10 Best Watercolor Paper in the Philippines 2024 | Arches, Awagami, and More

Hands down, Arches is the most beloved paper brand for watercolorists. Made of 100% cotton fiber, it is widely regarded as the gold standard of watercolor papers. With each sheet weighing 300 gsm, this is a pad you can rely on for consistent quality. 

Although both its hot-pressed and cold-pressed papers are popular, more artists prefer the cold-pressed type because of its great texture. It reflects light well and is the perfect surface for showcasing the transparent quality of watercolor. At the same time, the grain is light enough to allow painting fine details. 

Each sheet is coated with natural gelatin to strengthen the fibers even more. Thus, it can withstand layers and layers of washes, as well as rubbing and removal of masking fluid without any damage. With all of these great qualities, Arches does not come cheap. However, if you're serious about art, it really is one of the best investments you'll ever make.  

This watercolor paper from Awagami is pretty unique. It prides itself on an impressive East-meets-West blend of kozo or mulberry and cotton fiber. This special combination produces a beautiful texture that lends much depth to watercolor artworks. 

The paper is museum-quality, so it is quite pricey. But it is also quite versatile, and artists use it for different purposes such as printmaking, inkwork, and even paper sculpture. Despite being an uncoated paper, it is incredibly strong and resilient, feeling almost like a rag.  

Made of 100% cotton, this artist-grade watercolor block from Baohong is a great alternative to Arches. It has gained considerable attention from both newbies and professional artists for its superior absorbent quality and pliability. Watercolorists often say that this paper is comparable to Arches in terms of performance.

This paper is especially great for heavy washes, as it allows beautiful diffusion between paints, and you get a lovely, natural blending of different shades. Although this specific variant is hot-pressed and also good for fine detailing, the pure cotton blend makes it ideal for loose washes as well. 

Hot-pressed watercolor is a bit hard to find in the Philippines, so this option from Hahnehmuhle is a welcome one. Produced on a fourdrinier paper machine, this paper is a multi-talented one. It performs well not just with watercolors but also with other mediums like gouache, tempera, pastel, charcoal, and pencil. 

With hot-pressed paper, you can make little details look as sharp and fine as you want. This is why this brand is a hit with botanical artists, who need to be as detailed as much as possible when creating paintings of leaves and plants. The paper holds pigment well and accommodates multiple glazes with no issues of buckling. 

Strathmore is a brand known for quality artist papers. This block from the 400 Series occupies a nice spot between student- and artist-grade papers. It is a great choice for artists who would like to transition from cheap types of paper to more high-quality ones without breaking the bank. 

Made of wood pulp, the paper in this block is durable and thick enough to absorb heavy washes with minimal warping. Pigments flow well on the even surface, and the result is a lovely fusing of different colors. The surface is textured and strong enough to allow lifting and scraping applications. 

Plein air artists and travel sketchers love this block because it is quite sturdy and well-built for outdoor painting. Even though it is made of wood pulp, it is acid-free, so if you want to preserve your paintings, this one is well worth the money.  

This watercolor pad from the Canson XL Series is a wonderful choice for beginners and students. The texture of the paper is cold-pressed, but the grain is very light, so it works well with fine detailing. It is also a versatile type of pad because you can use this with dry media like pen and ink, markers, pencil, pastel, and charcoal as well. 

It works just fine with light washes, but it can be a little difficult for paints to diffuse smoothly and seamlessly in heavy washes. However, it works really well with watercolor pencils, so that could be one way to accomplish more nuanced paintings with this pad. Nevertheless, it is quite durable and can stand up to repeated washes. 

Another plus is that it is acid-free despite being a student-grade paper. It also comes in a spiral pad with perforations on each sheet. You can tear away your works from the pad and be able to frame it beautifully. 

If you love doing watercolor washes, you will love this paper from Hahnehmuhle. With a whopping 450 gsm weight, it is definitely able to stand up to loads of washes and wet-in-wet techniques. The bright white color provides a great contrast to bright pigments. One thing its users love is that pigments do not seem to fade much on this paper. 

The result is a vibrant painting that would perhaps be difficult to achieve on a different brand. However, one drawback is that tape and masking fluid can be difficult to remove, with layers of paper possibly peeling upon removal. So if you use tape and masking fluid a lot, this is something to keep in mind. 

Montval Torchon is one of those watercolor paper types that cross the line between artist- and student-grade. It is classified as student-grade, but many professional artists work with it because of its many plus points.

First off is its quick-drying property. Artists can finish their work much faster when they don't have to wait for a long time in between layers. However, some users claim that it doesn't hold water well, which might be why it has a short drying time. That said, its quick drying time does allow it to receive multiple glazes well. 

The paper also has a rough texture that gives finished paintings a unique luminous look, no matter what wet media you're using. It's suitable for dry media like pastels and crayons, too. In addition, there are no optical brighteners in this paper, so you can be assured of shade consistency across the painting.

These sheets from Tokyo Finds offer you the best of both worlds. Whether you're into loose painting, finely detailed work, or calligraphy, you'll find a good match with this pack because each sheet offers a rough side and a smooth side. 

The 300 gsm weight also means that this paper can take even heavy washes and allows easy lifting and layering of pigments. It can also accept other media like gouache, acrylic, charcoal, ink, colored pencils, markers, and pens. That's quite a lot for such an affordable price!

If you're a beginner and not ready to splurge on more expensive brands yet, here's a good option for you. Fabriano offers a good cold-pressed surface for practice and watercolor studies. While it's not as heavy as the other brands on this list, it's acid-free, so you can preserve your work and look at it years from now to see how far you've progressed.

However, this paper is made of only 25% cotton and will buckle under heavy washes. If you want to add this to your art kit, it's best to stretch it before you paint so you can prevent unsightly warping. This is suitable not just for wet media like watercolor, gouache, ink, and acrylic, but also for dry media like charcoal and pencils.