Canson XL Series Watercolor Pad, Heavyweight White Paper, Foldover Binding, 30 Sheets, 9x12 inch

I am very pleased with the quality of this paper, especially for the price. This is a beautiful pad of nice thick cold press watercolor paper. I was able to make over a dozen watercolor paintings, and was also able to trim the paper for many smaller watercolor paintings and some watercolor bookmarks.As an artist, I am relatively new to watercolor painting, and this paper worked very well for all of my projects.My paints (liquid student grade watercolor paint) worked surprisingly well on this paper. I experienced a bit of a learning curve using watercolor paints, which was no problem because 30 sheets is plenty to be able to practice a bit.Additionally, wet on wet paint had a wonderful effortless, blending effect with minimal granulation (the last of which was primarily dependent on the paint itself). Wet paint on dry paper was also vibrant with crisp beautiful strokes.I had no problem sketching and drawing on this paper, and I also found it was effortless to erase pencil marks with no resulting shadows (provided that I was careful to outline gently). On a similar note, I also had very minimal problems with my paint covering the pencil effectively, provided my lines were light or gently lightened with an eraser.Overall, this is a great deal for watercolor paper and works well with my budget.

I used to shy away from Canson watercolor paper because most of the artists I was being influenced by never had much good to say about it. But the more I practice and learn my own style, the more I find that I really enjoy painting on Canson paper. I find it durable, versatile, and it holds up well against some of the more rigorous techniques (scrubbing, layering, lifting). It also works great with archival ink (I love Micron!). Would I use Canson watercolor paper to frame my most valuable artwork? Not necessarily. However, I find it’s a great option for those of us who don’t have an Arches budget. As a self-proclaimed perfectionist, I personally get more enjoyment out of painting on paper that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Affordable paper frees me up to be more creative and less stressed about making mistakes. I’ve recently started keeping a watercolor journal where I paint about little things that bring joy to my day and I love using Canson paper for this purpose! I recommend this paper for its affordability and excellent quality!**The attached photo is a picture of my Canson 7x10” spiral bound pad (XL)

Good, reliable paper. Doesn’t warp easily, easy to use. Have used watercolors, gouache, colored pencils, and alcohol ink markers on this paper with no issues.

My standard go to for carrying around and for backing finished smaller pieces. Soft white, not bleached bright white. Good surface: not rough, not smooth.

Tried and true. Not only have I personally torn through more of these paper pads than I could count - but 9/10 times I watch a watercolor tutorial, or take a watercolor class, this paper is recommended by experienced artists and art teachers.If you are a beginner, you need to practice. A lot. If you’re an experienced artist OR a beginner, you’ll want to exercise, explore, and improve your skill by experimenting with color, brush strokes/mark making, mixed media effects, textures... the list goes on. Expensive paper is a luxury, but it can sometimes be a hindrance. If you’re too worried about “wasting” costly paper, you won’t be relaxed enough for true artistic expression. You will beat yourself up over mistakes, and I know I’ve personally experienced anxiety about wasting materials.I’m gonna try and break it down into bullet points...Excellent value, accessible to beginners - If you’re looking to paint with watercolors for the very first time, any experienced painter will tell you that you’re going to need watercolor paper, hands down. You cannot simply practice with paper you may have lying around your house. That being said, when I first decided to try this medium, I was super broke and nervous about investing any extra pennies in a new hobby. So for $5, you can get started and begin exploring.Quality: Favored by Experienced Artists - If you are painting to scan and digitally alter your work, this paper is recommended for a few reasons. 1 - Perfect balance of smooth vs. texture. Smooth enough to not interfere with your scans, but enough “tooth” (texture, grain) to showcase your work. 2 - You won’t necessarily need expensive archival paper because the finished piece will be digital, not hanging in a museum or someone’s home. If you’re a painter who DOES create traditional fine art, commissioned pieces, etc., it’s still good to have on hand for things like quick color swatches, rough drafts, and practice/experimentation.Versatile - We’ve established that it’s great for all skill levels of watercolorists, but it’s also perfect for tons of other media! Each sheet has two surfaces, obviously, and I love saving money and trees by repurposing my practice sheets. I’ll use the smooth back side of the paper for ink drawings, acrylics, and it’s awesome to substitute for heavy card stock in scrapbooking and paper crafts!Okay, I’m gonna stop being a paper nerd because I feel like Dwight Schrute😂The last thing I wanna throw out is that while I obviously LOVE the Cannon XL Watercolor paper, I’ve recently switched to a brand called Magicfly. They sell here on Amazon - 3 pads of 140lb, cold-pressed paper for a little less than $20, at 35 sheets per pad, so you do the math. It’s more cost effective if you’re tearing through sheet after sheet, and I personally prefer the Magicfly because it has a lot more texture :)(I only rated 4 stars instead of 5 because nothing compares to the luxurious look & feel of 100% cotton)

Paper is thick without being too heavy. Good feel while painting.

I use this paper to make professional watercolor and gauche cards that don't require tons of layering or reworking. The texture is fine enough that it does pretty well with masking fluid as well as pen and ink. It's about what you expect for cold pressed paper. If you're going to be doing more complex layering work or even a lot of wet techniques, you'll want something better suited.This paper is also excellent for testing colors, trying a new technique, or painting a draft piece before doing it on more expensive paper. I have tried several different inexpensive watercolor papers and this one is my favorite because it is heavy enough and performs well enough (under specific limited conditions) for professional use.

This watercolor paper is good for watercolor painting exercises. It has a nice tooth and the sheets are easy to tear out. I purchase 140 lb Arches watercolor paper if I want to paint a quality picture that is worthy of keeping. The paper in this pad should lay flat and not curled.