Genuine Crafts Watercolor Paper Pad 2 Pack by Genuine Crafts - A4 8.3 in. x 11.7 in. - 30 Sheets - Cold Press Perfect Bound 140 Pound Acid Free Sketchbook - Textured Paper Great for Watercolor Paintin

I bought this paper because of the reviews. After trying the paper I’m confused by the reviews. I was looking for some cheaper watercolor paper just to do practice strokes on and such. I just can’t bring myself to practice on arches paper. It’s ok for brush stroke practice, but that’s about it.First of all the paper has a strange grayish blue hue to it. Not pure white at all which will affect your end product.The paper is very thirsty. It dries your brush very quickly. You must use more water than normal with this paper.The paper does not handle an eraser well, the eraser takes paper layers with it.It also doesn’t handle art tape. When you pull the tape off it takes layers of paper with it.I would not buy this paper again.

It took me a few weeks to have the time to actually try this paper. And, honestly, I didn't know what to expect, as I am not an avid painter. However, when I opened the package, the first thing I took note of was the heft to the paper. Just a single touch, you can tell this will hold the watercolor well, and not drink it in, causing a fading of the colors you want to use. I allowed my kids to paint me a picture, and there was no bleed of the colors at all. It was mess-free for them, and now I am sketching the first painting I am ever going to try.The quality of the material is pretty good, and I think the quantity you get is decent for what you pay for it. These 2 pads are going to last us quite a while, and this paper pairs perfectly with the paint pens from the same company.Very satisfied with my purchase, will definitely replenish my stock from here when I need it.

I am new to watercolor for the record.I didn't expect much for the price and quantity. But I must say I am very pleased. The photos I added were a test page, some wet on dry and some wet on wet. The watercolor on dry paper was extremely smooth and crisp. I will definitely buy and use these papers for wet to dry painting in the future. Wet on wet is also smooth and crisp. However, as you can see from the back of the paper it does distort a bit. I used very little water in the spots I was testing. So I do not feel this would be great for large and slow wet on wet painting. However smaller pieces of work and not lingering to long I feel would still work out just fine.Also my daughter started scribbling on it, and that was smooth and buttery too. I would definitely use it for pencils, paints, markers and pens.Overall I am very happy with what I received, especially as a beginner. I will order again.

For the price I wasn't expecting too much. I also didn't realize that I was getting two! I gave one to my darling little niece who is a budding artist, and kept one for myself. It holds and moves watecolor very well, and is thick enough not to curl.(I am not an artist like other folks, just a hobbyist, but I wanted to show how I had used so much water and it didn't damage the paper.)

[Update] After using it more ...it's just awful for the wet on wet method. As I mentioned before, tape tears it like crazy. It cannot handle any erasing..even lightly. When doing wet on wet, by the third layer my brush is actually destroying the paper. I do not have this issue with the other two kinds of watercolor paper I purchased. Since it's comparable in price to Canson paper, it's definitely not worth it.I'm new to watercolor but I bought 3 different kinds of paper. Colors seem fine on this paper in comparison with the others. However, this paper isn't very sturdy. If you use tape at all, it tears the paper like crazy. Very little pressure applied to the tape and you pull it up and lots of paper comes up with it. I've put tape on the Canson watercolor paper and Strathmore Visual Journal Watercolor and do not have this problem at all. It's probably worth noting that those papers are all 140lb too. That being said, I wouldn't use this paper for things I plan on putting a ton of work/effort into. It's a lot of paper for the price so that makes it a decent option for just practice paintings.