Looked everywhere to find an A5 sketchbook with acid-free good quality paper. Well, well, well! I looked no more. Utterly thrilled with this book, I chose Hot-Pressed paper, I'm a miniaturist, and an HP finish to paper is imperative for fine detail. My book has Arches paper, absolutely spot on for fine detailed drawing and colour sketching. What was a real bonus to me, included a simple scrap of paper with the sketch book, instructions on how to open the book to gain the best possible ease of use. I had not come across these instructions before and found them extremely helpful, and of course it ensures I get the utmost use of every single page in the sketch book. Delighted with my purchase, and highly recommend these books to any serious artist, be they amateur or ... MoreLooked everywhere to find an A5 sketchbook with acid-free good quality paper. Well, well, well! I looked no more. Utterly thrilled with this book, I chose Hot-Pressed paper, I'm a miniaturist, and an HP finish to paper is imperative for fine detail. My book has Arches paper, absolutely spot on for fine detailed drawing and colour sketching. What was a real bonus to me, included a simple scrap of paper with the sketch book, instructions on how to open the book to gain the best possible ease of use. I had not come across these instructions before and found them extremely helpful, and of course it ensures I get the utmost use of every single page in the sketch book. Delighted with my purchase, and highly recommend these books to any serious artist, be they amateur or professional.

Amazing!

Well, the legends are true: Your painting won't buckle if you paint on a block. Especially if it's THIS block. As a novice gouache painter I was amazed. I was skeptical at first because I did notice ever so slight buckling under the first layer of wet paint... but as it dried, it flattened right back out. And I had no further buckling at all with subsequent layers. I now have a perfectly flat finished painting to be proud of, without the hassle of having to stretch the paper beforehand. And of course the Arches paper itself is legendary for a reason. Even as a beginner I can tell the difference. Note that when you open the cover of these blocks, you'll see a black page at first - that's just the protective page on top. The regular paper is underneath. Find the ... MoreWell, the legends are true: Your painting won't buckle if you paint on a block. Especially if it's THIS block. As a novice gouache painter I was amazed. I was skeptical at first because I did notice ever so slight buckling under the first layer of wet paint... but as it dried, it flattened right back out. And I had no further buckling at all with subsequent layers. I now have a perfectly flat finished painting to be proud of, without the hassle of having to stretch the paper beforehand. And of course the Arches paper itself is legendary for a reason. Even as a beginner I can tell the difference. Note that when you open the cover of these blocks, you'll see a black page at first - that's just the protective page on top. The regular paper is underneath. Find the little gap in the side of the block (on these it's easy to find because it's a large gap in the glue) and carefully insert your palette knife. Gently run the palette knife all around the block. And the protective top page will pop right off. Same process to remove your paintings from the block when you finish them. Perfect!

Awesome paper!!

Absolutely love this paper!! I am a beginner in watercolors. And I've really been struggling with it. I was told it didn't matter what type of paper you use, it's about the time spent practicing.Practice is important but this paper has made a huge difference in my work. The watercolors flow so much better. Lifting is easier. The colors are more vibrant. And the paper stays wet longer giving me more time to add paint. Only complaint would be cost. I'm still going to give it a five stars though because the work turns out so much better then all the other papers I've tried. So very happy with it.

I've tried a lot of different brands, but Arches... WOW!

I'm not sure what can be said that hasn't already been said about Arches Watercolor Paper. I've tried a lot of different brands. One or two of these brands come close, but nothing can compare with Arches. It absorbs the water & pigment in such a way that it remains simple to lift in order to correct mistakes, the way the paint blends into the paper and with other colors is magnificent. Many times I'm pleasantly surprised with how the paint settles into the paper once dry; creating beautiful soft blends. I won't use any other type of paper now.

Love this paper

I have been using and loving Arches Watercolor Blocks for several years now. I took one star off because the last two blocks I went through...as I progressed through the block, the last 5 or so papers were separating from the blocks before I even got to them. The binding must have deteriorated, and was not working correctly, so I had to take the paper off the block and tape it down on a board. The deterioration of the binding was not due to age because I paint often , and a block lasts me about 2-3 months at most. I still love the paper, and was willing to put up with this, but if it continues I will have to switch to another brand. For me, the whole point of the block is to not be required to tape the paper down.

Nothing beats Arches. Seriously.

