I had no idea what exactly I was buying when I bought 100 of these at Hobby Lobby. I picked up a couple out of curiosity in the clearance section. I got to the cash register and noticed the original price tag was $28.99 and I was paying $0.17 for each of them. I did a quick Google search and went back and bought every single one of them. There were abt 70 300lb and the rest are 140lb, and they are about 2ft X 3ft in size. I am so thankful for this review. I feel so much better about the deal I got and about venturing into trying watercolors. They seem so out of control and that is so hard for me. Thank you again.
I used Canson Heritage paper for the last year. I love it. I find it works well with my sable brush and watercolours. It does keep the watercolour stay wet for quite sometime which allows you to work on. The colours renin vibrant. The colour of the paper is not super white but it works with my work as it makes my painting looked more aged which is the look I am aiming for my work. I haven’t tried the student grade. I find it sometimes hard to work with Arches because the tooth of the cold press paper makes it hard for me to work with my brush and colours. I have Canson Heritage paper by default because it was on buy one get one sale when I visited Blick last year. I visited Blick again this year hoping I’ll get the same deal. I am surprised to see that Canson is even more expensive than Arches. I brought Arches hot press this time and I will see if I can work with it better than the cold press. Overall, I like Canson heritage edition.
Thank you very much for your feedback. I know what you mean about the grain of the Arches paper. I really like the softness of the Canson Heritage. It feels really nice to the touch. I also got my at Blick when they had that sale. Not sure I would have tried it without as it's soooo expensive. Great paper!
I bought a 140 lb cold pressed Canson Heritage paper block, I really like it, just as much as my Arches paper, and definitely more than Fabriano Artistico
I'm so glad to hear someone else sharing my views on this paper. From what I've heard so far, the hot press version isn't that great. But I just love this cold press paper just about as much as my Arches paper too!
Thank you for this review, Sandrine! I thought I was going crazy as everyone on the net seem to like the Heritage and I am having awful experience with it! The thing is my current block! of Canson Heritage has been gummed with that horrible bad side up. I have turned the spoiled sheet over and it was behaving considerably better however still not perfect. My favourite has to be Fabriano Artistico super white NOT 300. And here is the mystery with this Canson Heritage for me - I have started to notice it misbehaving only recently after I had it maybe for a couple of years now. First few sheets did not frustrate me at all and I did some pleasing work on them. So I ask myself - is it possible that the time factor somehow leads to this paper’s deterioration?
That's an interesting question. I hope time doesn't affect this paper. It would be really bad, especially for the price. I'm wondering if you had a bad batch. You might want to contact Canson and let them know. They might even replace your block for you.
Thanks for making one aware of the paper sides, testing a sample on both sides first. I just started with Canson Heritage, 140 lb. hot press as I mix pencil drawing in with the watercolor.
You're very welcome. It was a big surprise to me. I'm sure the regular paper you buy can be used on both sides. I use a block so never got to try the other side. One thing is sure, I love both Arches and Canson Heritage. Two beautiful papers.
My thought was that they put the writing on the back side so that you can paint on the full sheet without it getting in your way... but they certainly should have indicated that. If you hadn't thought to flip it over it would have been very bad press for them. I have it, and it's very good. It's also expensive though, just as much as Arches.
Thank you very much for this video! I faced the same issue and went through a lot of problems while painting. However I completed it with lot of trouble. The paint was bleeding. The color wouldn’t lift. Now I’ll try the other side of the paper. 😃 cheers!
Thank you what a good video demonstration! I truely appreciated it..and your technique is envied by me!!😄 what a lovely rose and background colors were fab! Thank you again!
If it's a block or a pad, just use the front. This was a sample paper. I just used the wrong side of it. It really is a beautiful paper, I like it very much.
You've saved my paper pad. I'm only a beginner and was trying to use this paper - from a Pad I just opened it and started painting and I was SO frustrated I searched for reviews and found your video. I flipped the painting I was doing and I agree it was SO much better! Probably won't buy it again, but at least I am not going to throw out the paper now.
I recently invested in this specific paper and I also managed to paint on the wrong side 😂 If it wasn’t for this helpful video, I probably would have given up, so thank you!!
@@Sandrinesgallery No, ALL papers have one side. The back side is always different (smoother without the same sizing treatment, or grain) It's the front side, that is designed to be used with water colours and that's what they advertise when they say Cold pressed,Hot, Rough etc
I was a bit upset when I learned that Arches was made with gelatine. So I'm pleased to see that Canson's is as good. Will order this next time. Too bad it's more expensive though.
