ArchesWatercolor Paper Block, Cold Press, 8" x 10", 140 pound

Arches watercolor block is high quality paper. I ordered the block (costs more, but worth it) that way I don't have to tape it down when painting. This paper can take more water (won't buckle too much), stays wet longer, no pilling and the color pigment shows of beautifully... I love Arches!

Product is excellent, it was damaged at some point, repackaged, reboxed, & reshipped to me!

O I love this paper!Didn't think it made this much difference, give it a whirl with some MGraham or Sennelier watercolors, but please don't blame me for introducing you!

You already know it's the best, go ahead and treat yo'self!

I almost always use Arches wc paper because of its consistent quality. I like the wc blocks because I don't like to stretch watercolor paper . The only problem is that in Arizona, where it's quite dry, the pad often detaches from the backing cardboard. But, since you can use either side of Arches paper to paint on, it's not a horrible problem, just an annoyance. However, unless they really mess up this paper, I'll continue to use it as my primary source.

I love Arches paper. It's my favorite, hands down. And yet this block did not stay in tact at all. After using two pages, the subsequent pages began peeling off the block. Now, with about 5 pages left, the entire wax block is peeling of the cardboard back. It's really too bad!

This is by far my favorite watercolor paper to work with.Cheaper papers are often wood pulp so the paint sits on top of the paper, the paint, therefore, does not mix or layer well. The texture doesn't show up. Even if you are the most skilled artists' paintings will end up looking like a toddler painted it. Wood pulp paper works AGAINST you as you try to paint.But this paper is 100 percent cotton and is a dream to paint on. The water and pigment soak into the paper, leaving vivid beautiful washes that are extremely easy to layer and glaze. Arches works WITH you to create the best painting of your ability. If you watercolor, this paper is a MUST.

When I first tried Arches, I tried the cold press first. But I found it left the finished painting looking chalky. It was also a lot rougher than I expected because it has a pocked marked texture. It was not working well with my micron pens for line and wash. So I took a chance on the hot press. It leaves my watercolors still looking vibrant and translucent. Smooth for my microns. And the paper can still take a lot of water and many layers of paint. It's perfect! Just what I needed!

Sorry, jumped the gun on this one, and I can’t delete my old review! Please can someone from Amazon delete this for me. Thank you so much! The paper isn’t black, at all, just on the cover sheet. I feel very silly, and apologise for leaving such a catty review! The paper is very nice. That will teach me to wait until I have all the facts, in the future... !

Arches Rough is the best paper for the kind of painting i do. I rarely paint larger than 1/2 imperial, so I thought I would try these ready-use pads. Not disappointed. It's up to snuff as expected. Worth the extra for the convenience. and takes up less space than the full sheets I normally buy, for not much less in money!

took a little while to arrive - but that is more being used to next day delivery than fault of the seller. Lovely paper and sealed on the edges so no more taping. Note, the top sheet is protected by a piece of black card - so don't panic when you open it and think you've ordered black paper by accident!

I adore Arches paper, the main two things about this that work so well are the block format that rules out any buckles and protects your underlying pages from paint and marks made in my plein air bag. Also the unusual dimensions lend themselves to tall architectural structures or longer horizons. This is my go-to paper now.

An absolute pleasure to paint on...