dried on this paper, showing layers and granulation beautifully, but I wasn’t laying down large washes… I started using this canson more like you said, to use it up, but also to see again what it can do!