The 5 Best Watercolor Papers for Artists in 2025
Not all watercolor papers can keep up with your creative steps. In this guide, I compare the five I trust most in 2025—so you can find your perfect dance partner on the easel.
Picking the best watercolor paper is a lot like picking a good dance partner — you want someone who doesn’t step on your toes when you’re ready to bust your favorite moves. Trust me, watercolor paper can make or break your painting experience.
The problem with cheap paper is the same as a bad dance partner: it just can’t keep up. Add too much water and it buckles. Try to lift paint or rub out a mistake and the surface gets fuzzy, starts breaking apart, and leaves you frustrated instead of inspired.
Top 5 Quick Picks
- Fabriano Artistico – My daily driver. Tough, versatile, and doesn’t complain when I scrub.
- Saunders Waterford – A pro’s favorite, smooth as a Ferrari, with the price tag to match.
- Blick Premier – Training wheels that don’t embarrass you. Great value for practice or first serious pieces.
- Winsor & Newton Professional – The underrated “indie band” of papers. Affordable, surprisingly solid.
- Arches Bright White – The bulletproof option, built to last generations.
Before I was a paintslinger, I was a full-time competitive ballroom dance instructor. Can you see the rhythm in my washes? Yeah, me neither. But, paper choice plays a role in that rhythm too—some sheets lead, others stumble.
Why Good Paper Matters
Cheap paper just doesn’t respond the same way as artist-grade paper. It buckles when it gets too wet, doesn’t absorb water properly, and completely falls apart if you try to lift paint or scrub an area. You’ll get fuzz, uneven texture, and frustration instead of good results.
That’s why investing in good paper is worth it.
The Three Main Types of Watercolor Paper
- Hot Press – Smooth, almost slick. Great for detailed work or pen-and-wash artists. Not beginner-friendly because it doesn’t absorb paint as well.
- Cold Press – The “middle ground.” Has a nice texture, absorbs water and pigment like a champ, and leaves a little sparkle on the surface. Man, I love a good sparkle! Perfect for beginners and experienced artists.
- Rough Press – Like cold press on steroids. Very toothy, very bumpy. Fun if you like texture, but not ideal for detail work or beginners in my opinion.
If you’re just starting out, go with cold press. It gives you the best balance.
Student vs. Professional Paper
- Student Grade – Usually made of wood pulp or mixed fibers (even cheap stuff like newspaper). It buckles easily, has a smooth surface, and doesn’t give you real watercolor effects. Sure, you can keep a pad in the glove box for quick sketches, but don’t rely on it for serious painting.
- Professional Grade – 100% cotton, archival, durable. Handles scrubbing, lifting, and reworking without breaking down. It’s more expensive, but worth every penny if you want the real watercolor experience.
The 5 Best Watercolor Papers of 2025
1. Fabriano Artistico
- My number one pick. Bright white tone, handles washes, scrubbing, and lifting beautifully. Versatile and reliable without being the priciest option.
- Buy it: Blick
2. Saunders Waterford
- Why I love it: The paper I started on, and still love. Similar in quality to Fabriano. Sometimes a little pricier, but often worth it.
- Buy it: Blick
3. Blick Premier
- Why I love it: Solid choice, especially for beginners. It’s gotten more expensive, but still budget-friendly if you buy in bulk. Doesn’t handle heavy scrubbing as well as Fabriano or Saunders.
- Buy it: Blick
4. Winsor & Newton Professional
- Why I love it: The underdog. For whatever reason, I don’t buy it often, but every time I do, I’m cool with it. Handles washes and lifting very well.
- Buy it: Blick
3. Arches Bright White
- Why I love it: Legendary, and for good reason. But for me, it’s overpriced. I paint almost every day, and I go through paper fast. Fabriano and Saunders give me what I need without draining the budget.
- Buy it: Blick
Here it is, the absolute best watercolor blocks money can buy!
I’ll be honest — I’m not a block guy. I don’t paint outdoors or when I travel, so I don’t really need them. But here are two worth mentioning:
Fabriano Artistico Bright White – Best block paper
Reliable, stays flat, no need for taping. Great if you like the block format. Buy Fabriano Artistico Blocks at Blicks
Fabriano Studio Watercolor Blocks – Runner Up and Budget Friendly
A more affordable option. Not quite the same quality as the Artistico, but still 100% cotton and works well. Shop Fabriano Studio Blocks at Blick
Two Things You Need to Know About Paper
- Paper Weight – This just refers to how much 500 sheets weigh. 140 lb is standard for watercolor. Heavier papers (like 240 lb or 300 lb) are thicker and buckle less. Lighter papers (90 lb) are too thin and not suitable for watercolor.
- Sizing – This is how the paper is treated to control absorption. Good watercolor paper is already sized, so you don’t need to prep it. It may still buckle slightly, but nothing like cheap, unsized paper.
Papers to Avoid (Especially for Beginners)
- Arches (at first) – Amazing paper, yes. But overpriced. Beginners don’t need it. Start with Fabriano or Saunders and upgrade later if you want.
- Student-Grade Paper – Made with pulp, not cotton. Avoid it for all the reasons above.
- Sketchbooks – Personal opinion here, but I don’t love watercolor sketchbooks. Most of the time, they just end up shoved in a drawer. I prefer cutting full sheets into smaller sizes. That way, rejects pile up where I can see them and I’ll actually reuse them for practice. (Here’s a fun example where I turned a reject sheet into a finished piece.)
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, it really comes down to budget and how often you paint. For me, Fabriano Artistico is my everyday choice. Saunders is right there too. Both give me what I need without overspending.
If you want to experiment later with Arches, go for it. But don’t feel like you need the most expensive paper in the beginning to make great art.
Want More on Watercolor Supplies?
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