Cellulose Vs Cotton Watercolor Paper

Watercolour paper is a special type of paper made with cellulose which is the material that plants use to build their stems and leaves.

Cellulose vs cotton watercolor paper.

Rough watercolor paper compared. What is watercolor paper how is different from. Watercolor paper with a very smooth surface and almost no tooth. The cotton in it aids in the absorption of paint and helps the paper last longer.

Good for painting detailed paintings and creating very smooth. However watercolor paper since it uses water needs to be more absorbent than traditional paper. Yes the problem with more cotton content of watercolor paper is. This is why watercolor paper uses cotton intertwined in it s fibers.

In artists quality papers those fibers should be 100 cotton which makes it strong but pliable. A variety of cool and warm tints is available. Note that the term alpha cellulose is used to distinguish these papers from pure cotton fiber papers which also contain cellulose. The cellulose can be derive from many sources but typically watercolor papers are made from the cellulose derived from cotton and wood pulp.

Hot and cold press papers. Hot press or cold press papers are actually subcategories of cotton fiber or alpha cellulose papers and are distinguished by their surface characteristics. Use acid free paper for paintings you wish to keep as this type will yellow less with age. A selection of cellulose fibers usually cotton linen hemp is beaten in water to a pulp and an alkaline buffer may be added to give the paper a neutral ph value brown paper newsprint have an acidic content.

When deciding between cotton and cellulose paper for your watercolor landscape many believe that cotton is the true watercolor paper and cellulose is a cheaper but limiting alternative. This is also the reason watercolor paper doesn t warp or buckle under water as quickly as traditional paper such as computer paper drawing paper and even bristol. But what most people are not aware of is that artists quality papers are made with cellulose fibers which are 100 cotton. Watercolor paper is usually white but it need not be.

Watercolor paper differs from manufacturer to manufacturer so experiment not only with the different kinds of paper but also with various brands of paper. In this journal i d like to discuss what exactly is the difference between the two materials. Fabriano studio watercolor paper 9x12 cold press. This paper is also thick and that prevents buckling and tearing when the paper is exposed to moisture.

It is cold press 140 lb in weight has a soft texture and higher quality than the canson xl series. Paper made from cotton is often referred to as rag paper. Quality this particular paper is 25 cotton 75 cellulose blend. Watercolor paper is made from either pure cotton or a cotton cellulose blend as opposed to regular paper which is usually just made from wood pulp.