@@TosaNewsense I'm not a big fan of the Montval as it is cellulose paper rather than cotton, and I have a hard time layering colors. The new layer keeps on moving the paint underneath because it just sits at the surface of the paper. I do love using it with gouache, though.
“Houston we have a problem” I was so excited to try the Canson Heritage paper, I bought a pad on Amazon. I loved the way it handled the paint. Then I found full sheets at my local hobby store (the Cason logo is beautifully stamped into the sheet in 2 places. OMG it is the worst paper I’ve ever tried to paint on. It’s worse than painting on printer paper. One stroke of very wet paint never budged. The edge wouldn’t soften at all. I completely soaked the paper with my spray bottle and then tried to paint and blend into that. The paint stayed right where I put it and became very very dull in color. Not even the cheapest student grade paper handles this poorly. I tried the same technique on a sheet of Canson 140lb. cold press from the pad and it worked great. The colors stayed brilliant and they moved and blended together beautifully.
That sounds awful! Did you try to paint on the other side, just in case? I would go back to the store and ask for a refund. The full sheets are so expensive!!
@@Sandrinesgallery I did try both sides. Unfortunately, I divided my full sheet into smaller pieces so I don't think I can return it. I contacted Canson to see what they thought about it. I'm waiting to hear back from them.
Did you get it from Hobby Lobby? Because I have read multiple terrible reviews stating their Arches paper is not right as well in the full sheets. Some even suggested it was fake/knockoff.
@@waymire01 I did get it from Hobby Lobby. I wondered the same thing about knock-offs. HOWEVER, I was determined to see if I just happen to get lemons. I went to another Hobby Lobby and bought the Heritage paper. It worked beautifully. It was gorgeous paper on both sides. I like it way better than Arches. I have figured out a way to tell if the paper is good before buying that does not harm the paper. I’m planning to make a shot RUclips video that shows how.
The cost depends on where you're located. I'm in the US and Canson Heritage is less expensive than Arches. At Blick's, a 20 sheet 10 x 14 block of Canson is $41. The same block of Arches is $51.
I bought the hot pressed pad one,and yes it didn't take it well with masking fluid, and for the lifting and washing part,it's not good either,,I'm not sure if my pad is fake or this new canson Isn't really good as the previous reviews,but my review got me banned from the online shop i bought this pad. Well,I just put my honest review and got banned..
Hmm,it's ok,there other online shop out there,maybe you were right, canson only focused on cold pressed because people use cold pressed more than the hot pressed.for the hot pressed I still prefer Fabriano.
I bought the hotpress heritage and unfortunately hated it. It's too soft and won't take masking fluid well. And layers....it hated layers, it pilled up even using a soft sable brush. Before painting the paper feels similar to suede. And the feel it has after painting is rough to the touch but not only that the paper is super floppy and has no strength to it, so it doesn't make that snappy sound that good paper has.
Sorry to hear that about the hotpress paper. I haven't tested it yet. I rarely use hotpress with watercolors, I'm not that confident yet. But I can see how well it must work with details when you paint botanical portraits. I love it with colored pencils. So maybe I won't have your problem. Crossing my fingers.
Wow! I had that same bad experience using Stonehenge. Wont take layers and paper is so soft that paper lifted with making fluid. Even the lowest tack tape ripped up the surface of the paper. I was hoping Heritage wouldn't be that bad.
I've also hate it, but I can't even paint on it😢 It absorbs everything immediately, you can't blend, do layer, lift paint, and it's supposed to be a watercolor paper, how?
Glad I could help! I do love this paper, but if you're happy with Arches, stick with it and save your money. I can't believe a paper can be so expensive!
Well now I'm going to have to pick some up! Or at least keep it in my radar when my Strathmore 500 stash is decreased. Super review and wow, Sandrine, photorealistic roses!
Thank you Mikki. It's a nice paper, for sure. But it's a shame it's so expensive. Dick Blick is having a sale where you can buy one block and get the second one for free, which is a very good deal. But you need to be sure you like the paper before you end up with two blocks you'll never use. So getting a cheaper paper pad might be a better idea for a start. I still have to try the Strathmore 500. I'm not fond of Strathmore paper in general, except for their toned paper. But I've never like painting on their watercolor papers much. However, I have a feeling the 500 series might be an exception. It's on my to do list.
Im incredibly sorry to disturb you and ask, but i just got a sheet of this paper and cant wait to try it!! I noticed that it is definitely different on both sides (texturally). Was it the 'smoother' or more textured side? Your paintings are so incredibly beautiful - even though you think it was hard to work on one side, to me, it looks absolutely beautiful!!
Don't be sorry, I'm happy to help. First of all, thank you so much for your kind words. Now, for your paper, I'm assuming you got the 140lb Canson Heritage cold press? You should be able to work on either side. I had trouble with the sample paper because one side wasn't sized. But with the paper you buy, it's sized on both sides. I use a paper block so I don't have to worry about figuring out which side to paint on. But I believe you're correct and there's usually a side that looks smoother, or is more "natural" looking. The other side seems to have some kind of pattern. I would use the smother side. But patterns differ sometimes depending on if the paper is a full sheet or on a block. If your sheet has a watermark and you won't use this part, I would use that corner as a sample/test area and try painting on both sides to see which one you like best. Have fun.
I've tried the canson paper and it's a good paper but sadly doesnt handle masking fluid! I had a sample and I think it said on it to turn the paper over, which i didn't notice and like you struggled to paint on side with the writing.
Oh no, I didn't realize about the masking fluid. Since I rarely use it, it shouldn't be a problem for me, especially since the paint lifts easily enough. But I can see how it could be a huge drawback for other artists. You just made me feel much better about using the wrong side of the paper, hehe! And of course, I had to double check, but my samples do not say anything about the side on which to paint. Regardless, I think you should be able to paint on both sides. It seems a waste not to be able to do so.
Thank you for this test. Maybe I can finally do something with my Canson. I've already painted 3-4 watercolors on it ... and it's terrible. Today I will see on the back side. Thanks :) I leave support and shyly invite you. See you later.
I don't think I'll be buying this paper because I like using both sides of the paper unless I'm framing. I have these samples also. Thanks for sharing.
@@Sandrinesgallery I have the 20 sheets block. And it's the same. You can only paint on 1 side. This week I had to throw away 2 pieces. Thank goodness I found your video, I was thinking about burning the whole block xD.
Canson paper in general is cheaper than Arches. But the Canson Heritage watercolor paper is their best quality watercolor paper and is more expensive than the Arches equivalent. Especially the blocks. The pads are much more affordable.
Maybe thats the problem I had with it. Painting on the wrong side. I was going to give up on it. I just bought a single sheet at Hobby Lobby, for 1 sheet its $7.99 same as Arches.
This paper is definitely too expensive. I am surprised, though that you can't paint on both sides. In my case it was just a sample, but I thought that when you buy the paper, at that price, you'd be able to paint on both sides. I've only painting on a block so far so I didn't experience this problem again, since I only paint on the up side. It's also very strange since Canson papers are usually double sided.
rachael peterson so Rachel, I’m having the same problems. Which was the wrong side to you? The one were you can see the letters of the water seal correctly?
I had practically the same problem with the hot press paper, although for both sides, it's awful! The water and paint absorbs immediately and the paper guets puffy, it's so weird! The worst part is that I actually bought the arches cold press online and the store called to tell me it wasn't available and asked if they could give me a canson one that's "practically the same" and I can't say no so I accepted it , when I got it I realized it wasn't even cold press😢 It's the worst paper I've tried and I've only tried cheap ones
The wrong side was the one that was printed on. I would think that if you use anything other than a sample sheet you should be able to paint on either side.
No, no, no, thank goodness!! 😥 I don't think they ever made it, they only distributed it. It's another group now that distributes Arches paper. You can still buy it, no worries.
I brought a Canson heritage sheet, and asked Canson company what side to paint on and they said, I quote "should be used on the engraved side". So you used the opposite side of the engraving right? I'm going to have to try both sides to see what side is better.
I haven't tried that paper, but a;; Watercolor papers, usually have 2 different surfaces where the back, is usually a bit smoother. You have to try both, to see what works better for you. The front, is more ideal for classic watercolor painting. Yo hold the paper on a window with a lots of light, or behind a strong lamp and you can see the logo on the bottom right corner. If you read it properly, you look at the front side. Hope this helps Mario!. @@marioalejandro7549
Ok so I tried both sides, and both sides are BAD! Not anywhere close to what your painting looks like. It soaks up all the water and color as soon as I touch the brush to the paper. I had to put a lot of water to keep it wet and then it buckled all wobbly.
@@Sandrinesgallery Thank you for replying. A friend gave a sheet from her pad to try out. I usually use wasli (hand-made paper) for miniature painting, wasli is made by combining together 4-5 watercolor sheets of your choosing and then burnished glossy to smooth out the textures so that the line of the brush is smooth. It's like a very fine cardstock. I was told that Canson Heritage is as good as that. But I'm afraid not. It is nowhere near to wasli. I tried two painting on either side and it was the same. I'll give it another try this time marking both sides and then try it.
@@helmet212 That's interesting. I'd never heard of it. Does your friend like the Canson Heritage paper? To me it's very similar to the Arches paper. I don't know anything about Wasli paper, so I really can't compare. Have you done your second test?
sandrinesgallery Yes I did. I did it on 2 small pieces with sides marked. One side was the same as in your video, nothing like a proper watercolour paper. At the first wash the water just soaked right away, even the colour sank through the sheet, I mean I could see the paint at the back of the paper. The second piece seemed to behave well. I gave it 4-5 washes, it held well although after the hairdryer the colours became chalky. And the pigment didn't soak through the sheet. I didn't tape those pieces to the board nor did I soaked the sheets before use. Anyway, I then started a new painting with the correct side marked on it. I taped it to the board and started to apply the first wash and to my shock, the water didn't stand, it got soaked again the way it did on the wrong side! The same thing happened. I was furious! I tried to paint a composition three times on Canson. By this time I could've finished the painting. No more tests. Regarding my friend, she uses Arches but it was out of stock in Dubai. She had an exhibition in Art Dubai this year so she had to use Canson Heritage. Her technique is different, it doesn't involve a lot of washes, she paints in opaque watercolours. Check her out she's an established artist instagram.com/mahaahmedqureshi/ . I'll show her my tests when I meet her. My technique involves multiple translucent washes.
@@helmet212 Sorry you're having such a hard time with the Heritage paper. I use a lot of water on it and don't have any problem. Thank you for sharing your friend's work. It's gorgeous.
For their samples, abdolutely. Although, since both sides should be working fine when you buy the paper, I think the sample paper should be working on both sides as well.
I had no idea what exactly I was buying when I bought 100 of these at Hobby Lobby. I picked up a couple out of curiosity in the clearance section. I got to the cash register and noticed the original price tag was $28.99 and I was paying $0.17 for each of them. I did a quick Google search and went back and bought every single one of them. There were abt 70 300lb and the rest are 140lb, and they are about 2ft X 3ft in size.
I am so thankful for this review. I feel so much better about the deal I got and about venturing into trying watercolors. They seem so out of control and that is so hard for me. Thank you again.
I'm speechless! That's such an awesome deal!!! WOW!
I used Canson Heritage paper for the last year. I love it. I find it works well with my sable brush and watercolours. It does keep the watercolour stay wet for quite sometime which allows you to work on. The colours renin vibrant. The colour of the paper is not super white but it works with my work as it makes my painting looked more aged which is the look I am aiming for my work. I haven’t tried the student grade. I find it sometimes hard to work with Arches because the tooth of the cold press paper makes it hard for me to work with my brush and colours. I have Canson Heritage paper by default because it was on buy one get one sale when I visited Blick last year. I visited Blick again this year hoping I’ll get the same deal. I am surprised to see that Canson is even more expensive than Arches. I brought Arches hot press this time and I will see if I can work with it better than the cold press. Overall, I like Canson heritage edition.
Thank you very much for your feedback. I know what you mean about the grain of the Arches paper. I really like the softness of the Canson Heritage. It feels really nice to the touch. I also got my at Blick when they had that sale. Not sure I would have tried it without as it's soooo expensive. Great paper!
I bought a 140 lb cold pressed Canson Heritage paper block, I really like it, just as much as my Arches paper, and definitely more than Fabriano Artistico
I'm so glad to hear someone else sharing my views on this paper. From what I've heard so far, the hot press version isn't that great. But I just love this cold press paper just about as much as my Arches paper too!
Thank you for this review, Sandrine! I thought I was going crazy as everyone on the net seem to like the Heritage and I am having awful experience with it! The thing is my current block! of Canson Heritage has been gummed with that horrible bad side up. I have turned the spoiled sheet over and it was behaving considerably better however still not perfect. My favourite has to be Fabriano Artistico super white NOT 300. And here is the mystery with this Canson Heritage for me - I have started to notice it misbehaving only recently after I had it maybe for a couple of years now. First few sheets did not frustrate me at all and I did some pleasing work on them. So I ask myself - is it possible that the time factor somehow leads to this paper’s deterioration?
That's an interesting question. I hope time doesn't affect this paper. It would be really bad, especially for the price. I'm wondering if you had a bad batch. You might want to contact Canson and let them know. They might even replace your block for you.
Thanks for making one aware of the paper sides, testing a sample on both sides first. I just started with Canson Heritage, 140 lb. hot press as I mix pencil drawing in with the watercolor.
You're very welcome. It was a big surprise to me. I'm sure the regular paper you buy can be used on both sides. I use a block so never got to try the other side. One thing is sure, I love both Arches and Canson Heritage. Two beautiful papers.
My thought was that they put the writing on the back side so that you can paint on the full sheet without it getting in your way... but they certainly should have indicated that. If you hadn't thought to flip it over it would have been very bad press for them. I have it, and it's very good. It's also expensive though, just as much as Arches.
I love this paper, it's lovely. Too bad for the price tag, though.
Thank you very much for this video! I faced the same issue and went through a lot of problems while painting. However I completed it with lot of trouble. The paint was bleeding. The color wouldn’t lift. Now I’ll try the other side of the paper. 😃 cheers!
I'm so surprised that the paper can only be used on one side.
I used this paper for the first time the other day and I really liked too!
Yes, lovely paper, just wish it was a bit cheaper!!
Thank you what a good video demonstration! I truely appreciated it..and your technique is envied by me!!😄 what a lovely rose and background colors were fab! Thank you again!
You are so welcome! Thank you for stopping by.
Thank you for sharing this video. I am planning to buy one tomorrow. So I should use the back side.
If it's a block or a pad, just use the front. This was a sample paper. I just used the wrong side of it. It really is a beautiful paper, I like it very much.
You've saved my paper pad. I'm only a beginner and was trying to use this paper - from a Pad I just opened it and started painting and I was SO frustrated I searched for reviews and found your video. I flipped the painting I was doing and I agree it was SO much better! Probably won't buy it again, but at least I am not going to throw out the paper now.
Glad I could help. I'm just baffled that one side of the paper doesn't work, though. For the price, you'd think you could use both sides!
I recently invested in this specific paper and I also managed to paint on the wrong side 😂 If it wasn’t for this helpful video, I probably would have given up, so thank you!!
You're very welcome. I'm still surprised that there is only one side we can paint on. Usually Canson papers are "reversible".
@@Sandrinesgallery No, ALL papers have one side. The back side is always different (smoother without the same sizing treatment, or grain) It's the front side, that is designed to be used with water colours and that's what they advertise when they say Cold pressed,Hot, Rough etc
I was a bit upset when I learned that Arches was made with gelatine. So I'm pleased to see that Canson's is as good. Will order this next time. Too bad it's more expensive though.
Way too expensive! The cheapest way is the paper pad formats if you don't want the full sheets or the blocks.
Or when Michael's has a buy 1 get 1 free sale- as in today's sale. still too rich for my blood, but I did get the Montval to try.
@@TosaNewsense I'm not a big fan of the Montval as it is cellulose paper rather than cotton, and I have a hard time layering colors. The new layer keeps on moving the paint underneath because it just sits at the surface of the paper. I do love using it with gouache, though.
Also, I would recommend to get the paper pad rather than the block (for the Heritage paper) because it's the exact same thing, just A LOT cheaper.
“Houston we have a problem” I was so excited to try the Canson Heritage paper, I bought a pad on Amazon. I loved the way it handled the paint. Then I found full sheets at my local hobby store (the Cason logo is beautifully stamped into the sheet in 2 places. OMG it is the worst paper I’ve ever tried to paint on. It’s worse than painting on printer paper. One stroke of very wet paint never budged. The edge wouldn’t soften at all. I completely soaked the paper with my spray bottle and then tried to paint and blend into that. The paint stayed right where I put it and became very very dull in color. Not even the cheapest student grade paper handles this poorly. I tried the same technique on a sheet of Canson 140lb. cold press from the pad and it worked great. The colors stayed brilliant and they moved and blended together beautifully.
