Arches

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You need to be a little careful when writing about a watercolor paper that is highly renowned and a standard in the professional art world. Arches is perhaps the most widely used paper among artists; many consider it their “go-to” paper. It is frequently used as a reference paper when comparing different brands.

Unlike many other companies that produce fine watercolor papers, Arches manufactures only top-quality artist papers. They do not make mass-produced office paper, envelopes, notepads, or specialty industrial papers. They offer a narrow range of watercolor papers, drawing and pastel papers, as well as Giclée and fine art print papers. All are 100% cotton and mould-made.

Arches was founded in 1492 in the village of Arches, France. Many famous handwritten and printed books have been made on Arches paper. They have won several awards for their high-quality artist papers. In 1897 and 1900, Arches received awards for their watercolor papers in Brussels and Paris.

The name is pronounced “ARSH,” with a short A and no ES at the end. Outside France, however, it is more common for people to mispronounce it as “ARSH-ES,” often with a long A.

Arches watercolor paper is available in natural white and extra white. The paper comes as blocks in various sizes, both glue-bound and spiral-bound. Rolls in different dimensions are also available, and of course, it is sold as sheets in the formats 56 × 76 cm, 75 × 105 cm, and 102 × 152 cm. The paper comes in a wide range of weights: 185, 300, 356, 640, and 850 g/m² (90, 140, 260, 300, 400 lb), often varying depending on the sheet size. Arches is available with surfaces that are hot-pressed (grain satiné), cold-pressed (grain fin), and rough (grain torchon).

The rough paper is what I use most, but I have also used the other surfaces. In this text, I focus on the rough paper. The paper has a slightly textured, very firm surface often compared to sandpaper. Some people say that Arches’ hard surface can wear down fine brushes unnecessarily. I cannot confirm this; I have personally never noticed any such effect.

Many years ago, there was a noticeable, slightly bitter odor when soaking a sheet of paper that had been gelatin-sized. Other brands also had this smell, but Arches was the most noticeable. I have also read in old reviews that people commented on it. The smell was caused by generous gelatin sizing using less pure gelatin. Nowadays, the smell is gone; Arches and all other manufacturers now use much purer gelatin that does not produce any odor.

It has been several years since I last used Arches. There are so many papers, and I have been occupied with other brands for a long time. But recently, I have painted quite a few pieces on Arches, and I must say it is just as good as I remember.

I find it striking how easy it is to paint on Arches. It behaves exactly as one would expect a high-quality watercolor paper to behave. Water is absorbed just as quickly as I want—no puddles or unevenness. Colors are rich and vibrant, and wet-on-wet techniques work flawlessly.

It also handles layering very well for such a heavily sized paper. The paper is extremely stable and durable; it easily withstands rough handling and all types of masking. Arches is simply an excellent watercolor paper that performs well in all techniques and is exceptionally good at all of them.

The paper surface is naturally slightly textured, which contributes to beautiful color surfaces. The rather abundant surface sizing highlights granulating colors and colors that create hard edges, which is great if you enjoy that effect, but less appealing for those who don’t.

Price-wise, Arches is on par with other papers of similar quality. Papers such as Canson Héritage, Saunders Waterford, and Hahnemühle The Collection, along with Arches, all cost around or slightly above €10 per sheet (56 × 76 cm, 300 g). There are cheaper cotton papers; for one or two few euro less, you can buy Fabriano Artistico, Lanaquarelle, or Winsor & Newton Professional. All of these are excellent papers with slightly different characteristics; it’s a matter of personal preference which one you choose.

Summary

Arches is the industry standard among artists and is probably the most widely used paper among professionals. The paper is very stable and well-sized, which ensures clear, vibrant colors and durability under rough handling. Arches performs well in all techniques; it handles wet-on-wet as convincingly as layering. Simply put, it is an absolutely top-quality paper.

Name: Arches Aquarelle
Manufacturer: Arches
Manufacturing Method: Mould made
Material: 100% cotton
Sizing: Internal and surface (gelatin)
Surface: Hot-pressed, cold-pressed, and rough
Weight: 185, 300, 356, 640, and 850 g/m² (90, 140, 260, 300, 400 lb)
Color: Natural white and extra white
Manufacturer Website: https://arches-papers.com/