The 9 Best Handmade Cotton rag Papers (2023 reviews)

The wanderings handmade cotton rag paper should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. This paper is very thick, richly coloured with great decaled edges. It works well for water colour painting, the paper is unique and gives the pain a fun background. It’s heavy and thick and gorgeous. It’s rad paper, almost like cloth, but make sure you get a size like 11x17 or bigger. It’s perfect for writing or using markers or colored pencils but for watercolor painting you really need to pay attention to the amount of water you are using.

It’s pretty porous. It is good for projects that require this size of paper. It is perfect for crafts, doodling, letters, invitations, or maps for hidden treasures.

Why We Like This:

Great for bookmaking and other art projects
Antique looking papers with a lovely deckled edge
Good brand reputation

Best With Acrylic Paint: Lear Village Handmade Cotton rag Paper

Buy on Amazon

The lear village handmade cotton rag paper is the best reliable paper on the market today. Acid free sheets in these watercolor mix media sketchbook help keep your art work vibrant and long lasting. It provides 100% pure cotton handmade paper suitable for all dry and wet mediums. It can be used for dry and wet mediums unlike other sketchbook they are suitable for watercolor, oil pastel, pencil color, charcoal, pen and ink drawings.

This 100% cotton watercolor paper has neutra ph to keep your artwork safe for centuries. It is perfect for recording ideas, anecdotes, lessons learned, daily events of fond memories. The 6"x 8" paper is great for 8x10 framing. It is perfect gift for someone who loves to pain or draw.

Why We Like This:

Ph neutral so your work will last for centuries
Holds up well with ink pens and magic markers
Delivers what they promise

Best For recording ideas: Lear Village Watercolor Paper

Buy on Amazon

This handmade cotton paper is perfect for all types of watercolor painting. The acid-free mixed media sketchbook sheets help preserve your artwork's vibrant and long-lasting. The quality of the paper is incredible. It comes in is really sturdy and high quality. The box and packaging are equally as fantastic as the paper inside and this would make a fabulous gift for any art student or those who love working with “aged” paper.

This isn’t rough parchment like, but soft, far softer than typical high end watercolor color paper, but will work perfectly for brush lettering. The vintage color and deckle edges are great. It is perfect for wet as well as dry medium. The texture adds so much interest to any project.

Why We Like This:

Includes a signed card from the individual that made the product
Fabulous texture, deckle edges and color
Delivers what they promise

Best Heavy Paper: Khadi Papers Handmade Cotton rag Paper

Buy on Amazon

Not everyone likes to purchase paper for their daily purpose, but the khadi papers handmade cotton rag paper would be an anomoly. This particular paper is very thick, almost like a piece of thin board. It is rustic and lovely paper with deckled edges. It has a unique fine grain coarse texture yet is evidently smooth and soft. It has texture but isn’t rough. The texture is super fun. It is no chlorine or harmful chemicals used in the production of this paper. It's very sturdy, both with sewing and with wet media.

Why We Like This:

Holds water well and absorbs paint well
320 grams looks really handmade with a lot of texture and not sharp endings
Beautiful, hand-made cotton watercolor paper with a deckled edge

Best For Professional: Indigo Artpapers Handmade Cotton rag Paper

Buy on Amazon

The indigo artpapers handmade cotton rag paper is specially designed for your regular usage and has all useful features. Indigo Art Papers are handmade so the cold press surface is rougher than your typical cold press watercolor paper. It features ivory-white 100% cotton rag and has exceptional strength and durability. It is acid-free and both internally and externally sized. The paper has a texture similar to that of a roller blind, which remain visible and is distracting when looking at a water color painting.

This art paper is best suited for watercolor. It's a wonderful thick quality but responds to water and adhesives. It is made by using traditional handmade paper techniques.

Why We Like This:

Good investment for long term
One of the new comers and featured product

Best For charcoal: Deckle Papers Handmade Cotton rag Paper

Buy on Amazon

This gorgeous, HAND-MADE deckled edge paper (rough-edge) prevents bleed-through and feels amazing. The pages contain natural flecks and a naturally rougher texture. The paper is eco-friendly paper. These are soft-textured study sheets that are lightweight and simple to hold. The paper accepts every kind of dry colors like pencil colors, crayons, and wax bars.

These papers are perfect for calligraphy paper, sketch paper, art, and craft paper, and use any pen pencil. The paper is perfect for sketching and drawing and can provide you with the proper tones and tints. You'll use it for Invitations, Calligraphy, Modern Escort, Love Letters, Wedding gifts, Vows Lyrics, paper Craft, Poetry, Stamping, Watercolor, Thank You, Invites, School Project, DIY kids craft, and far more.

Why We Like This:

Made deckled edge paper ( rough - edge ) prevents bleed
Environmentally sensitive and watercolor and pen friendly
Fill up these hand-made paper-sheets with your emotions
Blank recycled cotton paper that's acid-free, chemical-free and tree-free

Best For oil Painting: Artway Indigo Handmade Paper

Buy on Amazon

This extra heavy 500gsm mid textured paper is naturally tough providing durability, structure and support for many different applications. It can be created entirely by local artisans in northern india using traditional paper-making methods. Each Artway indigo handmade cotton-rag paper pack is wrapped in a recycled kraft paper covering to protect external surfaces. It is individually handmade and features a fully deckled edge with natural variations in texture, size and shape between each sheet due to the handmade nature of the product.

This pack of a4 cotton rag paper contains 15 sheets. The stiff board feel to this paper makes it highly suitable for watercolour and other painting techniques as well as a range of dry and soft media. It is also 100% acid-free with a neutral ph and internally gelatine sized.

Why We Like This:

Lot of satisfied buyers
One of the new comers and featured product

Best For Watercolour: Artway Handmade Cotton rag Paper

Buy on Amazon

The artway handmade cotton rag paper should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. This pack of a5 cotton rag paper contains 40 sheets. It can be created entirely by local artisans in northern india using traditional paper-making methods. It is individually handmade and features a fully deckled edge with natural variations in texture, size and shape between each sheet due to the handmade nature of the product. It is 100% acid-free with a neutral ph.

The surface of the paper has been smoothed flat having been cold pressed a number of times through rollers. This reduction in surface texture lends itself to rendering more detailed and precise marks often required when producing botanic paintings and illustrations. It is suitable for watercolour and other painting techniques as well as a range of dry and soft media. This paper is naturally tough providing durability and support for many different applications.

Why We Like This:

One of the new comers and featured product
Delivers what they promise

Best For Acrylic: Indigo Artpapers Art Paper

Buy on Amazon

The indigo artpapers art paper's material feels more premium than its price would suggest. This art paper is best suited for watercolor. It features ivory-white 75% cotton and 25% flax blend paper. It is acid-free and both internally and externally sized. It is made by using traditional handmade paper techniques. The cotton rag ensures durability and the flax imparts exceptional strength. It is a little fragile and does not take scrubbing very well. It is made with a nice atypical fiber mix.

Why We Like This:

Strong paper and excellent for watercolor, acrylic and collage
Lovely texture and doesn't soak up the watercolor
Lot of satisfied buyers