That sounds awful! Did you try to paint on the other side, just in case? I would go back to the store and ask for a refund. The full sheets are so expensive!!
@@Sandrinesgallery I did try both sides. Unfortunately, I divided my full sheet into smaller pieces so I don't think I can return it. I contacted Canson to see what they thought about it. I'm waiting to hear back from them.
@@azmgbbb I still would try the store. Just bring all the pieces with you and show them the painting samples.
Good luck.
Did you get it from Hobby Lobby? Because I have read multiple terrible reviews stating their Arches paper is not right as well in the full sheets. Some even suggested it was fake/knockoff.
@@waymire01 I did get it from Hobby Lobby. I wondered the same thing about knock-offs. HOWEVER, I was determined to see if I just happen to get lemons. I went to another Hobby Lobby and bought the Heritage paper. It worked beautifully. It was gorgeous paper on both sides. I like it way better than Arches. I have figured out a way to tell if the paper is good before buying that does not harm the paper. I’m planning to make a shot RUclips video that shows how.
The cost depends on where you're located. I'm in the US and Canson Heritage is less expensive than Arches. At Blick's, a 20 sheet 10 x 14 block of Canson is $41. The same block of Arches is $51.
This video is a few years old, and back then the Canson was fairly new and much more expensive.
I bought the hot pressed pad one,and yes it didn't take it well with masking fluid, and for the lifting and washing part,it's not good either,,I'm not sure if my pad is fake or this new canson Isn't really good as the previous reviews,but my review got me banned from the online shop i bought this pad. Well,I just put my honest review and got banned..
I wonder if Canson focused more on the cold pressed version, which I really enjoy using. Sorry you were banned from the shop. It's very strange.
Hmm,it's ok,there other online shop out there,maybe you were right, canson only focused on cold pressed because people use cold pressed more than the hot pressed.for the hot pressed I still prefer Fabriano.
Thank you for the info, it's good to know.
wowzer that's just rude what they did jeez
Wow. So much for speaking the truth.
I bought the hotpress heritage and unfortunately hated it. It's too soft and won't take masking fluid well. And layers....it hated layers, it pilled up even using a soft sable brush. Before painting the paper feels similar to suede. And the feel it has after painting is rough to the touch but not only that the paper is super floppy and has no strength to it, so it doesn't make that snappy sound that good paper has.
Sorry to hear that about the hotpress paper. I haven't tested it yet. I rarely use hotpress with watercolors, I'm not that confident yet. But I can see how well it must work with details when you paint botanical portraits. I love it with colored pencils. So maybe I won't have your problem. Crossing my fingers.
Wow! I had that same bad experience using Stonehenge. Wont take layers and paper is so soft that paper lifted with making fluid. Even the lowest tack tape ripped up the surface of the paper. I was hoping Heritage wouldn't be that bad.
I've also hate it, but I can't even paint on it😢 It absorbs everything immediately, you can't blend, do layer, lift paint, and it's supposed to be a watercolor paper, how?
Thank you for an honest review. You saved me money. I will stick to Arches.
Glad I could help! I do love this paper, but if you're happy with Arches, stick with it and save your money. I can't believe a paper can be so expensive!
@@Sandrinesgallery The more it costs, the more I'm likely to screw it up. lol....
Well now I'm going to have to pick some up! Or at least keep it in my radar when my Strathmore 500 stash is decreased. Super review and wow, Sandrine, photorealistic roses!
Thank you Mikki. It's a nice paper, for sure. But it's a shame it's so expensive. Dick Blick is having a sale where you can buy one block and get the second one for free, which is a very good deal. But you need to be sure you like the paper before you end up with two blocks you'll never use. So getting a cheaper paper pad might be a better idea for a start. I still have to try the Strathmore 500. I'm not fond of Strathmore paper in general, except for their toned paper. But I've never like painting on their watercolor papers much. However, I have a feeling the 500 series might be an exception. It's on my to do list.
How about I send you some to try?
You always have some great ideas! How about I send you some Canson Heritage in exchange? I just received my blocks today.
Im incredibly sorry to disturb you and ask, but i just got a sheet of this paper and cant wait to try it!! I noticed that it is definitely different on both sides (texturally). Was it the 'smoother' or more textured side? Your paintings are so incredibly beautiful - even though you think it was hard to work on one side, to me, it looks absolutely beautiful!!
