The 9 Best Papers For pen And ink And Watercolor (2023 reviews)

The strathmore paper for pen and ink and watercolor is specially designed for your daily usage and has plenty of most useful features. This is a very good quality paper that takes watercolor pencils as well as wax-based coored pencils well. It is designed to be used for mixed media sketches, practice of techniques and quick studies. The texture of pages is quite polished. They take on watercolor very well and other medium like ink and graphic just fine.

The paper is smooth enough to make inking and sketching feel nice and smooth, but has enough tooth to it for colored pencil / watercolor. It goes on very nicely. It is perfect size to carry.

Why We Like This:

Good sketch book for mixed media
Holds heavy body acrylic paint well
Including heavy body, graphite pencil, and ink
Sturdy enough to travel with, as well

Best For portrait: Canson Wonderful Paper

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They are "real" watercolor paper and quite affordable. It is constructed of a cold press textured paper for a variety of techniques. The paper really holds up to the water and dries quickly. The paper has great texture and it is fun and flexible to paint on. It does warp quite a bit, so tape it down.

The paper does not permit alot of scrubbing, no need to scrub very much, and paint will lift so well. It is great paper for water coloring and using for other heavier card making needs. It works for watercolor =p additionally comes in different sizes.

Why We Like This:

Nice thick water color paper that doesn't get soggy like other papers
Great quality for not letting markers bleed, great for watercolor markers too
Great paper holds onto water well
Definitely works well for heavy use of water

Best For Wet And Dry Media: Canson Paper For pen And ink And Watercolor

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Compared with other paper in this category, the canson paper for pen and ink and watercolor has a convenient design. The Canson Artist series mix media pads are sleek, newly-designed pads that feature a heavyweight, french-made mix media paper. It can handle watercolor, but only a couple of light washes, and they are right. It holds up to a good bit of liquid without buckling. It is ideal for wet and dry media, and the paper cannot handle anything wet.

The paper is textured like watercolor paper is, leaving a smooth piece of work. It is suited for mixed media only. It does really well for both sketching and the painting. There is a minimum of buckling and can easily be straightened by just weighting it with a couple of heavy books on top.

Why We Like This:

Works well for pencils and some mixed media
Has a light texture, kind of in between hot press and cold press
Holds sufficient amount of water when using water colors
Excellent paper quality, holds up the materials very good

Best For recording ideas: Lear Village Paper For pen And ink And Watercolor

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Lear Village offers a variety of paper for personal choice and yet maintaining quality in all the variants. Acid free sheets in these watercolor mix media sketchbook help keep your art work vibrant and long lasting. This 100% cotton watercolor paper has neutra ph to keep your artwork safe for centuries. It can be used for dry and wet medium and unlike other sketchbooks they are suitable for watercolor, oil pastel, pencil color, charcoal, pen and ink drawings. It’s definitely a learning curve.

It’s packaged in a cellophane bag inside of a smallish box. The paper is sturdy, but absorbs and holds the color very well. The paint takes to the paper minimally. It has a rough texture.

Why We Like This:

Rich soft and strong all at the same time
Great for watercolor and gouache no bleeding
Ph neutral so your work will last for centuries
Kneaded eraser is best option to soften pencil lines

Best For old time: Wanderings Paper For pen And ink And Watercolor

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These one-of-a-kind handmade paper sheets are a great alternative to traditional watercolor paper or writing paper. The paper is thick and definitely has the handmade look with a beautiful edge. It fits inside the cards perfectly, smaller than a normal card. The deckle (fruffly) edge looks tea-stained and is absolutely delightful. It’s pretty porous. The paper is quite absorbent but thinned acrylic paint will work well.

These sheets would be great sewn together to make a little book, printed with lines to make personal stationary, or printed with instructions for vacation rentals or parties. It is perfect for crafts, doodling, letters, invitations, or maps for hidden treasures.

Why We Like This:

Antique looking papers with a lovely deckled edge
Consistency is good and texture is wonderful—linen like
Made antiqued deckled edge paper prevents bleed

Best With envelope: Wanderings Nice Paper

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These one-of-a-kind handmade paper sheets are a great alternative to traditional watercolor paper or writing paper. It is made using traditional practices passed through generations dating back to 14th century india. It completely sucks up paint and water and takes a really long, l-o-n-g time to dry.

This paper is awesome for those of you who want to paint on both sides. It's not stiff at all. It is perfect for crafts, doodling, letters, artwork, or maps for hidden treasures. It is just translucent enough to trace, using a light board. The quality of the paper is amazing.

Why We Like This:

Lovely, luxurious texture and deckled edges
Beautiful deckle edge and clean white
Supports most media including watercolor, acrylic, gouache, ink, gel pen, marker, pencil and charcoal

Best For smaller format projects: Ucreate Paper For pen And ink And Watercolor

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We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate paper. The ucreate paper for pen and ink and watercolor is exactly that - it's a simple paper that hits all the right notes. If you are working mixed media (not dousing it with water or sprays), sketching, or acrylic then these are really nice half size pieces of paper of a decent weight. This is nice paper, it has a smooth hot press surface and is thick and sturdy. The colors soak in and you can keep adding colors they don't mix at all on the paper. It is best for water color paint.

It is ideal for smaller format projects and great for group or classroom projects. It is great for beginners and practice work or ink work. It is definitely worth the money if you are a beginner looking for a large stack of watercolor paper to experiment and learn on before getting the nice stuff. This is definitely more affordable than sketchbooks.

Why We Like This:

Great size and lots of paper to have on hand
Watercolors sit on top of paper and make interesting outlines
Thin, no texture, but holds the water pretty well
Definitely recommend for markers and ink

Best For handcrafted cards: Nomadcraftsco Paper For pen And ink And Watercolor

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The nomadcraftsco paper for pen and ink and watercolor should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. This handmade paper can not wash and absorbs water almost completely. It is great for making small leather journals. The thickness is like a standard watercolor paper, with a slightly rough texture that could be difficult to get super clean lines on. It is good for handcrafted cards, etc. It is good for the softest of charcoals.

These papers are made from 100% recycled and acid-free materials, with 150 gsm thick, strong, slick-smooth & durable features. The interior is significantly lighter in color. It is ideal for super detailed work.

Why We Like This:

Sturdy paper with an almost linen texture to it
Torn edges are lighter than original edges
, beautiful paper with unique charachteristics
Easily used for tight wound scrolls

Best For Cyanotype: Lear Village vintage Paper

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If you are currently in the market searching for a popular paper for your regular usage, lear village vintage paper is the best choice. If you are willing and able to do the sizing yourself, this paper is excellent value and the deckled edges are beautiful. It is good for greeting cards, better for dry media or drybrush watercolor. The rag edges are well done—just enough to give an authentic handmade paper look but not too uneven.

The paper comes in a durable box so you can store your wonderful artwork for decades. They are handmade, so they feature the characteristic deckle edge. Love the quality it absorbs gel pen, ink very well and it dries quickly. It is perfect for wet as well as dry medium.

Why We Like This: