The 6 Best Acrylic Color Papers (2023 reviews)

The arches hot press should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. Rough is a very, well,rough textured surface and is more for loose painting styles, expressive paintings like landscape, it is very hard to create crisp lines and details on rough edges. This paper is beautiful, its incredibly smooth making it great for mixed media like pen and ink and is wonderful to work with when using waterrcolors. It is good for multiple layers of washes.

The hot press is very smooth, with no texture to the surface and is great for super crisp lines and details,but it will amplify/show any mistakes made. The surface is smooth and velvety. This paper is so easy to layer with and you can tape it down without the tape tearing your paper and design/paintings/drawings.

Why We Like This:

Each sheet is generously sized for creating medium-sized images
Rough texture makes for interesting paintings
Takes water well with minimal pilling and holds its shape fairly well
Compact and easy to take plein air

Best For Artist: Arches Acrylic Color Paper

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This exquisite thick paper functions well with all wet techniques such as ink, gouache, and acrylic painting as the cotton fibers adapt to whatever medium you choose to craft your work. It is 100% cotton based as opposed to the cheaper wood pulp based papers. When it comes to high-end consistency and variety, you'll find the exceptional quality you seek within the premium papers at arches. It does weigh 140 pounds and also it is great for pet portraits.

It comes with 3 spectacular sizes available in pads of 12 140lb (300gsm) sheets, this is the ideal painting paper for artists. Loved the watercolor paper it is easy to cut, durable and the colors are very vibrant on the paper. The texture and weight feels different in your hands compared to other watercolor paper.

Why We Like This:

Great quality for a perfect piece of art
Love texture, very little warp, darkens colors compared to cheaper brand
Gives a whole other dimension to watercolor painting

Best For Acrylic Painting: Arteza Acrylic Color Paper

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Not everyone likes to purchase paper for their regular usage, but the arteza acrylic color paper would be an anomoly. This is excellent paper for oil painting. The paper works quite well with acrylic paint pens and metallic pens. These are bright white and have a good amount of sturdiness to them. The texture is very similar to canvas with a very stiff tooth. This is really nice paper to learn on and experiment on for acrylics. It's better suited for mediums like acrylic paint.

These are not made from a cotton material, but more of a pressed, sealed wood pulp. This paper is almost as good as canvas. It's well packaged and has a good colour.

Why We Like This:

Love these for practicing paint pouring techniques
Very nice paper, quite heavy which is good
Lot of satisfied buyers

Best For charcoal: Bockingford classic Paper

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St. Cuthberts Mill strives to provide artists everywhere with high-quality paper on which to lay their greatest ideas. It is made from pure raw ingredients and natural woolen felts provide a unique surface texture for exceptional results. It is suitable for pastel, gouache, acrylic, pencil, charcoal, pen and ink.

It is made with 100% cotton and textured with natural woolen felts, this durable, mold-made paper is available in 2 ethereal shades engineered to complement and enhance the vibrancy of any color you lay on the paper. Acid-free and gelatin sized for superior surface stability, this paper will ensure your artwork lives on for centuries as the paper won’t discolor over time. Each exquisitely crafted shade allows your finished work to shine.

Why We Like This:

Available in 2 sizes and a remarkable cold press finish
New and hot release

Best For Mixed Media: Newbested Acrylic Color Paper

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If you often find yourself confused about appropriate and satisfactory paper, newbested acrylic color paper should be your first option for buying. These watercolor paper enable to move color greatly to show a good vision experience. It works well in any printer and has a slightly rougher texture than conventional printer paper. It’s only 90 lbs and is super soft. The finish is too smooth and it has a lavender/bluish tint to it. It is great for paper to burn trough when practicing.

It isn’t as thick as most watercolor paper, but takes paint nicely. It is easy to pick up pigment. It is great to burn trough when practicing.

Why We Like This:

Wrinkles and buckles due to the thinness
Great for drawing, not for watercolor
Good brand reputation

Best For pastel: Bockingford Acrylic Color Paper

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St. Cuthberts Mill strives to provide artists everywhere with high-quality paper on which to lay their greatest ideas. It is made from pure raw ingredients and natural woolen felts provide a unique surface texture for exceptional results. It is acid-free and gelatin sized for superior surface stability, this paper will ensure your artwork lives on for centuries as the paper won’t discolor over time.

It is made at St. Cuthberts is available in a variety of binding types and paper sizes to fit the needs of any technique or project. It is suitable for pastel, gouache, acrylic, pencil, charcoal, pen and ink. Each exquisitely crafted shade allows your finished work to shine.

Why We Like This:

Available in 5 sizes and 2 remarkable finishes
Good brand reputation