Don't be sorry, I'm happy to help.
First of all, thank you so much for your kind words.
Now, for your paper, I'm assuming you got the 140lb Canson Heritage cold press? You should be able to work on either side. I had trouble with the sample paper because one side wasn't sized. But with the paper you buy, it's sized on both sides. I use a paper block so I don't have to worry about figuring out which side to paint on. But I believe you're correct and there's usually a side that looks smoother, or is more "natural" looking. The other side seems to have some kind of pattern. I would use the smother side. But patterns differ sometimes depending on if the paper is a full sheet or on a block. If your sheet has a watermark and you won't use this part, I would use that corner as a sample/test area and try painting on both sides to see which one you like best. Have fun.
@@Sandrinesgallery Thank you so incredibly much for such a thorough reply!!! Im so incredibly grateful!!!
Wow that rose looks like a photograph 😮
Thank you so much.
Thank you for your candid review.
Thanks for watching!
I like how Canson is a brighter white.
I have a few samples, different makes, and I thought the name side was the correct one but I am now wondering.
I'll have to check with the retailer
I've seen some of the Canson samples that actually say on them which side to paint on. Mine didn't.
Great review....Thanks very much. I really appreciate it
Thank you very much for watching.
I've tried the canson paper and it's a good paper but sadly doesnt handle masking fluid! I had a sample and I think it said on it to turn the paper over, which i didn't notice and like you struggled to paint on side with the writing.
Oh no, I didn't realize about the masking fluid. Since I rarely use it, it shouldn't be a problem for me, especially since the paint lifts easily enough. But I can see how it could be a huge drawback for other artists. You just made me feel much better about using the wrong side of the paper, hehe! And of course, I had to double check, but my samples do not say anything about the side on which to paint. Regardless, I think you should be able to paint on both sides. It seems a waste not to be able to do so.
Thank you for this test. Maybe I can finally do something with my Canson. I've already painted 3-4 watercolors on it ... and it's terrible. Today I will see on the back side. Thanks :) I leave support and shyly invite you. See you later.
Glad it was helpful! I hope you have better luck with the other side.
I don't think I'll be buying this paper because I like using both sides of the paper unless I'm framing. I have these samples also. Thanks for sharing.
You can use both sides for sure. Just not with the sample paper that I received.
@@Sandrinesgallery Thanks! Good to know!
@@Sandrinesgallery I have the 20 sheets block. And it's the same. You can only paint on 1 side. This week I had to throw away 2 pieces. Thank goodness I found your video, I was thinking about burning the whole block xD.
What did you payed for the paper? Because in Germany the Arches paper is much more expensive than the Canson
Canson paper in general is cheaper than Arches. But the Canson Heritage watercolor paper is their best quality watercolor paper and is more expensive than the Arches equivalent. Especially the blocks. The pads are much more affordable.
@@Sandrinesgallery The cost depends on where you're located. In the US, Canson Heritage is less expensive than Arches.
It seems the wrong side is basically unsized? But if it's one side only paper then you can't make sketchbook out of it....
For the price this paper costs, it's probably sized on both sides. This was just a sample paper.
Thank you so much for all the information
You are so welcome!
Maybe thats the problem I had with it. Painting on the wrong side. I was going to give up on it. I just bought a single sheet at Hobby Lobby, for 1 sheet its $7.99 same as Arches.
This paper is definitely too expensive. I am surprised, though that you can't paint on both sides. In my case it was just a sample, but I thought that when you buy the paper, at that price, you'd be able to paint on both sides. I've only painting on a block so far so I didn't experience this problem again, since I only paint on the up side. It's also very strange since Canson papers are usually double sided.
rachael peterson so Rachel, I’m having the same problems. Which was the wrong side to you? The one were you can see the letters of the water seal correctly?
Do you know where Canson 300 lb cold press is available to purchase.
Dick Blick has some: www.dickblick.com/products/laquarelle-canson-heritage-watercolor-paper/
I had practically the same problem with the hot press paper, although for both sides, it's awful! The water and paint absorbs immediately and the paper guets puffy, it's so weird! The worst part is that I actually bought the arches cold press online and the store called to tell me it wasn't available and asked if they could give me a canson one that's "practically the same" and I can't say no so I accepted it , when I got it I realized it wasn't even cold press😢 It's the worst paper I've tried and I've only tried cheap ones
I wonder if it's an old batch with bad sizing.
so was the "wrong" side the smooth or rough side
The wrong side was the one that was printed on. I would think that if you use anything other than a sample sheet you should be able to paint on either side.
