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I'm spending a lot of time with my Distress Inks and so far have been using only regular SU and PTI cardstock. I want to experiment with watercolor paper but it's not cheap so I thought I'd get some advice from others who are using it. I've been watching a series of YouTube videos on Distress Ink and I can see that watercolor paper would hold up under some of the wetter techniques much better.
Hot press or cold? The hot press is, if I have this correctly, smoother. What weight? Any favorite brands?
Any advice or suggestion would be welcome!
Thanks, RR
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Hot Press is smoother, but more expensive. I tend to use Winsor & Newton Artist's Watercolour 140lb NOT. I find almost all stamps will stamp OK on that. (Sometimes I use the "wrong" side, which is smoother.) I've found it to be one of the whiter ones, though obviously none of them are bright white.
I also have a lighter weight one that I use for when I want to cut images out. That's Clairefontaine, cold pressed, 95lb. I just stocked up on it in Paris :-).
If I had the money, Arches hot press would be my first choice.
In the Tim Holtz youtube viedos, it looks like he uses Ranger Specialty Stamping paper. I've never used it, but it looked like something I might like for some of the techniques.
Sabrina, is the W&N a hot press? I am doing a technique that uses an outline embossed image and then application of the Distress Inks, then misting to allow the inks to interact within the embossed image, and I'm concerned that a rough surface would not take the Versamark cleanly. But maybe that's not the case.
What is NOT? I know hot and cold press... Not very well versed in watercolor materials.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Arches 140 lb cold press watercolour paper is what I use. The stazon ink stamps fairly cleanly but I like to emboss my image and then colour it as in this card. WT369 Morning Glory by Mrs Noofy - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers Any colour of embossing will do even gold or silver. If you are just starting out try the student quality paper. Not as expensive as the real Arches but works perfectly for cards etc.
Sabrina, is the W&N a hot press? I am doing a technique that uses an outline embossed image and then application of the Distress Inks, then misting to allow the inks to interact within the embossed image, and I'm concerned that a rough surface would not take the Versamark cleanly. But maybe that's not the case.
What is NOT? I know hot and cold press... Not very well versed in watercolor materials.
Rough and NOT are the same.
I would say that almost everything I have tried stamps pretty well on the smoother (wrong) side of the paper even when it's not so successful on the right side, and I'd be surprised if you couldn't get a good effect embossing. I'm away from home or I'd offer to test it and say.
What has amazed me is the difference between stamp brands. I have some clear Stampavie stamps which I would consider to be quite detailed, but they always stamp beautifully even on the rougher side of the paper.
Here is some info on the different types of watercolor paper from About.com: Do More. :
"1.Machine-made watercolor papers come in three surfaces: rough, hot-pressed or HP, and cold-pressed (or NOT).
2.Rough watercolor paper has a prominent tooth, or textured surface. This creates a grainy effect as pools of water collect in the indentations in the paper.
3.Hot-pressed watercolor paper has a fine-grained, smooth surface, with almost no tooth. Paint dries very quickly on it. This makes it ideal for large, even washes of color.
4.Cold-pressed watercolor paper has a slightly textured surface, somewhere in between rough and hot-pressed paper. It's the paper used most often by watercolor artists."
I have several brands of watercolor paper: I started out with Canson 120 #, CP, fairly smooth surface, good for beginners, which I bought at Michaels for $1.99 (10 sheets). Then I found a pad at Walmart by Bienfang ($3.97 for 15 sheets), 140 #, CP, fairly smooth surface, good for beginners also. Acid-free if you want to use in your scrapbooks. Both of these take stamped images very well.
Next, I bought the Arches watercolor block, 140# CP, rougher surface than the first 2, but still takes a stamped image very well. I don't remember what I paid for it, but it was definitely more expensive than the first two.
And finally, my dream watercolor paper: Langston Prestige by Daler-Rowney, Extra Smooth Hot Pressed, 140#, 12 sheets for $14.99; I got this at Hobby Lobby (with a coupon), which is the only big-box store where I've found Hot Pressed. This paper is wonderful to work with, is 100% cotton, and is also acid-free. Love this paper!
Good luck and hope this info helps!
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
Here is some info on the different types of watercolor paper from About.com: Do More. :
"1.Machine-made watercolor papers come in three surfaces: rough, hot-pressed or HP, and cold-pressed (or NOT).
2.Rough watercolor paper has a prominent tooth, or textured surface. This creates a grainy effect as pools of water collect in the indentations in the paper.
3.Hot-pressed watercolor paper has a fine-grained, smooth surface, with almost no tooth. Paint dries very quickly on it. This makes it ideal for large, even washes of color.
4.Cold-pressed watercolor paper has a slightly textured surface, somewhere in between rough and hot-pressed paper. It's the paper used most often by watercolor artists."
I have several brands of watercolor paper: I started out with Canson 120 #, CP, fairly smooth surface, good for beginners, which I bought at Michaels for $1.99 (10 sheets). Then I found a pad at Walmart by Bienfang ($3.97 for 15 sheets), 140 #, CP, fairly smooth surface, good for beginners also. Acid-free if you want to use in your scrapbooks. Both of these take stamped images very well.
Next, I bought the Arches watercolor block, 140# CP, rougher surface than the first 2, but still takes a stamped image very well. I don't remember what I paid for it, but it was definitely more expensive than the first two.
And finally, my dream watercolor paper: Langston Prestige by Daler-Rowney, Extra Smooth Hot Pressed, 140#, 12 sheets for $14.99; I got this at Hobby Lobby (with a coupon), which is the only big-box store where I've found Hot Pressed. This paper is wonderful to work with, is 100% cotton, and is also acid-free. Love this paper!
Good luck and hope this info helps!
I agree with you on the Langston Prestige hot press paper. It works great and always seems to take any stamp well. Plus, it was nice to actually be able to purchase in a brick and mortar
At my Hobby Lobby they have a little ATC (2.5x3"?!?) size pack of water color paper for $2 or so. It would be a great way to test it out and if you liked it you could buy a bigger pack.
Watercolor paper suggestions for Distress Ink