In an attempt to save money, I've tried cheaper brands suggested by other artists. Canson Watercolor XL, Fluid blocks, those cheap watercolor postcard things you get on Aliexpress - nothing compares to Arches. Seriously. For one, Arches absorption capacity for multiple layers of watercolor pigment is unparalleled. Arches paper is 100% cotton, which means you can build up extremely saturated and near-endless layers of watercolor to get VIBRANT paintings! You can also scrub at the paper pretty vigorously to lift paint without damaging it (though obviously, you can go overboard and damage it - it's not invincible). Compared to a cheaper paper like, say, Canson XL Watercolor, the pigment on the cheaper paper just SITS ON TOP OF THE SHEET, meaning every stroke with more ... MoreIn an attempt to save money, I've tried cheaper brands suggested by other artists. Canson Watercolor XL, Fluid blocks, those cheap watercolor postcard things you get on Aliexpress - nothing compares to Arches. Seriously. For one, Arches absorption capacity for multiple layers of watercolor pigment is unparalleled. Arches paper is 100% cotton, which means you can build up extremely saturated and near-endless layers of watercolor to get VIBRANT paintings! You can also scrub at the paper pretty vigorously to lift paint without damaging it (though obviously, you can go overboard and damage it - it's not invincible). Compared to a cheaper paper like, say, Canson XL Watercolor, the pigment on the cheaper paper just SITS ON TOP OF THE SHEET, meaning every stroke with more color lifts the layer underneath. If you want super saturated washes of color, Canson XL Watercolor paper is the WRONG CHOICE.It's barely worth practicing on for vibrant color washes if your primary art medium is watercolor. It just doesn't take watercolor pigment the same way Arches does! I would HIGHLY suggest Arches for watercolor artists. It might be on the pricier side, but it's WORTH IT. As for the Canson XL Watercolor paper, you're better off using acrylic or gouache on its surface as the pigment in these media are larger and behave how you'd expect on this type of sheet. I've attached a few pictures of the types of illustrations and saturation values I've been able to achieve using Arches! #sweepstakes

Of course, it's Arches!

This is my first purchase of this wonderful paper. I'm still in the "exercise" phase and usually stick to Strathmore (and I've used a few other moderate priced brands-though never the "cheapest" as they just give disappointing results that will discourage you). But I wanted to test 100% cotton paper and see if it actually made a difference. Well, right away the paper felt stronger, and -it likes water. 😄 Paints blend smoothly and you don't have to fear scrubbing or lifting, or layering. Now I understand why people love Arches. I'd recommend trying it yourself, even if you're as new to painting as I am.

The ONLY Paper I Use

Doing commissioned paintings, I need paper of absolute quality; paper that will stand up to numerous washes, various brush techniques, and interact well with quality watercolor pencils and inks. I must have paper that offers dependable continuity with every sheet used. Arches gives me that confidence.Arches is made from cotton- not wood pulp. Because this is a fine, quality watercolor paper of cotton, it is more expensive, but SOOOO WORTH IT! With that being said, that's why I choose to buy from Jerry's- the best prices with fast delivery. I can find any size Arches Block paper that I need, even the sizes that are sometimes hard to find. Any time that I receive art materials from Jerry's, I KNOW that my items will be CAREFULLY packaged before they ship it out to ... MoreDoing commissioned paintings, I need paper of absolute quality; paper that will stand up to numerous washes, various brush techniques, and interact well with quality watercolor pencils and inks. I must have paper that offers dependable continuity with every sheet used. Arches gives me that confidence.Arches is made from cotton- not wood pulp. Because this is a fine, quality watercolor paper of cotton, it is more expensive, but SOOOO WORTH IT! With that being said, that's why I choose to buy from Jerry's- the best prices with fast delivery. I can find any size Arches Block paper that I need, even the sizes that are sometimes hard to find. Any time that I receive art materials from Jerry's, I KNOW that my items will be CAREFULLY packaged before they ship it out to me...great peace of mind, there!

Very pleased and plan to purchase again

Although I am not a professional artist, a few years ago I started painting again fairly regularly. I have tended to purchase what I could afford as I practice, practice, and practice some more. I recently decided to upgrade my paper choice from Blick's Premier watercolor blocks to try Arches. I had used Arches drawing paper in college (years ago!) and recalled that it had a nice quality. I purchased the 12" x 16" cold press 140# variety and am currently completing my first painting. I've been working on it daily for the past week and have experienced good things. To begin with, I'm pleased that the glued edges seem to be holding together well. With the Blick brand, pages tend to separate from the block and even from the base board. Secondly, I am pleased with the ... MoreAlthough I am not a professional artist, a few years ago I started painting again fairly regularly. I have tended to purchase what I could afford as I practice, practice, and practice some more. I recently decided to upgrade my paper choice from Blick's Premier watercolor blocks to try Arches. I had used Arches drawing paper in college (years ago!) and recalled that it had a nice quality. I purchased the 12" x 16" cold press 140# variety and am currently completing my first painting. I've been working on it daily for the past week and have experienced good things. To begin with, I'm pleased that the glued edges seem to be holding together well. With the Blick brand, pages tend to separate from the block and even from the base board. Secondly, I am pleased with the way the paper absorbs and holds color whether I am doing a loose wash of color or fine detail. Finally, I appreciate the texture of the paper. It's just a bit rougher than the texture of the Blick brand which gives a satisfying sensation to the touch, but the texture does not interfere with my ability to capture line details. Overall, my first impressions are positive and I look forward to trying other versions of the Arches papers (hot and rough press, and 300#) for comparison. I am hesitant to give the product five stars because I haven't been using it long, but am hopeful that it will measure up to a five star rating as I continue to use it. #sweepstakes

Yes

I have used this watercolor paper for a long time. I was in need of new supplies soI found what I needed on line with Blick. I ordered different sizes. I also was fortunateto have found the watercolor paper on sale. I am so glad I have discovered a sourceon line that carry good quality products for my art work. I favor the pad form becauseIt keeps my paper intact and easy to handle as well as protected.I bought the 140 lb. Cold press Arches watercolor paper because it fills my needsto produce quality art work. Thank you BLICK for carrying quality products that can be trusted.