Arches Ultra Strong Cotton Watercolor Paper Pad, 12-Sheet

Last updated: August 6, 2023


Each page of this watercolor pad is soaked in natural gelatin and air-dried. This process means your paint will have a luster, taking your creations to the next level. The page is made with long fibers, which gives it extra durability if you have to erase your pencil drawings.

Arches Ultra Strong Cotton Watercolor Paper Pad, 12-Sheet

We looked at the top Watercolor Pads and dug through the reviews from some of the most popular review sites. Through this analysis, we've determined the best Watercolor Pad you should buy.

Product Details

Key Takeaway: The pages of this watercolor pad are top-quality, giving your paints an extra luster.

In our analysis of 18 expert reviews, the Arches Ultra Strong Cotton Watercolor Paper Pad, 12-Sheet placed 6th when we looked at the top 6 products in the category. For the full ranking, see below.

From The Manufacturer

Let your imagination take flight as you paint on the Arches Aquarelle watercolor pad. Use this cold press paper to create beautiful artwork with watercolors, gouache, and inks. Each sheet is painstakingly crafted from 100Percent cotton fibers, so it doesn’t bleed or warp. To make these natural white, acid-free papers stable, they are designed on a classic cylinder mold. With natural gelatin used to size it, these one-pound sheets won’t tear when scratched. Your paints will retain their beautiful sheen on this Arches watercolor pad. 12 sheets9 in x 12 incontains alkaline reservewithout optical brightening agents (adheres to ISO 9706)fungicidal treatment to prevent mold buildup .

Expert Reviews


What reviewers liked

Ideal for experienced watercolor painters or novices who want a professional quality pad, Arches uses long fibers in their pages to create a durable and resilient piece of paper. Arches are the only company in the world to soak their paper in pure natural gelatin and air dry each sheet, which brings out the luster and transparency of the paint and keeps the pages from tearing or linting. This process also keeps the paper looking new through erasing, making it an excellent option for pencil drawings as well.
-
Paper accepts color well, allows for gentle subtle blending, and can handle multiple layers of water. Overall, a pleasant experience, and an easy paper to work with.
The texture of the surface is flawless, as you would expect from cold press paper. Each pad carries twelve 9″ by 12″ paper sheets which are suitable for your wet techniques and blending of watercolors.

What reviewers didn't like

With 12 sheets, the Arches is the smallest pad on our list.
-
Paper is a bit soft, and details may get fuzzy- not suitable for comics work in my experience.
Although the paper is quite absorbent, ensure that you have a sponge and blow dryer within reach.
View our Watercolor Pad buying guide for in-depth advice and recommendations.

From our partners