Difference Between Hot Press And Cold Press Watercolor Paper

Bumpy texture watercolor paper however that has a bumpy feel to the touch is known as cold press watercolor paper.

Difference between hot press and cold press watercolor paper. Artists who use hot pressed papers like to use a lot of detail in their paintings. Watercolor paper that feels smooth to the touch similar to mixed media or drawing paper just way way way thicker is called hot press paper. Personally i like to think of this paper being hot ironed flat. I am an absolute fan of cold press.

It tends to absorb paint faster. Thus having no bumps at all. And that s a short explanation of the difference between. So what is the difference between hot and cold press watercolor paper.

Paint tends to sit a little more on its surface and may take a little longer to dry. To keep this one straight i like to think of the paper have goosebumps due to the cold. It tends to be a little thirstier in my experience. The smooth surface of the paper makes this easy.

It somewhat smoothens the fibers but overall is not as smooth as a hot press paper. Feels smooth to the touch similar to mixed media paper but as we learned in the previous post it is usually made with some form of cotton fibers and or wood pulp. Artists who use cold pressed paper are more relaxed in their strokes and enjoy how the rough texture makes the paint settle in unpredictable ways. To keep this straight i like to think of the paper being hot ironed flat.

What is the difference between hot press cold press watercolor paper. Unlike the hot press in the cold press the fibers are turned into a sheet by the sheer pressure of a metal slab. In a nutshell the terms hot press and cold press refer to the paper s surface finish or texture. These are the two main watercolor paper types.

In the making of rough watercolor papers the sheet is just crafted from the fibers and then it is left in the sun to dry up. It is sometimes referred to as not paper basically meaning not hot. Cold pressed paper has a slightly bumpy textured surface. But hot pressed paper has a smooth surface finish.