So the wrong side is the smooth side?
White spot on arche paper are from old paper stock or not properly stored
Good to know, thank you.
I was using canson C à grain 224gr streched on wooden planche, had the same problem with grained side, n better experience with smooth side of it
Isn't that strange? You'd think you could use both sides of the paper.
@@Sandrinesgallery i agree !
I think I'll try it.
Have fun!
wait so they stopped producing Arches paper?
No, no, no, thank goodness!! 😥 I don't think they ever made it, they only distributed it. It's another group now that distributes Arches paper. You can still buy it, no worries.
You're using the wrong side on the Canson Heritage. The logo side is the "Back side" the proper sizing and surface is on the other side.
I found out the hard way.
I brought a Canson heritage sheet, and asked Canson company what side to paint on and they said, I quote "should be used on the engraved side". So you used the opposite side of the engraving right?
I'm going to have to try both sides to see what side is better.
I haven't tried that paper, but a;; Watercolor papers, usually have 2 different surfaces where the back, is usually a bit smoother. You have to try both, to see what works better for you. The front, is more ideal for classic watercolor painting. Yo hold the paper on a window with a lots of light, or behind a strong lamp and you can see the logo on the bottom right corner. If you read it properly, you look at the front side. Hope this helps Mario!. @@marioalejandro7549
Ok so I tried both sides, and both sides are BAD! Not anywhere close to what your painting looks like. It soaks up all the water and color as soon as I touch the brush to the paper. I had to put a lot of water to keep it wet and then it buckled all wobbly.
That sounds like the experience I had with the sample paper when I used the wrong size. Are you using a sample piece or did you buy a sheet or pad?
@@Sandrinesgallery Thank you for replying. A friend gave a sheet from her pad to try out. I usually use wasli (hand-made paper) for miniature painting, wasli is made by combining together 4-5 watercolor sheets of your choosing and then burnished glossy to smooth out the textures so that the line of the brush is smooth. It's like a very fine cardstock. I was told that Canson Heritage is as good as that. But I'm afraid not. It is nowhere near to wasli. I tried two painting on either side and it was the same. I'll give it another try this time marking both sides and then try it.
@@helmet212 That's interesting. I'd never heard of it. Does your friend like the Canson Heritage paper? To me it's very similar to the Arches paper. I don't know anything about Wasli paper, so I really can't compare. Have you done your second test?
sandrinesgallery Yes I did. I did it on 2 small pieces with sides marked. One side was the same as in your video, nothing like a proper watercolour paper. At the first wash the water just soaked right away, even the colour sank through the sheet, I mean I could see the paint at the back of the paper. The second piece seemed to behave well. I gave it 4-5 washes, it held well although after the hairdryer the colours became chalky. And the pigment didn't soak through the sheet. I didn't tape those pieces to the board nor did I soaked the sheets before use. Anyway, I then started a new painting with the correct side marked on it. I taped it to the board and started to apply the first wash and to my shock, the water didn't stand, it got soaked again the way it did on the wrong side! The same thing happened. I was furious! I tried to paint a composition three times on Canson. By this time I could've finished the painting. No more tests.
Regarding my friend, she uses Arches but it was out of stock in Dubai. She had an exhibition in Art Dubai this year so she had to use Canson Heritage. Her technique is different, it doesn't involve a lot of washes, she paints in opaque watercolours. Check her out she's an established artist instagram.com/mahaahmedqureshi/ . I'll show her my tests when I meet her. My technique involves multiple translucent washes.
@@helmet212 Sorry you're having such a hard time with the Heritage paper. I use a lot of water on it and don't have any problem.
Thank you for sharing your friend's work. It's gorgeous.
They really need to mark which side is up haha
For their samples, abdolutely. Although, since both sides should be working fine when you buy the paper, I think the sample paper should be working on both sides as well.
Lol, I just bought a ton of rag sheets of this on sale and seeing how messed up your first one really scared me.
I think my experience was a fluke. This paper is really good.
I like canson better
🙂
Dont think that was the wrong side!
The other side of the sample paper worked much better.