Common watercolor papers manufacturing method
August 24, 2026
På SvenskaBelow is a summary of various watercolour papers and how they are manufactured. I have included all the papers I have written about on this blog, as well as some common and well-known papers that I have not written about—yet.
I have created a price column: 1 = expensive and high-quality; 2 = mid-range, approximately half the price of an expensive paper; 3 = inexpensive watercolour paper. Naturally, this is only an approximate indication. Category 1 includes papers measuring 56 × 76 cm and weighing 300 gsm, priced between SEK 70 and 120 ($ 7 – 12), so the range is fairly broad. The same applies to less expensive papers. Cheaper papers are sold in hobby shops, hardware stores and bookshops, where prices can vary considerably.
Some manufacturers specify the exact manufacturing method, such as Fourdrinier-made. However, I have chosen to describe all papers produced using the simpler process as machine-made. Strictly speaking, cylinder-mould-made paper is also machine-made, but in order to distinguish between the two methods, I refer to all flat-wire-made paper as machine-made.
You can also read about watercolour paper and manufacturing methods here:
| Paper | Material | Manufacturing method | Surface-sized | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arches | 100 % Cotton | Mould-made | Surface-sized | 1 |
| Baohong Master’s Choice | 100 % Cotton | Mould-made | Surface-sized | 1 |
| Bockingford | 100 % Wood-fibre | Mould-made | No | 2 |
| Canson Heritage | 100 % Cotton | Mould-made | Surface-sized | 1 |
| Canson Montval | 100 % Wood-fibre | Machine-made | No | 3 |
| Canson XL | 100 % Wood-fibre | Machine-made | No | 3 |
| Daler-Rowney Aquafine | 100 % Wood-fibre | Machine-made | ? | 3 |
| Fabriano Artistico | 100 % Cotton | Mould-made | Surface-sized | 1 |
| Fabriano 5 | 50 % Cotton+ other fibers | Mould-made | ? | 2 |
| Fabriano Studio | 25 % Cotton+Wood-fibre | Machine-made | Surface-sized | 3 |
| Hahnemühle 300 | 100 % Wood-fibre | Mould-made | No | 2 |
| Hahnemühle The Collection | 100 % Cotton | Mould-made | Surface-sized | 1 |
| Hahnemühle Britannia | 100 % Wood-fibre | Machine-made | Surface-sized | 3 |
| Hahnemühle Expression | 100 % Cotton | Mould-made | Surface-sized | 1 |
| Hahnemühle Harmony | 100 % Wood-fibre | Machine-made | Surface-sized | 3 |
| Hahnemühle Turner | 100 % Cotton | Mould-made | No | 1 |
| Lanaquarelle | 100 % Cotton | Mould-made | Surface-sized | 1 |
| Magnani Acquarello | 100 % Cotton | Mould-made | No | 1 |
| Millford | 100 % Cotton | Mould-made | No | 1 |
| Moulin du Roy | 100 % Cotton | Mould-made | No | 1 |
| Royal watercolor society | 80 % Cotton 20 % linen | Mould-made | Surface-sized | 1 |
| Saunders Waterford | 100 % Cotton | Mould-made | Surface-sized | 1 |
| Stonehenge Aqua | 100 % Cotton | Machine-made | ? | 1 |
| Strathmore 400 | Wood-fibre/Cotton depending on variant | Machine-made | ? | 2 |
| The Langton | 100 % Wood-fibre | Mould-made | Surface-sized | 2 |
| The Langton Prestige | 100 % Cotton | Mould-made | Surface-sized | 1 |
| Two Rivers | Cotton and linen | Handmade | Surface-sized | 1 |
| Viceversa | 100 % Cotton | Handmade | Surface-sized | 1 |
| W&N Classic | 100 % Wood-fibre | Machine-made | No | 2 |
| W&N professional | 100 % Cotton | Mould-made | Surface-sized | 1 |
