NOT or Extra Smooth, Hot or Cold Pressed. Sometimes, product descriptions for watercolour paper can be a minefield of terms that might not necessarily help you in deciding which watercolour paper is right for you. We’ve put together a quick visual guide of the most popular watercolour papers so that you can compare them, side by side.

When I first started working with watercolour and looking at the different papers I felt like I needed a University degree in the properties of paper and wouldn’t be able to tell you the difference between Hot and Cold Pressed. What I really needed was to be able to physically see all the different papers next to each other so I could compare and make a decision as to what I wanted to work on. As well as our handy Guide to Watercolour Paper on our website, I thought it would be a great idea to show the textures of our most popular watercolour papers with paint on them. Here is a quick explanation of some of the most commonly used phrases when discussing watercolour paper textures:

What is Hot Pressed Paper?

Hot Pressed paper tends to be favoured by artists that like to work delicately and with a lot of subtle detail, for example botanical artists. It is the least textured surface, and is completely smooth as it is pressed between 2 hot metal rollers. It is also favoured by artists who will want to reproduce their watercolour on smooth paper.

What Does ‘Not’ mean?

Not and Cold Pressed paper amount to the same textured surface – this is the name given to paper with has a slight tooth to it. It is the most popular surface for watercolour painters as it allows for a little texture in your work, as the paint will sink a little into the dimples on the surface of the paper, but it will also be sympathetic to some detailed work. It is made by pressing through the cold metal rollers. It is thought to be the easiest watercolour paper surface to work on.

Rough surface paper

As one might expect, rough surface paper is the roughest texture paper available. It is pressed between sheets of textured felt during the drying process, which is why it has a felt like texture. The heavier ingrain of texture means that granulating (irregular colour application) effects are enhanced. This paper surface is not recommended for those interested in detailed work and is more suited to bolder, more expressive painting techniques.