I know that some of you (like me) have spent time searching for a paper that performs as well as Arches but without the hefty price tag. I just tried Baohong artist's watercolor paper (on a 9x12 block), and I have to say, in my opinion it's the closest to Arches that I've ever found. I'd be interested to hear your opinions, so please do leave a comment if you’ve tried it!
My observations were that it absorbed and held water very much the same way Arches does, which has always been my main problem with other brands of cotton paper. Other differences: it's made in China instead of France, and it seemed to have a slightly more pronounced texture/tooth than Arches, so the cold press looked more like Arches rough to me. Also, the paper was slightly less white than Arches, even when compared to Arches natural white (not bright white).
Perhaps it was because of this, or maybe the finish of the paper, but I did notice that the same paint swatched on both brands seemed to "glow" with light a tiny bit more on the Arches, and looked a tiny bit more flat on the Baohong. It’s not really noticeable in the photos, and only slightly noticeable in person, so this may not bother anyone. Anyway that's my 2 cents. Baohong paper is less expensive than Arches (at least at the moment), so if you're only concerned with the way it holds and absorbs moisture it might be a good one to try. I think in the end I'll stick with Arches - but I was glad I tried it. --------------- CONNECT WITH ME! Sign up for my emails Visit my website Follow me on Facebook Follow me on Instagram Check out my YouTube channel Browse my Etsy shop
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